By Yanki Tauber
 | A caricature of neurotic self-absorption, or the most encouraging and optimistic perspective of reality in the history of human awareness?
8 Comments Posted
I know that the author of "Jewish Guilt" meant well, but some of the ideas expressed are absurd, and psychologically, sick.
It is simply unhealthy, sick, to blame oneself for every event which occurs. Maakeh does NOT infer that that a Jew should feel guilty for everything which happens. Maakeh infers that Jews should take steps to prevent that which is obviously preventable.
It is sad that some well meaning Rabbis, during our long horrible persecutions,would blame the Jewish victims for their suffering by saying that the Shechitah was imperfect, or some women did not go to the Mikvah properly, or find some other reason to blame the Jews for every pogrom, epidemic or natural disaster.
It is time for us to stop blaming ouselves for every bad event. The purpose of the book of Job is to teach us that bad things can happen to good people without any fault in the victims.
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It is time for us to stop blaming ouselves for every bad event. The purpose of the book of Job is to teach us that bad things can happen to good people without any fault in the victims.
Amen.
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We in the whole human race suffer from one form of guilt or another. We can only but look to the source of the blame, in each case. If the source is our doing and because of our sin, than we will definitely feel guilt. Sin is the cause of the greatest emotions of guilt, and we must find a remedy for the habitual sin in our lives."the soul that sins it shall surely die."However guilt is useless emotion when we blame ourselves for someone else's misfortune, and we could not have changed a thing on our own.The Jews blaming their lack of good procedure in rituals and observances, for the persecutions against them is absurd. Persecution is from prejudice and hatred, no matter what a person does, an enemy will find reason to make life miserable for that person, even to the death.
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The above article states that if G-d places us somewhere, it means that we have a responsibility in that matter. I am taking a course related to helping children with special needs. As a teacher, I need some skills. But the field is extremely wide. I want to focus more on religious studies than branch out into the special-needs field. Is that wrong (since G-d has placed me in the above course)?
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We must follow G-d's will in order to be free of guilt and 'sin'. Can you find G-d's will in your soul in order to follow it?
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"The Rebbe would often say: if you see your fellow Jew traveling down a self-destructive path, and you seek to set him straight but fail, the fault is yours."
This is not true. If you do not seek to set him straight, then the fault is yours, as is outlined in Ezekiel very clearly. He will die for his sins whether you seek to set him straight or not, however, his blood will be upon your head if you do not seek to set him straight.
If you try and he ignores you that does not mean you didn't really try. How many times has HaShem tried to set the Jewish people straight and been ignored? Does this mean it's HaShem's fault and that He didn't do so from deep enough within His heart?! G-D FORBID!
The guy that does cartwheels on your icy roof and falls off IF you have built the fence (parapetet) is then himself responsible - you did what you were obligated to do in trying to prevent it, and then it is his fault if he still fell.
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Bingo! Thank you Gavriel Silverstein for your wise and 'saichaldick' response.
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In my experience a person with anxiety or a complexity of other "bad" conditions - in some cases - refuses or is not capable of receiving awareness to set him/her straight. You can only blame yourself if you didn't try with all your heart and soul with an involvement as if it were your own life. Guilt-feelings for trying with passion and still failed, do not sound very Jewish to me. It also will indulge many of these people, because you take over what is really their responsibility. It is a process of keep trying and looking for creative sources, without negative sentiments, showing yourself flexible and resilient in every stage keeping the other focused and accountable. There is no room for guilt for someone who tried his/her utmost and ongoing efforts to look for solutions. Even if the other one fails. At that very moment he/she is hit by a hammer and remembers all your convincing teachings. That, in my opinion, is a Jewish mindset.
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