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I am not a Jew. In a few TV series, I saw/heard that Jews experience self-repression due to their belief. I heard that being Jewish means enduring a lot of guilt, or becoming aware of things to feel guilty for.

Does this apply to Judaism?

I appreciate Pros and Cons of this thesis by someone who is aware of Judaism.

Zurechtweiser
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  • How do you understand the concept of "guilt"? – yoel Dec 04 '12 at 20:06
  • Also, suggesting to a community of religious Jews that we are "repressed" is probably not going to go over well. Maybe you mean something else by this than what I'm taking away from it, though. – yoel Dec 04 '12 at 20:08
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    @yoel I think a little limmud zechut is in order as it doesn't seem that English is the OP's native tongue. – Double AA Dec 04 '12 at 20:17
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    @yoel, I think this is an accurate description of a trope found in Western culture. – Isaac Moses Dec 04 '12 at 20:20
  • @DoubleAA this was my intention with the second sentence - I assume the author has something in mind that I am not correctly parsing. – yoel Dec 04 '12 at 20:20
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    Zurechtweiser, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks very much for this interesting question! – Isaac Moses Dec 04 '12 at 20:21
  • @IsaacMoses I assumed as much - would the question be better reframed as "what is the basis of the trope of Jewish guilt"? Perhaps the OP can say if this was their intention... – yoel Dec 04 '12 at 20:22
  • @yoel, I've attempted to edit this for clarity and to make clear that this is a "does this have a basis" question, which I think is pretty clear in Zurechtweiser's title. – Isaac Moses Dec 04 '12 at 20:26
  • I want to define 'mature' here: Being mature means keeping a distance from your emotions and replying without insults and presumptions like "as it doesn't seem that English is the OP's native tongue." which is trying to create the impression that I wasn't aware of what I am talking about or couldn't bring it across the way I meant it, which is not the case. Take what I write at face value, don't judge and be self critical if necessary. My question is simply whether there is something to what I wrote. By reacting with an insult, you draw a very bad light on you and your religion. – Zurechtweiser Dec 04 '12 at 20:30
  • As I wrote I am no jew. I cannot prove this point or deny it. But if you are a mature human, you can find arguments for and against my point, which is what I am looking for. Drifting into insults has never been working to the insulting person's advantage. – Zurechtweiser Dec 04 '12 at 20:36
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    @Zurechtweiser, I assure you that no one intended insult. We're all just working together to make sure that the question is as clear and answerable as as possible. – Isaac Moses Dec 04 '12 at 20:46
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    @Zurechtweiser on the contrary, nobody is trying to insult you, but rather to get at the root of your question, which you will find occurs on a majority of questions on this site, regardless of the poster's language. That said, if you're going to judge Jews and Judaism on one perceived insult on a website... – yoel Dec 04 '12 at 20:51
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    @Zurechtweiser by the way, "limmud zechut" means something like "favorable basis", which is to say that DoubleAA recommended I assume a neutral reason for a perceived negative tone, such as unfamiliarity with the subtleties of the phrasing. As English is a non-native tongue for a great many participants on this site, I assure you it is in no way an insult to suggest it. – yoel Dec 04 '12 at 20:55
  • @Zurechtweiser "Mature" actually has nothing to do with presumptions, but it does mean accepting constructive criticism when others are trying to help you find what you want by clarifying your post. If you are willing to work with us, then we are willing to work with you to help you. – Double AA Dec 04 '12 at 21:07
  • @DoubleAA You need to be more precise what your issue is – Zurechtweiser Dec 04 '12 at 21:27
  • By the way, was the TV show a comedy type or a documentary type (if comedy, the statement might have been a joke) – b a Dec 05 '12 at 01:46
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    http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/417253/jewish/Jewish-Guilt.htm – Michoel Dec 06 '12 at 04:42

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I believe that the notion of guilt is one used as a stereotypical aspect of a variety of cultures -- often associated with strong female character (maternal guilt). It plays off of a number of other traits (communal or familial responsibility, a sense of tradition, high expectations etc.) In Judaism, many of these other aspects are present and if you mix in the social construct of centralized authority and a highly ordered, rule based system, guilt and a sense of moral center comes about. A google search on the matter reveals mentions of Catholic guilt as well as others and gives links that point to the theological and sociological underpinnings of many years ago, plus the more recent manifestations and sources.

