A gentleman’s wager between rabbis? On the outcome of the World Series?

You bet!

When Rabbis Steven Rubenstein and Bernard Gerson, first cousins and boyhood baseball fanatics who grew up in neighboring communities outside Boston, touched base last week on the eve of the World Series, it just made sense. Or, cents for tzedakah, as it turns out.

In a courtesy call extended by Rabbi Rubenstein, who serves Temple B’nai Abraham in Beverly, Mass. (a proud suburb of Red Sox Nation), it came as somewhat of a shock that his cousin Rabbi Gerson, who serves Rodef Shalom in Denver (in the shadow of the Rockies) was not keeping the faith — to the Red Sox, that is.

In an e-mail to subscribers of his weekly Torah e-mail, “The Closer,” Rabbi Gerson postulated five reasons why he would cheer for the Colorado Rockies in the Fall Classic. Among them was: While the fire in Jonathan Papelbon’s eyes is compelling and vicious, the fire in the Rockies’ hearts is infectious; their selfless spirit and bottomless energy over the 21-1 stretch is inspirational (Imagine if I deliver 21 out of 22 winning sermons!).

The only way to end this conversation among cousins was to place a friendly bet for the benefit of the homeless souls of the winning team’s city. So, as they said their goodbyes and their “good lucks,” the rabbis agreed upon a tidy sum of “chai” times nine” for the benefit of a homeless soup kitchen or food pantry in either Massachusetts or Colorado.

Much to Rabbi Gerson’s chagrin, it took only four games for the homeless of Boston to benefit from the rabbinic wager. But, compassion prevails when a deal is made among rabbis, for Rabbi Rubenstein set about to organize a “meal of consolation” for the homeless of Denver, as a gesture of sympathy for their team’s sweeping loss to the World Champion Red Sox, supported by both members of his congregation and by his local Rotary Club.

We can all hope for a re-match in the future. The one good thing about baseball is that THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.