By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The theology of Rabbi Shneir Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) raises some fascinating questions about the nature of creatio ex nihilo—creation out of nothing. How can the theologian refer to God as “nothing,” when God is the totality of all things and infinitely more? He answers that […]
God is for be-living, not just believing Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Jews are not buried in the clothes they wore during their lives. Rather, we are dressed in tachrichim, simple white burial garments. This reminds us that no matter how many material blessings one accumulates during a lifetime, we are all equal in death. Additionally, tachrichim remind us
The meaning of tachrichim Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK– Everyone has his or her own voice. Some express it loudly and clearly; some just mumble or whisper. There are those who let their voices be heard only in their professional lives and are silent and withdrawn at home. Others use their voices only within their families and
Finding the voice of the people of Israel Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel There are a number of books that have been recently written concerning the weekly Torah portion. Some are better than others. I am recommending the books according to a four-star rating. The Lion Cub of Prague: Thought Kabbala, Hashkafa from Gur Aryeh—The Maharal of Prague by Dr. Moshe David Kuhr; Gefen
Rating four new books on Torah Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Joel A Moskowitz, M.D. SAN DIEGO — Lou Dunst is a Holocaust survivor. He is much sought after for his lucid ability to describe, despite the horrors of his experience, his continuing faith in G-d. Does he have the answer? There have been studies to attempt to correlate prayer and healing. “Anecdotal evidence”
A Holocaust survivor again demonstrates his faith Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO, California — A couple of weeks ago I appeared on a panel at El Cajon Valley High School to speak about the similarities and differences between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The other panelists were an evangelical minister and an Imam. The students asked lots of intelligent and probing questions,
Even those who witnessed miracles at Sinai still had free will Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California — I’ve yet to see, among the criticisms of college ethnic and gender studies departments, a similar criticism of Judaic Studies departments. Is this because, as some charge, Jews have a privileged place in our universities? The pervasiveness of anti-Israel sentiment on campuses, usually with carte blanche or often support
Why Judaic Studies departments are shielded from criticism Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — I was blessed with the good fortune of having been born as a Jew in the United States of America. I have often reflected upon the meaning of that good fortune. I was born just months after the outbreak of World War II and have often been haunted by
Are we all created equal? Read More »
Jewish Religion
A Universe from Nothing: Why is there Something Rather than Nothing? by Lawrence M. Krauss; ISBN 978-1-4516-2445-8 ©2012, $24.99, p. 202 The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning: Why the Universe is Not Designed for Us by Victor J. Stenger; ISBN 978-1-61614-443-2 ©2012, $28.00, p. 341, including notes, bibliography, and index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California
Scientists contemplate universe’s origin Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–Recently someone asked me, “Does Judaism have any thoughts on the Wikileaks fiasco? Where does freedom of the press and the public’s right to know become a security threat, or worse, in Jewish thought?” This issue is not only concerned with the arrest and trial of Julian Asange;
What does Judaism say about leaking confidential information? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO –The final paragraph of parashat Sh’lach L’cha contains the mitzvah of tzitzit: “The Lord said to Moses as follows: Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes (tzitzit) on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue
The origin, styles and purpose of tzitzit Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — Imagine standing at a crossroads. We have all been there. We have all experienced moments in our life’s journey when we had to make a crucial choice and decide whether to proceed along one road or along another. (Except for Yogi Berra, of course, who famously said,
Comparing choices made at the crossroads Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Talmudic wisdom urges us to be circumspect with our behavior as a community when a tragedy strikes home. Because of our collective and corporate sense of identity, we are all responsible for the moral condition of our communities. This idea can be seen in one of
Requiem for a friend, John Smithson Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort CARLSBAD, California–On Monday, June 11, ’12, history was made as the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings became champions. Wait a minute! What does a Chabad Chasidic Rabbi know about hockey? Actually, not a lot (but I am teachable). The Los Angeles Kings were born a mere couple of years after
Hockey Kings capture Chabad rabbi’s heart Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi