Guilt is an emotional warning; it informs us that our psychological equilibrium is at risk.
s physical pain alerts us that the body is endangered, so guilt warns us that our psychological integrity is compromised.
“If evil befall a human being, let him first examine his deeds,” says the Talmud.
Guilt feelings are for Judaism, another instrument in the human “tool-kit” that enables self- evaluation and advise that is necessary to undertake corrective measures to prevent the disintegration of our humanity.
If “sinful acts” are another name for the thought decisions that end by peeling the layers that conform our humanity,
“guilt” is the involuntary prompt that alerts us that we are going to perform, or that we have already performed is detrimental to our psychic well being.
Whether human beings have an innate capacity to feel guilt or not, it is a matter of discussion.
The fact is that there are people who have no sense of guilt at all. In extreme cases, those people with no sense of guilt are found among psychopaths and other predators that scourge of human society.
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21st Century Judaism magazine is a BY publication. Moshe Pitchon editor. [email protected]