Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.
His books, available on Amazon, include:
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Attitude is everything. But in hard times, it’s a lot easier to sit and complain rather than do something about bettering our life circumstances and attitudes. I am reminded of an old story I came across almost 10 years ago, which I filed away for a […]
Rosh Hashanah is a time to celebrate life, opportunity Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –In Yiddish we say, “A Mentsch tracht, Gott lacht,” which can be translated as, “Man plans, God laughs.” If Heaven has sitcoms for the angels and God to watch, life on planet Earth must be really funny at times. God must be feeling relieved. Getting booed from
God must be feeling relieved Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel JERUSALEM — Let me begin with the good news first. The Democratic Party platform reinstated the importance of Jerusalem to our country’s values and principles—along with God too! Now comes the bad news. Although the section of Jerusalem was reinstated, the sections pertaining to the Palestinian refugees and the terrorist
Something not kosher about DNC Jerusalem fiasco Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — While practicing law, George G. Vest, a former U. S. Senator from Missouri, defended a farmer whose dog was involved in a minor damage suit. Here is part of his speech: “The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that
Treatment of animals presages how we treat humans Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —One of my favorite lines from Simon and Garfunkel’s greatest hits reads: Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo) What’s that you say, Mrs. Robinson Joltin’ Joe has left and gone away (Hey, hey, hey…hey, hey, hey)
Why no condemnation of Abbas’s Jerusalem comments? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The anti-circumcision advocates are probably not happy about the latest news to come out of a study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which reveal the health benefits deriving from male circumcision far outweigh the risks. According to the report, researchers formed a task force
Pediatricians find benefits of circumcision outweigh risks Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Last week, I received an email from the Reelect-elect Obama campaign. The President is urging rabbis to help re-elect the President. The email contained the following information and assertions: Obama for America today announced the launch of Rabbis for Obama, a campaign initiative to engage and mobilize grassroots
High Holy Days no time for election-year politics Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Hatred and xenophobia are two of the oldest diseases afflicting the human condition. For many people living in unenlightened societies, hatred of the Other is almost as natural as mother’s milk. Jewish history bears witness to how our adversaries have vilified us, dehumanized us, persecuted us,
Anti-Arabism as sinful as anti-Semitism Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Irony I feel, is a very high form of morality. — JEAN STAFFORD This morning I received an email about how the Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh turns to Israel when his family needs medical attention. I know of very few countries that live by the ethic
Hamas chief’s brother-in-law went to Israel for treatment Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The Jewish world has recently begun its new project of the Daf Yomi, or “Page of the Day.” Here is a brief history how the project originally began. Rabbi Meir Shapiro, leader of the World Agudath Israel, introduced a novel idea in 1923. He felt the
Some ways to participate in daily Talmud study Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The recent attack upon the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin dredged up some old memories I thought I had buried. My story began not long after 2001. At that time, I was a rabbi in Glens Falls, New York, when the incident occurred. After the terrible 9/11
Attack on Sikh Temple stirs memories of Glen Falls Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Who says religious people aren’t funny? Where is Jay Leno when you need him? The world of the Ultra-Orthodox (a.k.a. “Haredi” and “Hasidim”) never fail to evoke laughter and irony. In their quest for personal piety, they will go to extremes to keep themselves away from
Some forms of haredi piety are really OCD Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel SAN DIEGO — Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook writes in his famous mystical and moral tract, The Lights of Penitence: The greatest impediment to the human spirit, upon reaching maturity, results from the fact that the conception of God is crystallized among people in a particular form, which goes back to childish habit
Anthropomorphizing God does HaShem a disservice Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –This Shabbat is the 9th of Av, the saddest day of the Jewish year. Yet, Shabbat does not afford us the opportunity to grieve. For this reason, the fast is postponed to Saturday night. The time of the “Three Weeks,” leading up to Tisha’ b’ Av, are traditionally
Surfacing our inner heroes Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Travel and Food