Does it exist? Yes, and some would say moreso than in other cultures while some would disagree with that.

rosends
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  • According to Judaism if you do not measure up to your familial responsibility or tradition what will be your punishment? Is it like in islam or christianity that you go to "hell"? – Zurechtweiser Dec 04 '12 at 21:08
  • the conventional notion of hell and an underworld is very different and in many senses absent in Judaism. there is a notion of reward and punishment based on actions during life but the punishment ("hell") is more about reeducation and [temporary] separation from the divine, not fire and/or brimstone. – rosends Dec 04 '12 at 22:17
  • by the way, there is no sense of "endorsing" guilt in Judaism. While there are ideas talmudically of coercion by communal excision, I would not equate that with the stereotypical living guilt that my mother, oh so often, throws my way. (J/K ma) – rosends Dec 04 '12 at 22:20
  • What is one of the most important values in Judaism and what happens to you according to the belief if you violate it? – Zurechtweiser Dec 04 '12 at 22:38
  • that's a difficult question. there are 613 mitzvot (commandments) and myriad laws governing life. there are also tenets of belief and loads of customs. I'm not sure where one would place "value" in a "reward/punishment" system. – rosends Dec 05 '12 at 02:10
  • Therefore all of them have the same value. So let's say you keep on violating mitzvot #431 on a constant basis. I just read http://www.ou.org/torah/article/mitzvah431. So this says that you need to accept former non-jews, actually love them(not sexually I guess). So you see a newly converted jew and ignore him on a constant basis, call him names. What happens to you a) through the jewish community b) according to your belief b1) while living b2) after death? – Zurechtweiser Dec 05 '12 at 03:40
  • As I just wrote not sexually, I see potential for guilt to arise. What's jewish take on homosexuality? – Zurechtweiser Dec 05 '12 at 03:43
  • The commandment to love and accept the convert is very important. One who violates a commandment is liable to one of a set of punishments. Some are (in the time of a religious court) subject to punishments carried out by the court and some are heavenly punishments. We have no court today for criminal or most spiritual matters, only for some monetary or inter-personal issues and the punishments are limited so we rely on heaven to exercise justice in this world or the next. The Jewish take on homosexuality is a very different question. I recommend checking the archives and google first. – rosends Dec 05 '12 at 15:17
  • @Zurechtweiser, I recommend that you post your follow-up questions as separate questions, so that they can get the full answer treatment from the community. In addition, while typing them in, the SE magical searcher device may show you that they, like your most recent one, have already been addressed here. – Isaac Moses Dec 05 '12 at 22:04
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See this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt_society and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shame_society They aren't really good articles, but they explain the point.

Judging from what you wrote in a comment: "if you do not measure up to your familial responsibility or tradition" I suspect you come from a Shame society, since responsibility coming from your family, rather than internal, is more common in a Shame society.

In general Judaism is a Guilt society. A feeling of wrongdoing comes internally rather than from how your family will be perceived.

Ariel
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If by guilt you mean a destructive self-loathing, then no, we are told to always "Serve G-d with joy" (Psalms 100:2) , but if you mean taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions, then yes, Judaism does indeed endorse it. See here: chabad.org/article_cdo/aid/417253

Baruch
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  • Actually, we are told to always "Serve G-d with fear" (Pslams 2:11). עבדו את יקוק ביראה – Double AA Dec 07 '12 at 19:27
  • @DoubleAA These verses are not contradictory. Fear of G-d leads to joy because it gives one a sense of security that the world is not random and uncaring. It certainly has nothing to do with destructive self-loathing. – Baruch Dec 07 '12 at 19:41
  • I never said it had to do with destructive self-loathing. But it does show that one isn't always supposed to be brimming with joy. עת לבכות ועת לשחוק – Double AA Dec 07 '12 at 20:42
  • @DoubleAA "Serve G-d with fear" doesn't necessarily imply there are moments in which we're not supposed to be joyful. AFAIK, we should be both at the same time. It's not about crying / laughing, it's about sense of fear / joy. – yair Dec 08 '12 at 23:04