Shmuley Boteach
Encyclopedia
Shmuel "Shmuley" Boteach (born November 19, 1966) is an American Orthodox
rabbi
, author, TV host and public speaker.
Among other books, Boteach wrote Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy, published in 1999, which openly discusses intimacy and sexual intercourse. His outspokenness has earned him praise and criticism; Newsweek
magazine named him one of the 50 most influential rabbis in the United States three years in a row, including seventh in 2009.
in 1988 from the Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic
movement in New York City
, and was sent as a Chabad-Lubavitch shaliach
(emissary) to become its representative for a student group in the city of Oxford
in England
, where he founded the L'Chaim Society.
While growing the organization considerably, he received criticism for his tactics, choices of speakers, and decision to open up the forum to non-Jews, who eventually constituted more than half of the members. A serious row was sparked when Boteach was asked to remove some non-Jewish students from the society, but refused.
After inviting Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin
, whose views clashed with those of the Chabad leadership, to speak, he was asked to leave his posting as shaliach.
In 1999, the British Charity Commission for England and Wales investigated the L'Chaim Society for possible misallocation of funds. Following the investigation, The Guardian
reported, a spokesman for the London Chief Rabbi
said Boteach "did not possess the appropriate United Synagogue rabbinical 'practice certificate'" for presiding over services in Orthodox Ashkenazic synagogues in Britain. Later that year Boteach won the "Preacher of the Year" Award from The Times
.
. The series, which ran for two seasons on the TLC
network, was a reality show in which Boteach counselled families and gave advice about relationships. Boteach also hosted a weekly radio show on WABC
called The Shmuley Show, and has made numerous guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and other television programs. He writes two syndicated columns, and is a frequent op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. He speaks extensively in the United States and other countries.
. Some Jewish commentators were critical. "Consorting with Michael Jackson might get Shmuley's name in the papers, but it's doubtful it will really encourage Jews to go to synagogue on Friday night", wrote Benjamin Soskis in Slate
.
At the time, Boteach was a vocal supporter of Jackson and "dismissive of suggestions that Jackson's relationships with children have been anything other than wholesome. Why would anyone believe those charges? They said anyone who spends that amount of time with kids has to be sick. Well, that's not an indictment of Michael Jackson, that's an indictment of our society!" He further stated: "I was friendly with Michael for a year before anyone knew about it. I did my own investigation. He never had sex with the child he made the settlement with, and there are no others."
In 2001 Boteach was involved in "Heal the Kids" or "Time for Kids", a charity founded by Jackson to encourage parents to spend more time with their children. Jackson and Boteach had a falling-out in 2002.
Following Michael Jackson's death, Boteach published The Michael Jackson Tapes, a series of taped conversations he had with Jackson. Boteach himself said in the book that it was Jackson's own wish that the conversations be published: "This book is being published because it was Michael Jackson’s desperate wish that it be so," he wrote in the prologue to the book.
In 2008 he debated with Messianic Jewish
leader Michael L. Brown on whether belief in Jesus is compatible with Judaism. Boteach said his objective was to return to the fold Jews who had converted to Christianity, but the debate raised the ire of many British Jewish leaders. Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet
, a leading British orthodox rabbi, said Boteach's attempts to reach out to Messianic Jews were "self-delusional. Indeed, I question whether Rabbi Boteach has brought even one Jew involved in Christianity back to their roots through his debates, and suggest that it is little more than image and soundbite. I would urge the community to avoid any such debates."
Boteach is known for his flamboyance and self-promotion. In a comment he later described as only having been sarcastic, he was reported as saying "God gave 10 commandments at Sinai, and the 11th commandment, which they expunged but which has come down orally, is 'Thou shalt do anything for publicity and recognition'."
In 2010 he attended the Chabad convention of Shlichim. Boteach wrote that he felt "like being reborn. Like coming home and having a central riddle of one’s life make sense again."
s list of the "Top 50 Rabbis in America". In 2008 Boteach was listed on the Newsweek list at number 9, and in 2009 was listed at number 7.
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, author, TV host and public speaker.
Among other books, Boteach wrote Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy, published in 1999, which openly discusses intimacy and sexual intercourse. His outspokenness has earned him praise and criticism; Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine named him one of the 50 most influential rabbis in the United States three years in a row, including seventh in 2009.
Early career; L'Chaim Society
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach received his rabbinic ordinationSemicha
, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
in 1988 from the Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
movement in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and was sent as a Chabad-Lubavitch shaliach
Shaliach
A shaliaḥ in Halakha is a Jewish legal emissary or agent. Accordingly, a shaliaḥ performs an act of legal significance for the benefit of the sender, as opposed to him or herself...
(emissary) to become its representative for a student group in the city of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he founded the L'Chaim Society.
While growing the organization considerably, he received criticism for his tactics, choices of speakers, and decision to open up the forum to non-Jews, who eventually constituted more than half of the members. A serious row was sparked when Boteach was asked to remove some non-Jewish students from the society, but refused.
After inviting Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
, whose views clashed with those of the Chabad leadership, to speak, he was asked to leave his posting as shaliach.
In 1999, the British Charity Commission for England and Wales investigated the L'Chaim Society for possible misallocation of funds. Following the investigation, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reported, a spokesman for the London Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
said Boteach "did not possess the appropriate United Synagogue rabbinical 'practice certificate'" for presiding over services in Orthodox Ashkenazic synagogues in Britain. Later that year Boteach won the "Preacher of the Year" Award from The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
.
Television and Radio
In 2006 Boteach hosted the television series Shalom in the HomeShalom in the Home
Shalom in the Home is an American reality television series hosted by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach that debuted on TLC on April 10, 2006. A second and last season of the series began on Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 7pm.-Show format:...
. The series, which ran for two seasons on the TLC
TLC (TV channel)
TLC is an American cable TV specialty channel which initially focused on educational content. Since 1991 TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks...
network, was a reality show in which Boteach counselled families and gave advice about relationships. Boteach also hosted a weekly radio show on WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
called The Shmuley Show, and has made numerous guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and other television programs. He writes two syndicated columns, and is a frequent op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. He speaks extensively in the United States and other countries.
Michael Jackson
In the 1990s, Boteach became a friend and unofficial spiritual advisor to Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. Some Jewish commentators were critical. "Consorting with Michael Jackson might get Shmuley's name in the papers, but it's doubtful it will really encourage Jews to go to synagogue on Friday night", wrote Benjamin Soskis in Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
.
At the time, Boteach was a vocal supporter of Jackson and "dismissive of suggestions that Jackson's relationships with children have been anything other than wholesome. Why would anyone believe those charges? They said anyone who spends that amount of time with kids has to be sick. Well, that's not an indictment of Michael Jackson, that's an indictment of our society!" He further stated: "I was friendly with Michael for a year before anyone knew about it. I did my own investigation. He never had sex with the child he made the settlement with, and there are no others."
In 2001 Boteach was involved in "Heal the Kids" or "Time for Kids", a charity founded by Jackson to encourage parents to spend more time with their children. Jackson and Boteach had a falling-out in 2002.
Following Michael Jackson's death, Boteach published The Michael Jackson Tapes, a series of taped conversations he had with Jackson. Boteach himself said in the book that it was Jackson's own wish that the conversations be published: "This book is being published because it was Michael Jackson’s desperate wish that it be so," he wrote in the prologue to the book.
Recent activities
Boteach has espoused many views that have made him unpopular with his Orthodox compatriots. He has espoused an accepting view of homosexuality: "Homosexuality is akin to the prohibition against lighting fire on the Sabbath or eating bread during Passover; there is nothing immoral about it, but it violates the divine will... I am in favor of gay civil unions rather than marriage," he wrote in an op-ed column in the Wall Street Journal His books often openly discuss sex and sexual practices, to the chagrin of many in the Orthodox community. According to an article in The Slate, the descriptions of intercourse in his book Kosher Sex were one of the reasons he was forced to leave his north London synagogue.In 2008 he debated with Messianic Jewish
Messianic Judaism
Messianic Judaism is a syncretic religious movement that arose in the 1960s and 70s. It blends evangelical Christian theology with elements of Jewish terminology and ritual....
leader Michael L. Brown on whether belief in Jesus is compatible with Judaism. Boteach said his objective was to return to the fold Jews who had converted to Christianity, but the debate raised the ire of many British Jewish leaders. Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet
Yitzchak Schochet
Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet is a leading Orthodox rabbi in England.He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to family of an unbroken chain of Rabbis stretching back for two centuries...
, a leading British orthodox rabbi, said Boteach's attempts to reach out to Messianic Jews were "self-delusional. Indeed, I question whether Rabbi Boteach has brought even one Jew involved in Christianity back to their roots through his debates, and suggest that it is little more than image and soundbite. I would urge the community to avoid any such debates."
Boteach is known for his flamboyance and self-promotion. In a comment he later described as only having been sarcastic, he was reported as saying "God gave 10 commandments at Sinai, and the 11th commandment, which they expunged but which has come down orally, is 'Thou shalt do anything for publicity and recognition'."
In 2010 he attended the Chabad convention of Shlichim. Boteach wrote that he felt "like being reborn. Like coming home and having a central riddle of one’s life make sense again."
Top 50 Rabbis in America listings
In 2007 Boteach placed ninth on NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
s list of the "Top 50 Rabbis in America". In 2008 Boteach was listed on the Newsweek list at number 9, and in 2009 was listed at number 7.
Books
- The Blessings of Enough: Rejecting Material Greed, Embracing Spiritual Hunger, 2010
- The Broken American Male: And How to Fix Him, 2008
- The Kosher Sutra, 2009
- Parenting with Fire: Lighting up the Family With Passion and Inspiration, 2006
- 10 Conversations You Need to Have With Your Children, 2006
- Hating Women: America’s Hostile Campaign Against the Fairer Sex, 2005
- Face Your Fear: Living with Courage in an Age of Caution, 2004
- The Private Adam: Becoming a Hero in a Selfish Age, 2003
- Judaism For Everyone: Renewing Your Life Through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith, 2002
- Kosher Adultery: Seduce and Sin with your Spouse, 2002
- Why Can’t I Fall in Love: A /2-Step Program, 2001
- The Psychic and the Rabbi: A Remarkable Correspondence., 2001
- Confessions of a Psychic and a Rabbi, 2000
- Dating Secrets of the Ten Commandments, 2000
- Moses of Oxford: A Jewish Vision of a University and Its Life, Volume One and Two, 1994
- The Wolf Shall Lie with the Lamb - The Messiah in Hasidic Thought 1993
- Dreams, 1991
Television and radio
- The Rabbi Shmuley Show aired on XM channel 156 for one year
- Shalom in the HomeShalom in the HomeShalom in the Home is an American reality television series hosted by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach that debuted on TLC on April 10, 2006. A second and last season of the series began on Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 7pm.-Show format:...
ran for two seasons on the TLCTLC (TV channel)TLC is an American cable TV specialty channel which initially focused on educational content. Since 1991 TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks...
network