Michael Mantell

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s Torah portion Nitzavim, with its majestic and simultaneously chilling tone, is always read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah. That’s right, it’s only a few days away. It asks us where we stand as we enter the new year. The parasha teaches that Hashem tells us, “I […]

This week’s parasha is one of the most formidable and alarming chapters of the Torah. We find fourteen verses of the good things that will happen to the us if we faithfully obey Hashem’s divine commandments. And then, we read 54 verses that warn of the converse, the curses that will befall us if we do not faithfully observe all His commandments. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that more than seventy mitzvot, 74 if I counted correctly, spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. This parasha may be an environmentalist’s dream. It says, “When you besiege a city for an extended period, to make war against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down;

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Is your glass half empty, half filled, or as mine is, filled with 6 ounces of water and the rest, air? Yes, “the link is what you think,” and this week’s Torah reading underscores this idea with its words, “See, this day I set before you a

In this week’s Torah reading, Eikev, we are commanded to go in the ways of Hashem and to “cling to Him.” How are we to cling to what we just learned last week in Va’eschanan 4:24 is, figuratively, an “all-consuming fire”? The Sifri tells us we are to do so by clinging to and learning from Talmidei Chachamim, those wise, learned people who have vast Torah knowledge. It is a mitzvah to use our learning from Talmidei Chachamim, those who’ve spent many years refining themselves, the Mesilas Yesharim teaches us, particularly when it comes to our personal growth. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Well, here we are on this Shabbat Nachamu reminding us that in just seven weeks we’ll be celebrating Rosh Hashana. This “Sabbath of comforting,” from the haftarah in the Book of Isaiah, we read, Nachamu, nachamu ami “Comfort, comfort my people,” and we have the first of the seven haftorot, Sheva deNechamata, of consolation helping us prepare psychologically and spiritually for the holiday of Rosh Hashana. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Let’s begin at the beginning of this week’s parasha, which we read on the Shabbos before Tisha B’Av every year, and look at the first words of the Torah reading, “These are the words which Moshe spoke unto all of Israel across the Jordan…” Yes, Moshe spoke his words to ALL Jews, not just those alive then, but to all, including us today. When we read this parasha, Moshe is speaking directly to me and you. This makes Devarim a particularly human parasha, one in which Moshe establishes a quite personal relationship with each of us. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

When you walk into a synagogue what do you feel? This week’s double reading, Matot and Massei, on the Shabbat that is the first day of the auspicious month of Av, offers us some insight into this question. After all, these readings teach of a new phase in the history of our heritage, the settlement period when we began to find permanent homes for ourselves. Is that what your synagogue is for you? [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Know anyone who’s never faced frustration or adversity, or who’s realized all his or her dreams? Not even Moshe, this week’s parasha teaches us, can claim that he’s lived that life. Before Moshe faces his end, he surmounts his own disappointments and pain and focuses on insuring that he will leave a successor. Hashem showed Moses the Land of Israel and told him that he wouldn’t be allowed to bring the Jewish people into the Land. Moses immediately said: “May … God … appoint a man over the assembly, who shall go out before them … and let the assembly … not be like sheep that have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:16-17) Moses places his hands on Joshua, announcing him to be the next leader. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Talking donkeys can teach us a great deal about who really offers blessings and curses, that is, only Hashem. And more than this, talking donkeys can teach us to inclusively, with ahavat yisroel, open our eyes and see the good in everyone else in the world. It says in the parasha three times, “And G-d opened the eyes of Bilam and he saw…” Some people, like Bilaam, may need continuous lessons to see the presence of Hashem. We benefit from similar reminders to see every other person with understanding, with the benefit of the doubt, with love, through ayin tova. Our eyes are lenses through which we see the world. Too often shmutz clouds what we see in terms of negative thinking. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

The Pure Red Heifer, the Parah Adumah T’mimah which we read about in this week’s parasha, Chukat, opens the door to learning about a purification process that defies rational understanding. Burn a perfectly good cow without blemish and its ashes can make those who burn it imperfect, impure, while making the impure, the imperfect, pure and perfect. What a paradox! [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

What was Korach openly displaying about himself when he was criticizing Moshe and Aaron? I believe he was saying, “It’s all about me.” He demonstrated what self-absorption and evil are all about. Korach could have been a vehicle of Hashem’s words. But he certainly was not. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]