Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.
His books, available on Amazon, include:
*A Shepherd’s Song
*Gentle Judaic Wisdom for a Troubled World
*Maimonides Hidden Torah Commentaries: Genesis 1-21
*Maimonides Hidden Torah Commentaries: Genesis: 22-50
*Rediscovering Philo of Alexandria: A First Century Torah Commentator (Vol 1): Genesis
*Rediscovering Philo of Alexandria: A First Century Torah Commentator (Vol 2): Exodus
*Rediscovering Philo of Alexandria: A First Century Torah Commentator (Vol 3) Leviticus
*Rediscovering Philo of Alexandria: A First Century Torah Commentator(Vol 4) Numbers
*Rediscovering Philo of Alexandria: A First Century Torah Commentator (Vol 5) Deuteronomy
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Is revenge or vengeance permissible in Judaism? Has the view of revenge changed over time? Answer: You ask a difficult question and the answer is far from simple. Numerous laws and passages proscribe revenge and vengeance. Conversely, revenge plays an important role in rectifying injustices that occurred. The […]
What Judaism says about revenge Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiFirst in a series By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Natural catastrophes such as a floods or earthquakes are frequently referred to as an “act of God.” A deer crossing in front of a car that causes an accident is also considered an “act of God.” When “acts of God” occur, it exempts
What was God’s role in Hurricane Sandy? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –The Republican Party needs to be introspective at this time of our country’s history. As I think about the collapse of the Romney campaign for the Presidency, I think Gov. Romney missed several opportunities to win this election. Part of the problem has a lot to
What Romney should have done Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Most of you are familiar with Macbeth, which is considered to be one of the most psychologically gripping plays by Shakespeare. Macbeth tells the story about a Scottish lord named Macbeth, who chooses evil as a means of attaining power. He commits regicide to become king and
In spirit of Halloween, here’s the Witch of Endor Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — As a native of San Francisco, I have always been a Giant fan since the time I first started collecting baseball cards as a young child. I remember watching the 1962 World Series when the Giants faced the dreaded New York Yankees, led by Roger Maris and
Giants know the meaning of working together as a team Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —There is hardly a day that passes when I don’t marvel at the power of individuals to move mountains and change history. Abraham believed he could change and transform the world. It is all the more remarkable, when we consider Abraham’s age. The Torah tells us that
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — It’s a pity that gentiles don’t study Talmud. While there are a number of arguments in the Talmud that are pedantic and unexciting, the study of this ancient rabbinic work teaches people how to critically examine a text. During the second debate, President Obama called the
Transcripts tell story of White House and Benghazi Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Obviously Jewish survival must depend upon something more than empty sentimentalism. There must be something more than a cultural Jewish identity that finds Jewish fulfillment in bagels and lox. While many Jews live a nostalgically religious life, at least an equally large number have become ambivalent
When Jews seek spirituality elsewhere Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Noah was a remarkable man. Just how remarkable was he? How would he compare to Abraham or to Moses? Rabbinical tradition grapples with this question. Rashi cites the midrashic text that offers an answer to our question. Two rabbinic scholars differ on how they interpret the
That remarkable man, Noah Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –In Pakistan, this past week, the Taliban shot a young fourteen year old woman named Malala Yousafzai in the head. She is fighting for her life. She was no average target; this was not a random act of gratuitous violence that we read about in the paper.
Standing against the Taliban’s war on women Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — According to rabbinic tradition, in order to impress upon Adam the need for human companionship, God brought him all the animals so that he might notice that each one had a partner. This parade of God’s creatures was intended to lead to a deepening of Adam’s own consciousness
The woman who stood against Adam Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Simchat Torah is a relative latecomer to Judaism. Historically, the first mention of Simchat Torah is found in the 13th century work known as the Zohar, which is a mystical commentary on the Bible.[1] Sometime in the 9th century, European communities would begin reading Genesis immediately after
Why and when we celebrated Simchat Torah Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiThe Good Friday Prayer by Howard Rubenstein (San Diego: Granite Hills Press, 2012); ISBN-10: 1929468237; 520 pages; $24:95; Rating 4* By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — When one considers all the new books that have appeared in the news about Jesus, Howard Rubinstein’s book, The Good Friday Prayer is one of the
‘The Good Friday Prayer’ challenges Catholic theology Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Today in the news I came across the following article: · On September 18, 2012, Muhib Ru’yat Al-Rahman, a senior writer on leading jihadi forum Shumoukh Al-Islam, suggested that Muslims living in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.S. kill Westerners and display their decapitated heads
Religion like rain: sometimes soft, sometimes murderous Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi