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–One of my congregants asked a recent synagogue class, “How can we try to be respectful and understanding of the ultra-Orthodox when they are at the forefront of hostile activities like rioting at places which are open on Shabbat and more recently, vandalizing a girls’ school in Bet […]
Is everyone worthy of our respect? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–The other day, I came across an interesting story, worthy of a Sherlock Holmes tale. Some time ago in 2011, Lubavitcher women sponsored a special collection for Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Deena Yellin writes, “The herd of brightly-colored stuffed animals filled our front porch with all the panache of
In defense of unkosher animal toys Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi“[My] book is telling the Jews to reclaim Jesus, the authentic Jesus, the historical Jesus, the Jewish Jesus” and to be inspired by his “beautiful” teachings, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said this week in Jerusalem. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Shmuley Boteach reminds me a lot of Paul, the Apostle. In fact, I
‘The Kosher Jesus’ raises eyebrows but is not very deep Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Some time ago, I had a friendly discussion with Rabbi Yisrael Goldberg, a young Chabadnik who lives in Israel. In the course of our talk, he told me that Rabbi Avraymo Levitanski (a former teacher of mine) had recently died. Avraymo was a great man;
Should a Chabadnik say “Today is Thursday, January 5th, in Santa Monica”? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — People often talk about David Ben Gurion’s encouragement of Haredi Jews to settle in Israel as his “greatest blunder.” Yet, not even he could foresee the damage the Haredi would cause in the future. Ben Gurion acknowledged the terrible mistake he made in a letter he
A Polish homeland for Israel’s haredim? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — This past Shabbat, I spoke about the theme of risk as it pertained to Judah’s dilemma; it is only when he shows a willingness to risk his welfare for Benjamin, Judah suddenly displays the heroic trait that many of his descendants would later emulate. Heroes throughout
Beit Shemesh haredi man shows courage in open letter Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Like a bad penny, the problem will not go away. It doesn’t seem to matter what people say or do to prevent it. Beth Shemesh is a lot like a train-wreck waiting to happen; actually, it has already happened, but the extent of the damage and
The Sikrikim threaten Haredi and other Jews alike Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Jewish legal tradition, better known as “Halachah,” teaches that silence is “tantamount to admission.” The moral implications ought to be clear enough for anyone to readily grasp. When somebody is attempting to do something wrong and illegal, one cannot dissociate oneself from the situation and
The guilty silence of some Haredi rabbis Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most colorful figures of the 18th century, who almost single-handedly raised the morale of the Jewish people, was a man named R. Yisrael ben Eliezer, a.k.a., the famous “Baal Shem Tov,” (literally, the “Master of the Good Name.”) When one looks back in
The Baal Shem Tov would be horrified Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The other day, I watched an interview with the Jewish Reggae singer Matisyahu, shortly after he had shaven his beard! I could just imagine what some of his Hassidic fans were saying to one another after they heard the news, “Matisyahu! Please
More than a shave, Matsiyahu’s shorn beard represents a change in outlook Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California– Stephen Hawking in the beginning of his book, A Brief History of Time, relates a story he believes originated with the scientist-philosopher Bertrand Russell, who once fielded an interesting question asked by an elderly woman after finishing a lecture he gave on astronomy: “He described how the
Reflections on ‘the God Particle’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Historically, the holiday of Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday when compared to holidays like Passover or Yom Kippur, or the Sabbath. Nevertheless, its significance should not be under-appreciated. Hanukkah celebrates the first triumph for religious freedom in the ancient history of late antiquity. Although the
Not by might, but by light – A modern Hanukkah message Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Recently this question was posed to me: God warns us explicitly not to follow in the ways of the other nations. How does this apply to our custom to give gifts on Chanukah, which seems to have been taken from the very not-Jewish tradition of
Is gift-giving on Chanukah permitted? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Once upon a time, some American tourists went to Mexico on a vacation; they toured some hot springs, where they saw the natives washing their clothes! One tourist said to his guide, “My, isn’t it wonderful how Mother Nature provides her children with hot water to wash
Mindfulness and the Art of Thanksgiving Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA