Betrayal From Within: The Destruction of the Spiritual Core

When a person embarks on the path of betrayal, he strikes not only at external agreements but also at his own inner, spiritual core. Such an act shatters the integrity of the individual, severing his connection to the highest moral principles and the true spiritual support that serves as a compass in life. At the heart of this phenomenon lies a profound self-abnegation, whereby a person begins to justify his actions, believing they have certain grounds, without realizing that, in essence, he is betraying his sacred nature. This loss of inner integrity inevitably breeds a negative reaction both from others and within the person himself.

The gravity of this violation is determined less by the severity of the ensuing punishment and more by the fact that the very act of self-estrangement becomes an unavoidable consequence of straying from the highest ideals. A person who consciously abandons his inner principles ceases to be true to himself, turning into an adversary of what was once sacred in his life. The alienation from his inner Center destroys personal harmony, making his betrayal both visible and discernible to those who uphold high moral standards.

Thus, a traitor’s astonishment at the negative reaction from those around him stems from his inability to grasp the true depth of his loss—not merely the violation of external agreements, but the destruction of the sacred unity with himself and the higher spiritual principles. This serves as a warning to all of us about the importance of maintaining an inner connection with true values, so as not to lose ourselves in a world full of temptations and compromises.

Why might a person who has committed betrayal be astonished by the negative reaction of those around him?

A person who has committed betrayal may be surprised by the negative reaction from others because his action does not simply breach external agreements, but undermines the very essence of his inner, spiritual center. He betrays that sacred foundation which defines his integrity and his connection to higher principles (namely, his inner support). Such a person often believes that his actions are justified or have some sort of “validity,” yet in reality, they underscore an inner self-abnegation, inevitably leading to punishment—both in the eyes of others and within his own spiritual structure.

As noted in one source, the key point is not so much how harshly the punishment is dealt but that the punishment itself is “deserved” for his active departure from the highest principles:
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The cardinal point, however, is not that the punishment harshly affects the person ... but that the punishment itself is deserved, and that he himself becomes an active adversary of God." (source: link )

This indicates that the violation of the sacred bond triggers a negative response because betrayal, by its very nature, entails the loss of inner spirituality and integrity—a loss that is evident both to the individual and to those around him. Another source emphasizes that true betrayal occurs when a person betrays himself, thereby losing the connection with his true Center:
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A person commits true betrayal only when he betrays God, himself, face to face – when, without any religious basis, he ‘in abstract’ and ‘against subject matter’ turns against his Center, his sacred core." (source: link )

Thus, the traitor’s surprise at the negative reaction from others may be linked to his inability to immediately realize the full extent of the loss of his own integrity. He mistakenly believes that his act can be justified or conceptually neutralized, failing to understand that this very act of self-abnegation destroys his spiritual foundation and provokes disdain from those who remain loyal to high moral standards and inner fidelity.