What the heck is Kol Nidre and more important I don’t think it can be spell checked? I am not that religious and not trying to be preachy in this article at all. In fact, I think if you look at all religions there are some very solid takeaways. No need to rush into telling people what to believe and how to do it, but for a moment I do want to chat about my fondest memory of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and what that day meant to me years ago.

I grew up in a house with a father who was extremely religious. In fact religion stacked right up there with work and family. When most people distanced themselves from religion by father embraced it all day every day. He spent a great deal of time wrapping himself in tefillin every morning prior to leaving for work……he did his best to get to temple frequently………and pal around with older guys he felt had some sense of wisdom he could draft off of.

The last Yom Kippur for my father was spent in his house…….not temple. He was far too sick to attend temple that day and I was home alone with him. We were able to play the service right through the speaker phone and hear the Kol Nidre service (just him and I). There he lay on the couch with his eyes half way opened and his mouth totally shut. His skin was grey and his body had changed. His catcher’s legs were gone……..his bright smile disappeared………and the stubble on his face was frayed. I rubbed lotion on his legs because his skin was so dry for some medical reasons……..I combed my hands through his dead hair……..and let him listen to the Kol Nidre. This Yom Kippur was a little different because my father had nothing to atone for…….he did nothing wrong that year. He knew he was about to die and needed people around him to provide comfort. In fact, I think there were people out there who should atone to my father……who passed him by…….ignored him…….and failed to embrace him at times. Then again………who am I to judge.

That Kol Nidre service was the best one I had ever experienced. My father was not always proud of me, but he was that night for taking care of him and making sure he could listen to the service. That I know I did right………………………….
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By Bradley D. Weisman
bweisman@inthesport.net www.inthesport.net
Approved by Edison Nation www.edisonnation.com