cheit

Cheit is a transliteration of the Hebrew noun חֵטָא, commonly rendered in English as “sin.” In Jewish religious and linguistic contexts, cheit denotes a wrongdoing or violation of moral, ritual, or divine law, often framed as missing the mark. The term derives from a Semitic root, ח-ט-א, which conveys error or failure to hit a target, a sense echoed in related languages and in discussions of ethics and accountability.

In biblical and rabbinic literature, cheit appears as a fundamental concept describing individual and collective transgressions. It is used in phrases such as cheit ha’egel, the “sin of the golden calf,” to denote serious breaches of covenantal norms. Rabbinic writings expand on cheit by addressing confession, repentance (teshuvah), and atonement, treating sin as something that can be acknowledged and repaired through ethical change and ritual or personal remediation.

Modern Hebrew retains the noun’s core sense. In contemporary usage, cheit refers to wrongdoing or moral failing in everyday speech and in ethical discussions, ranging from personal conduct to social and communal responsibilities. The term remains a key term in theological, philosophical, and educational writing about ethics, guilt, forgiveness, and moral growth.

Transliteration variants such as khait or chait are common in English-language works dealing with Hebrew texts. While cheit is primarily a religious and linguistic term, it also appears in cultural discussions about Jewish ethics and the broader idea of moral accountability across historical periods.