The byline cites the author as "the Berman Professor of Jewish Civilization..." and I will note that Scrooge does not apologize to Cratchet, he shows up with a tangible act of contrition. Rabbi Ruttenburg just published recently https://danyaruttenberg.net/books/on-repentance-and-repair on Judaism not really giving a shit about "I'm sorry" but about... repentance and repair: action of amendment by the transgressor rather than grace from the transgressed.