Jawsus-Christ, Super Friday

You really have to admire a holiday like Yom Kippur when you stop to think about it. It is brilliant in its simplicity, yet devious enough to justify its own existence; a self perpetuation holiday if you will. Only the people who came up with guilt and the Jewish mother could come up with such a ponzi-scheme of a holiday.

For those who don't know, Yom Kippur is the day of atonement for one's sins. It is always celebrated after Rosh Hashana (New Year) so that you start each year sin free and this is done by starving oneself or fasting if you prefer for twenty-four hours, to be followed by a braking of the fast with one's entire family. Do you see the problem here yet? I don't know about you, but after five hour of hunger I tend to be none-too-chipper to be around let alone 24 hours and neither are most members of my family. We suffer from low-blood sugar and, for the most part, require homicide or food to alleviate this. Since Yom Kippur denies us of food until the sun sets, you can probably picture the scene for those first two hours.

Oh, we will all deny it and say “but this year wasn't so bad,” but, at least for me, I can say I got annoyed at my uncle and could tell he got very annoyed at me. Sure, once we ate it was a love fest, but there was tension before that first bite hit our stomachs and that is the ponzi-scheme aspect of Yom Kippur: you will fight with a family member at some time before you eat, thus committing your first sin of the year and requiring you do it all again next year. Like I said, it is brilliant in its simplicity, yet devious enough to justify its own existence.

A vital aspect of Yom Kippur is also to remember those who passed away and to honor them. Luckily for me, I have been blessed so far in my life to not have had to observe this part of the day.

Happy Friday to you one and all and remember that things Palin...I mean plain are bad for America.

PS- did anyone else see the story of Jawsus Christ being born? No, really. A shark has just had a virgin birth! The sharks' savior has cometh! Join Sharkianity today!