Rabbi's Musings

What does a Jewish Astros fan do now?

The simple answer is hope that the Astros will be a great and a more honest team in the future. The more complicated answer is what do we do about cheating in sports and in general. The common refrain that “everyone cheats in baseball” may have some truth but it is not the point. The point is that it will be hard to enjoy a game of anything if cheating is rampant. We want to believe there is some fairness on the field. The same is true in the world of business and social relations.

To me it is all about integrity. Integrity, like the math term, integer, is about being whole. Whole in this case is the opposite of being divided. Divided is tied to the word, devil, and the word, diabolical. In other words, the opposite of integrity is, well, evil. When you don’t practice the values you profess to reflect, you are guilty of causing bad things to prosper in the world.

Integrity in life implies you adhere to a code of moral behavior and you know if you are in fidelity to that code. I would hope the Astros will come back as a better and more moral team. There is little we can do about that but a great deal we can do in our own lives.

When it comes to the Astros, for those who love baseball it is good to see that the perpetrators were fired. This act implies a desire to do the right thing. So, I suggest, if you are a fan, to continue to support the Astros as they enter a new period in their playing. May they win in the sport of baseball and in the game of fair play!