To Lead a Text Study -- Do not FEAR the text! Own it!

 

"Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were once reclining in the upper story of Nithza's house, in Lod, when this question was posed to them: Which is greater, study or action? Rabbi Tarfon answered, saying: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered, saying: Study is greater. All the rest agreed with Akiva that study is greater than action because it leads to action." (Kiddushin 40b)

- Read through the texts in advance. Think about the purpose of the text study, and think about what questions you might ask participants.

- Be prepared to draw out your participants. Don't fear the silence. Ask the question: "What do you think?" and then WAIT for the answer!

- Begin by asking one participant to read the first chunk of text aloud. Ask someone to summarize it, or you summarize it.

- If you are given a list of questions, use them as a jumping off point. Be prepared for the conversation to go in a different direction than you think it "should." But also be prepared to pull the discussion back "on track" when necessary.

- After one person shares an opinion, open up the floor: "What do the rest of you think? Agree? Disagree?" Sometimes this is all people need to open their mouths and discuss!

- Try to get everyone involved. "What do you think, Jane?" is a good way to involve someone who might not be talking.

- Don't get bogged down in details or in allowing one person to monopolize the conversation. Try to make sure that people have a turn and don't over-do a certain point.


Want to put together a fantastic text study? Check out these creative samples from hillel.org that will knock your socks off.


A story is related of Rabbi Yose ben Kisma. He was traveling on a journey and met a man on the road. The man inquired, "From where do you come?" The Rabbi answered, "I live in a city of great scholars and tzadikkim, righteous men." Then the man asked, "Rabbi, will you please come and live in our community? If you were willing, I would give you thousands of gold coins, as well as the most precious jewels in the world." The Rabbi responded, "Although you would give me great riches, I will not live anywhere but in a community where there is Torah." (Adapted from Pirke Avot, the Ethics of our Fathers, 6:9)