Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Where I Stand:

Too many sins, even for God!

May you be inscribed in the Book of Life.

Tonight begins the 24-hour observance of the holiest day of the year to Jews around the world — Yom Kippur. It is the Day of Atonement during which Jewish people pray to God to forgive them their sins and transgressions throughout the prior year and, by so doing, place their name in the Book of Life, which means, basically, that we are good to go for another year. At least as far as our sinning is concerned.

To show our reverence and sincerity most people, if they are able, do not eat from sundown today to sundown Monday. The fast is an important ritual that is common to all Jews observing Yom Kippur and a minor but satisfying achievement for those who manage to make it through the last few hours.

Another part of the religious service that has always intrigued me — from the time I was very young to even now that I have advanced through the middle ages — is the entire congregation reciting the “Al Chet,” the confession of sins.

It is done a few times during Yom Kippur and each time we recite the sins “we have committed” and for which we seek pardon and forgiveness.

I have always wondered to myself, who could possibly have committed all those sins that we tick off in unison and for which we seek forgiveness. In a given year I might admit to three of them, perhaps four, and some more than once. But all of them?

Let me give you an example of the list:

“For the sin we have committed before You under duress or willingly.

“For the sin … of hard-heartedness.

“For the sin … with an utterance from the lips.

“For the sin … with immorality.

“For the sin … openly or secretly.

“For the sin … with knowledge and deceit.

“For the sin … through speech.

“For the sin … by deceiving a fellow man.

“For the sin … by improper thoughts.

“For the sin … by a gathering of lewdness.

“For the sin … by insincere confession.

“For the sin … by disrespect for parents and teachers.

“ For the sin … by using coercion … desecrating the Divine Name … impurity of speech … foolish talk … evil inclination … bribe-taking or bribe-giving … false denial and lying … evil talk … the prattle of our lips … .”

And that’s just a partial list.

The point is that as a young boy and even now, I have found it hard to believe that anyone can claim more than a handful or two of those sins even in our most quiet moments.

The issue is that everyone has a different set of sins and that, I suppose, is why there are so many listed. It’s like all the cable television channels available but each of us only watches a few.

This year, though, it dawned on me who on Earth could actually commit the overwhelming majority of the Al Chet sins and for whom forgiveness has to be a stretch — even for a merciful God.

Like Diogenes looking for that honest man, I have always wondered who could possibly have committed all of those sins, such that even God might have a difficult time inscribing that sinner in the Book of Life.

And the answer is President Donald Trump.

I don’t wish any harm or ill-health to our president but considering the fact that the presidential Book of Life is fast approaching, it seems only appropriate to ask the voters: Does this man really deserve a chance to do it all over again to America for the next four years?

Only God can answer the questions of life and death. And we wish all of those who seek forgiveness and pardon an easy fast and an inscription in that all-important book.

But for the man who thinks he is God and can, therefore, pardon himself, a day of prayer and without food can never be enough to wash away the sinful state in which he has cast our country.

I wish Jewish people around the world an easy fast and an easier inscription in the Book of Life for another year.

For the man who ticks off all the boxes of the Al Chet, I wish him something else.

Brian Greenspun is editor, publisher and owner of the Sun.