A Little WisdomTalmud stories for everyday life
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111 · 8 panels

Just the First Sentence

Ara thinks about springing a surprise during rehearsal. She asks Jin instead, and he picks one sentence to try.

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Before anyone else arrived, he and Ara rehearsed in the small meeting room.
Story

Jin was going to welcome the neighborhood walking group.

Before anyone else arrived, he and Ara rehearsed in the small meeting room.

Jin started to speak, paused, and looked back down at the card on the lectern.
Jin

I keep looking at the card. I’m afraid I’ll forget the first line.

Jin started to speak, paused, and looked back down at the card on the lectern.

She glanced from Jin to the card. It stayed on the lectern.
Story

For a moment, Ara wondered what would happen if she pretended the card had gone missing.

She glanced from Jin to the card. It stayed on the lectern.

Ara asked from her seat. The card was still right in front of Jin.
Ara

Want to try without looking at the card? We can keep going as we are, too.

Ara asked from her seat. The card was still right in front of Jin.

Jin held up one finger, and Ara nodded.
Jin

Sure. I’ll try just the first sentence for now.

Jin held up one finger, and Ara nodded.

He left it on the lectern where he could look at it as soon as he needed to.
Story

Jin turned the white card over himself.

He left it on the lectern where he could look at it as soon as he needed to.

Jin looked up and finished his first sentence. Ara listened until he was done.
Jin

Today we’ll cross three little bridges as we follow the stream.

Jin looked up and finished his first sentence. Ara listened until he was done.

Jin turned the card face up. Ara got ready to hear the next sentence.
Jin

I want to try the second sentence now. If I get stuck, I can glance down and keep going.

Jin turned the card face up. Ara got ready to hear the next sentence.

A thought from the Talmud

The Gemara asks whether Rav Huna’s test might have put a stumbling block in his son’s way.

The source idea in our own words · Not a direct quotation

Kiddushin 32a:7–8 · Read the source ↗

A lesson for today

Ara briefly thought a surprise might help Jin practice. When she asked, Jin chose what he was ready to try. He turned over the card, said just the first sentence, and decided he could look at his notes if he got stuck. Agreeing on the goal and scope before practice gives the person rehearsing room to go at their own pace.

A modern interpretation for this story

A question to take with you

When you help someone rehearse, what would you like to agree on before you start?

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About the source and this adaptation

In Kiddushin 32a:7–8, Rav Huna tears a silk garment in front of his son Rabba to see if he will get angry. The Gemara asks whether provoking anger would violate the rule against placing a stumbling block in Leviticus 19:14. It answers that the father had already waived the honor due to him. Asked about needless destruction, it says he tore a seam that could be repaired. Asked if his son could have noticed that, it says he did it while his son was already angry about something else. The wisdom line paraphrases the question in section 7. Jin, Ara, the rehearsal, the card, and the dialogue are AI-assisted modern fiction centered on the choices of the person being tested.

Read the source ↗

AI-generated artwork · Creative adaptation

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