Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel The first proclamation of the Ten Commandments, “ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,” (Exod. 20:2) has puzzled Jewish scholars and philosophers for well over 2,000 years. Maimonides deduced from this passage the biblical precept

One of the interesting points that Maimonides and Philo of Alexandria agree on in this week’s Torah portion is the role of human freedom and responsibility.  Philo routinely pointed out that God is never the source of moral evil in the world—human beings are, and they alone must be responsible for the moral condition of society—whether it be good or bad, harmonious or chaotic. This idea is also one of ancient Stoicism’s greatest moral teachings. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Maimonides’ understanding of the Book of Exodus ought to have great relevance to people who study the weekly Torah portion. Although he did not write an exposition on this book of the Torah, he writes about it profusely in his Mishneh Torah and his Guide for the Perplexed; the same may be said about his other voluminous writings. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Philo’s treatment of the Joseph trilogy is unique in many respects. Not only does he explain the peshat–the contextual meaning of the biblical text—he also spends considerable time developing the psychological portrayal of the various biblical personalities in a style that makes the entire narrative seem almost contemporary. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Jacob’s wrestling with the angel is arguably one of the most famous images we encounter in the Torah. Commentaries since rabbinical times wondered: Did it really occur? Or did Jacob imagine it? Maimonides’ interpretation is novel; he offers a view that Freud and Jung have found fascinating. Although we tend to think of psychology as beginning with Freud, medieval scholars such as Maimonides and Aquinas possessed a remarkable understanding of human psychology. Here is one such example from Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed 2:42. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

In this week’s Torah portion (Parshat Vyetse), Philo’s comments about Leah and Rachel’s relationship is striking. One can see that it is not merely brothers who fight with one another. The same also applies to sisters—especially when it is over the love of the same man! Although the Bible is full of tales regarding polygamy, one should not infer that the biblical writers endorsed this ancient Bedouin practice, which still occurs today. Quite the opposite—the ideal marriage is between one man and one woman. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Philo of Alexandria’s insights is among the most original expositions of Parshat Toledot, this week’s Torah portion. According to him, Isaac is well-aware of Esau’s shortcomings, but he wishes to bless his son so that he might realize his hidden spiritual potential. Bu in the end, as we know, Jacob took his brother’s blessings. Philo saw Jacob’s relationship to Esau as a spiritual mentor. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]