Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Social atonement

G'mar hatimah tovah.

And I guess we could see it coming: people using social media to issue blanket apologies on Yom Kippur in this year 5773.

(You know—the Day of Atonement, when Jews acknowledge and ask forgiveness for the wrongs they’ve done to others during the previous year. Kind of like Step 9 of the AA program, but with Yahweh looking on.)

It kind of defeats the purpose of atonement to just fling out a “Hey, my bad, everyone.” But I do understand why, given the choice between a face-to-face serial apology and a mass parallel operation, the twit-set would opt for the latter.

Not sure whether that really clears the slate, though.

Also, since Yom Kippur also involves a fast until sundown, I’m wondering how the people who Facebook their atonement get around that little requirement? "It was only pork rinds; that doesn't count, silly!"

Meanwhile—I found this via Twitter, from @TheTweetofGod:


Interesting that some Children of the Book know how to take a joke.



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