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– Some of you may think that today’s lesson on forgiveness will be a little boring. If so, I ask that you please forgive me. Just like a picture says more than a thousand words, parables, too, also convey lessons that are timeless as they are obvious, requiring […]
Forgiving adultery Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Richard Nixon had many shortcomings, but compared to Barack Obama, he looks like a saint. I do not ever recall seeing Nixon attempting to subvert the 1st Amendment that guarantees freedom of speech, but recently with the release of the Innocence of Muslims film that came
U.S. must not give up 1st Amendment to please Islamists Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Nittai the Arbelite said: Keep your distance from a bad neighbor; don’t socialize with scoundrels. Mishnah—Avoth 1:7 Our parents often taught us, “A person is judged by the company he keeps.” Jewish tradition reaffirms this message, for people then to gravitate to others who
Beware the company the President keeps Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —The streets of Europe and the Middle East are burning as we prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah. Life in Israel is making everyone nervous as the President is doing nothing meaningful to prevent Iran from developing the bomb. One gets the impression that Iran will finally “cave
Blame Obama’s amateurism for Mideast chaos Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy 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-Rabbi