In 1939, Bill Wilson published the 12 Steps of Recovery. But he wasn’t the first to publish a Recovery Program for those suffering from their powerless and destructive behaviors!
In 1446 BCE / 2314 of the Jewish Calendar – HaKadosh Borachu published the 12 Steps of Recovery of the Jewish Nation. These 12 Steps are as relevant TODAY as it was 3000 years ago!!
Here are the Steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:
- We admitted we were powerless over our Slavery – that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe with full Emunah that Hashem, a Power greater that ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision, with complete Bitachon to turn our will and our lives over to the care of G-d as we undertood Him – shechting the korbon and crossing the Yam Suf.
- Made a searching and fearless moral חשבון הנפש.
- Admitted thru הודאה to G-d, to ourselves and to another holy brother the exact nature of our עברות.
- Were entirely ready to have Hashem remove all these פגמים.
- Humbly asked HaKadosh Borachu to remove our חסרונות.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make מחילה to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take גילוי הנפש and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought thru תְפִלָה and התבודדות to improve our דבקות with G-d as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of His רצון and the כוח to carry that out.
- Having made תשובה as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other Slaves, and to practice these מצות in all our affairs.
Well done, Duvid Chaim.
Burned my shame, ego and fear along with the chometz
Thanks Meira for sharing your success. I hope you realize what a huge step you took. Did you realize that on page 72 of the Big Book, we learn that the “BIG 3” mission of the Program is to learn “HUMILITY, FEARLESSNESS AND HONESTY!”
Please let us know if we can be of further support on your Journey.