Havrutah How-to
- Read the text aloud.
- Summarize the text.
- Read the text aloud again.
- What questions do you have of the text?
- What do you see in the text that might start to answer your questions?
- You can also use the questions below to get your conversation started.
70 Faces of Torah: Wisdom for the 12-Steps, Step 10
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
(לט) מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽו׃ {ס} (מ) נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} (מא) נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ {ס} (מב) נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ
(39) Of what shall a living person complain?
Each one of their own sins! (40) Let us search and examine our ways,
And turn back to the LORD; (41) Let us lift up our hearts with our hands
To God in heaven: (42) We have transgressed and rebelled
Additional Questions for Discussion
1. Cheshbon hanefesh--an accounting of the soul--is one name for a living inventory in Hebrew. How is a living inventory like taking an accounting of the soul?
2. Why do you think the text from Lamentations says "a living person"?
3. When we "promptly admit it," to whom are we making the admission and why?
4. In the text from Lamentations, to whom are we making the admission and why?
5. Is admitting it enough? Why or why not?