The Day of Atonement

Many of you know that today, on the Jewish calendar, is Yom Kippur for the year 5767 (I'll be writing 5766 on my checks for weeks). Today is the day you atone for your sins through prayer and fasting.

What most people, even most Jews, do not know is that prayer can only absolve you for sins committed against God. In the Jewish tradition, there is no prayer that can absolve you for sins you have made against other people. In order to be absolved of those sins, you must ask for forgiveness directly from the people you've sinned against. Yup. No confessions and a few Hail Mary's for penance. You have to go up to the person and directly, sincerely ask for forgiveness.

What even fewer people know about our tradition is that, if you ask for forgiveness, the person does not need to forgive you. However, if the sinner asks sincerely for forgiveness three times and forgiveness is still not given, the sinner is then absolved. The person who did not give their forgiveness now bears the sin.

Last night, just before the start of the holiday with the Kol Nidre prayer, the Cubs have asked us fans twice for forgiveness. They asked first with the firing of Andy MacPhail. They asked second with the firing of Dusty Baker.

One more to go.

Unfortunately, the third request would be via the firing of Jim Hendry. Until that sin is dismissed, we fans are under no obligation to forgive the Cubs.

More later on why John McDonough was named "interim" GM, why Andy MacPhail was reviewed in July, and where the Cubs stand on being sold. All these issues are tied together.