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What is the sentiment on having bad unholy thoughts though I know they are wrong and feeling bad about them. For example if I interact with say a street sweeper and think 'I am superior to you' though feel bad INSTANTLY about it, is such an action a sin and how should one approach such thoughts? Or say if I meet someone who I subjectively think is ugly and think in my head 'you are ugly' but feel an immediate negative feeling as result of my thoughts. If such is manifested in body language how should the approach to such thoughts be addressed. What is the Jewish opinion on wrong thoughts and/or intrusive thoughts? Is this the sign of some spiritual character defects? A more common example would be what if I was walking in an African American ghetto and see a local crip gang member or inhabitant of a project complex and I thought 'You are a lower than me', would merely thinking such a thought be a sin and if so how can I address this fault? Is there a difference between thought in words, thoughts in images, speaking words and actions ALL in conjunction with body language? Some time somebody can be shammed and accused of sin from body language alone; Could some one use the latter as a means of lashon hara? This is complex.

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Let's focus on one line of your question:

What is the Jewish opinion on wrong thoughts and/or intrusive thoughts?

The key point here is "intrusive". These are thoughts that do not reflect your true self, but pop into your head anyway. Both Rav Yisrael Salanter and Rabbi Nachman of Breslav say you should just ignore them.

Trying to feel bad about them or in some way "cancel out" the thought is counterproductive. These are classic symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The advice of psychologists is also to ignore the thoughts.

Check out OCD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed for more information.

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    There are also acceptance and commitment therapies
    – kouty
    Jul 15, 2022 at 14:23
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    @kouty Those are not standard. The benefits it brings will be taught as "mindfulness" in a standard CBT treatment.
    – N.T.
    Jul 15, 2022 at 20:40
  • You are right, with the proper SSRI including the proper spiritual and religious addressing I think this I can cover come. See Sefer haMidot, Hirhurim - Thoughts and Fantasies and better understanding of my self, Hashem and the world I can gain inner peace. Surely Hashem will not afflict me with such if a lesson can not be learned from it. Jul 17, 2022 at 16:29
  • In my experience, focusing on OCD from a religious lens can make it worse. View it as an illness like any other, and work on getting better. SSRI's can definitely help, if prescribed by an expert.
    – N.T.
    Jul 18, 2022 at 1:36
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What is the sentiment on having bad unholy thoughts though I know they are wrong and feeling bad about them.

They are bad nonetheless, but recognition that they are bad, and having charata, is a step towards not having them in the fist place.

For example if I interact with say a street sweeper and think 'I am superior to you' though feel bad INSTANTLY about it, is such an action a sin and how should one approach such thoughts?

Now that you are getting into specifics, it is not necessarily a sin - you can look at the streetsweeper and think 'The poor guy, he spends his whole day sweeping the streets, and that's his life - he'll sweep the streets 'till he dies, and then another person will pop up in his place. He has no G-d, no olam haba, no actual meaning in his life.

Or say if I meet someone who I subjectively think is ugly and think in my head 'you are ugly' but feel an immediate negative feeling as result of my thoughts.

You can notice somebody's physical apearance is not as nice as yours - just don't think you are a better person because you look better. Gaavah of superficial things such as your apperances are a horrible middah.

If such is manifested in body language how should the approach to such thoughts be addressed.

Making people feel bad is a whole other ball game, but just be cognisant of how you are behaving, and correct your body language.

What is the Jewish opinion on wrong thoughts and/or intrusive thoughts? Is this the sign of some spiritual character defects?

Yes. I would recommend Orchos Tzadikkim (specifically Shaar Hagavaah) for this topic - its one of the classic mussar seforim.

A more common example would be what if I was walking in an African American ghetto and see a local crip gang member or inhabitant of a project complex and I thought 'You are a lower than me', would merely thinking such a thought be a sin and if so how can I address this fault?

Again, a gang member who spends his day absorbed in crime, drugs, murder, lewdness - of course you are better than him, and you should think about it every time you see him! You aren't better because you have a stable income, though - its because you are a Jew, a member of Hashem's am hanivchar, a person, not someone running around chasing his animalistic desires.

Is there a difference between thought in words, thoughts in images, speaking words and actions ALL in conjunction with body language?

Yes - while they are all bad, once you start saying stuff and making people feel bad, that brings is a whole other bunch of issurim.

Some time somebody can be shammed and accused of sin from body language alone; Could some one use the latter as a means of lashon hara?

Lashon hara is through speaking, but making other people feel bad is deffenitly not good.

This is complex.

Just don't overcomplicate it - take an Orchos Tzadikkim, take a Chofetz Chaim, and learn them - the more you know, the clearer it will become (in a sense).

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  • Source for lashon hara being exclusively through speech? What about writing? Or “kritzas Ayin” that is counted as lashon hara?
    – Chatzkel
    Aug 2, 2022 at 2:23
  • @Chatzkel True, good point. I meant as opposed to thinking being lashon hara, but you're right.
    – Kovy Jacob
    Aug 2, 2022 at 2:24
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See Sefer haMidot, Hirhurim - Thoughts and Fantasies

  1. Someone who sanctifies himself, and pride arises in his mind, when he breaks the pride, he attains and acquires the Torah.

  2. Crying out nullifies ulterior motives.

  3. Learning the four [sections] of the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) nullifies ulterior motives.

  4. Thinking about some Torah [thought] that you innovated is conducive to nullifying alien thoughts.

And many more advices there that should answer your questions and help you.

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Sefer_Hamidot#%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%94%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D_THOUGHTS:

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