Michael Mantell

Dr. Michael Mantell

Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. is a retired psychologist, best-selling author, international speaker, and a highly sought after cognitive behavioral coach whose actionable, valuable and practical work has been featured on Fox News, ABC-TV, NBC-TV, CBS-TV, The New York Times, and The Huffington Post. He has been teaching how Torah’s wisdom can lead to optimal living for many decades. You can follow him on Facebook and in other social media, where he has posted the #MantellDaily5 everyday for years.

His books, available on Amazon, include:

Parashat Bo: Overcoming Your Fears

When Hashem directs Moses, “come to Pharaoh,” He is saying “come to Me.” The Ba’al Shem Tov teaches in a parable that He is saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am here behind the screen. All the tests are just from me. With everything you do, you’re getting closer to Me. I am the good found in all the struggle. Come to Me and I will take you high above the darkness of this world, and then I will show you how I was really with you the whole time.” In essence he is suggesting the famous FEAR acronym “Face Everything and Rise,” rather than “Forget Everything and Run.” [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Parashat Va’eira: Facing Life’s Challenges

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Oy gevalt! Evictions, pleading to “let My people go,” magic staffs, plagues, hardened hearts…read all this and enjoy a peaceful Shabbat? By now we’ve learned that whatever happens in our lives always happens for our benefits. Let’s look at the lessons in this week’s Torah reading, the 14th

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Parashat Miketz and Chanukah: A Story of Resilience and Hope

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha, Miketz, comes on Chanukah and on Rosh Chodesh Tevet. Yet, Chanukah isn’t mentioned even once in all of our Torah. Recall that in last week’s parasha, Vayeishev, Joseph was thrown into a pit. Joseph prayed and Hashem answered his prayers. This week, we read

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Parashat Vayeishev: Man Thinks, God Winks

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — You’ve heard it many times, “Man plans, G-d laughs.” Or perhaps, like me, you’ve heard this version, “Mentsch tracht, Gott lacht.” I like “Man thinks, G-d Winks.” Regardless, like all of us who prefer to live without being mutchet or tcheppeht, (pressured or bothered), Jacob found that life has

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Parashat Vayeitzei: How to Strengthen Our Character Beyond Gratitude

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — “Thank you.” Here’s a question for you. Who’s the first person to have brought these words, “Thank you” to us Yehudim? Right! That’d be the mother of Yehuda (from the word hoda’ah), none other than Leah. When’s the last time you expressed genuine, heartfelt gratitude and shown

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Parashat Noach: Seeking Out Righteousness Over Arrogance

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — In the whole of the Torah, there are only six portions that are named after an individual. Don’t look for parasha Avraham or Moshe. But we do have the Noach Ish Tzaddik Tamim Hayah BeDorotav the wholehearted, righteous man, “perfect in his generation.” Yes, there are of course

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Parashat Bereishit: Beginning Anew With the Right Mindset

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — With Bereishit We Begin Learning Torah… With our holiday season behind us, we begin anew by recounting the Seven Days of Creation, reading the story of the very first Shabbat – Hashem’s Shabbat. This experience with the right mindset, brings a deep sense of gratitude, comfort, awe,

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell