The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are called the “Days of Awe.”
During this period, Jewish people the World over engage in introspection and atonement in the hopes that God will again inscribe them in the “Book of Life” for one more year. However, the atonement is not supposed to be merely self-serving apologies directed heavenward (i.e., “God, I’m sorry I forgot to take out the garbage last Wednesday.”). No, during this period, you’re supposed to atone directly to and with the person(s) you’ve wronged.
Obviously, for some people this is a steeper hill to climb than for others (see, e.g., lawyers, Hollywood producers, anyone in Congress, etc). And, obviously, some sins and wrongs are harder to atone for than others (i.e, stepping on someone’s foot – not so bad. Sleeping with that person’s wife – pretty bad).
Like anyone, I’ve committed my fair share of sins this year. I won’t bore you with a recitation. Let’s just assume I’m like everyone else, and I have more than one sin and less than one million.
However, as I researched the holidays, I came upon what I think may be the top 10 sins of the year for which someone should be doing some atoning (whether Jewish or not). Here they are:
1. The Rise in Health insurance premiums
2. The Remake of Charlie’s Angels tv series
3. The Mets
4. The National Debt
5. Any t.v. show that has as its title “Dancing with . . . .”
6. Google +
7. The fact that Obama isn’t polling about 90 points ahead of the GOP candidates (aka “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight and Thinks Taxes Should Always Be Cut, Unless That Money Would Be Used to Finance the Teaching of Intelligent Design and To Attack All Muslim Countries, Unless They Have Massive Reserves of Oil or Nuclear Weapons, In Which Case We Will Give Them the Tax Money.”
8. Chris Christie being drafted to run for President when his biggest accomplishments to date are: (a) not spending money on a much-needed railroad tunnel; and (b) surviving despite being 150 pounds overweight and having a cholesterol level that is higher than the U.S. GDP.
9. That Americans care more about the judges on Simon Cowel’s “X-Factor” than about the justices on The Supreme Court.
10. That what’s “trending” on Twitter is never something important.
But, you know what – I’m an optimist. I say we’re gonna figure this out. My wife and I just had a son 5 weeks ago, and with no childcare experience, I figured out how to change a diaper without sending my child to the hospital. How hard could this rest of this be?