Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

[caption id="attachment_22661" align="alignright" width="100"] Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel[/caption]

Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.

His books, available on Amazon, include:

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*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

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Trump may imagine himself as Monty Hall of ‘Let’s Make a Deal’

Trump behaves as though decades of deep-seated theological fervor, regional subversion, and nuclear ambition can be resolved simply by finding a transactional middle ground. It treats a fanatical, apocalyptic regime not as an existential threat to be decisively dismantled, but as a difficult business partner holding out for a better contract. (Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel)

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Israel, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Why Sinai and ‘sinah’ are still best frenemies

On Shavuot we celebrated the greatest moment in Jewish history — the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Our ancestors stood at the foot of that mountain and received the divine blueprint for how to live as a holy people. But our sages, with their sharp eyes and even sharper sense of wordplay, noticed something curious about the location. The mountain is called Sinai. And what does that sound like in Hebrew? Sinah — שִׂנְאָה — hatred. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Antisemitism, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

New York Times and antisemitism: the Jewish enemy within

Coverage of Israel often portrayed it as a destabilizing force rather than a necessary refuge for a shattered people. By the 1970s and 1980s, legitimate policy critique sometimes slid into rhetoric about excessive Jewish power and dual loyalty. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, News Media, Shanda File, USA

Parsha Behar: Schnorrers are unsung MVPs of Jewish history

The Hebrew language is gloriously rich in words for “poor person.” We’ve got dal, evyon, oni, rash — a whole thesaurus of poverty. Yet when the Torah lays down the laws about helping the poor, it refuses to use any of them. Instead, it keeps repeating one single word: achicha — “your brother.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Business & Finance, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Making It Relevant’ aligns Torah with modern life

What makes this book shine is its consistent structure: sharp questions on the text, insights drawn from Chazal, classical commentaries, and Chassidic thought (especially Chabad), followed by the powerful “Making It Relevant” section. These practical takeaways and reflective exercises are the book’s greatest gift—they transform passive reading into active spiritual growth, helping readers see the big picture of each week’s parsha as a roadmap for their own lives. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Torah Wrestling’ grapples with the Bible’s most troubling episodes

He approaches the Torah not as an infallible divine dictation but as a profoundly human document shaped by historical context, one that still radiates divine sparks and enduring ethical power. This perspective grants him the freedom to question, reinterpret, and reclaim troubling narratives that have challenged readers for generations. {Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel}

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Parsha Emor: Stop counting days. Start making them count

I once read a piece that hit me like a truck. It said: If you’re around 35, after subtracting sleep, work, commuting, scrolling, eating, bathroom breaks, doctor visits, and all the other necessary nonsense… you’ve only got about 500 days left of truly free, usable life in the next 35 years. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Who is more meritorious? An angel in heaven or a human struggling with conscience?

This Midrash beautifully underscores the Jewish preference for the wrestler over the effortless saint. Angels may be flawless, but they cannot truly fulfill mitzvot that demand overcoming desire. Only flesh-and-blood people, locked in Sartre’s No Exit with their own cravings, can achieve the profound moral heroism the Torah celebrates. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Just wars: Pope ignores Thomas Aquinas, Maimonides

When a religious leader pours the “milk” of unconditional pacifism into the “meat” of a life-and-death military struggle, the result is a curdled moral confusion. This mixture makes it impossible to digest the hard reality of defense, leading to a “forbidden” policy that benefits neither the state nor the soul. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Spain must ban its celebratory medieval toast ‘kill Jews’

It is a phrase uttered with a smile, a wink, and the clinking of glasses. Yet, to dismiss this as harmless folklore is to ignore the blood-soaked soil from which such language grew and the moral rot it continues to nourish in the modern era. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Spain must ban its celebratory medieval toast ‘kill Jews’ Read More »

International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food