Exploring the Mystery of Kol Nidre

[@lsmart]

With all due respect, the Rabbi offered three "explanations," yet none of them came close to explaining the meaning of the actual prayer, or why it became the most important prayer to even non-practicing Jews, or why it moves so many Jews to tears even though its text is seemingly a cold legal document. As a pulpit rabbi, I happened to address precisely this question in my sermon following Kol Nidrei two nights ago. Here is my explanation. If you aggrieve your fellow man and ask for his forgiveness, he may forgive you the first time, or perhaps even the 2nd time, but if you repeatedly commit the same wrong and then ask him for forgiveness, he will throw you out and say, "Absolutely not! Are you mocking me? You keep repeating the same sin and then have the gall to ask me to forgive you again?!!!" Yet God gives us a great gift, the offer of forgiveness for our sins even if this may be the 20th or 30th time we have committed it and asked for his forgiveness. This, in itself, should make us feel very humbled and thankful when we once again ask Him for forgiveness. However, in order to be forgiven, we must at a minimum truly be regretful in our hearts for having committed this sin and fully commit ourselves to cease committing it in the future. Yet our Sages knew that we are so weak and so quick to succumb to temptations, that if we will promise or swear to change for the better and no longer commit this sin, chances are high that we will violate our promise or oath, and we have been warned by King Solomon, "It is better that you should not make a vow, rather than make a vow and not pay it in full." Hence, they made us all state on Yom Kippur that if, during the Ten Days of Penitence we made an oath or vow to cease committing this sin and doing what is righteous instead, we are now nullifying it. Now let us contemplate the meaning of this prayer. Here we are, standing before G-d for the umpteenth time to repent for the same sin and committing to cease doing it, yet even now we are unable to make a promise or oath that we will truly cease doing so, because we realize we will likely violate it. Standing before G-d and admitting our weak nature and low standard of spirituality, it is therefore no wonder that so many Jews over the centuries have shuddered and wept as they recited Kol Nidrei.

[@Baccatube79]

I find it very fascinating and interesting how Judaism explains this tradition. One very antisemitic argument has been that Christians cannot make any contracts with Jews because they officially break them every year in their highest holiday service. From a Christian perspective, we are taught by Jesus that we have to forgive our trespasser "seventy-seven times seven times" and that we "must not swear any oath for our yes shall mean yes and our no shall mean no". Eventually, it all comes down to the same: forgiveness is a worthy objective, and the sanctity of an oath shall not be undergone lightheartedly.

[@Bklyngurl85]

It’s suppose to mean vows you had made in haste or anger should be null and void. Like if you swore you would never speak to your brother ever again etc, (in Judaism swearing is very serious, we are not suppose to say “I swear” lightly because they are binding.) it’s suppose to remove you from that promise so you are starting with a clean slate. It was composed by a rabbi that had made a promise to a priest and when he did not keep it his was tortured and made to be blinde and deaf. It’s said he brought the composition to one of his students in a dream...whether that last part is true, who knows...

[@derherrdirektor9686]

But the prayer extends to all vows and promises. Sometimes promises will be to your disadvantage and you may wish for them to be unbinding. If all people you know have the same ideas about vows, namely they are nought and nothing it may be no problem. The problem arises, when you live with people who honor their vows, or see it as a crucial trait of character. It gets even worse, if you think that only those who celebrate Yom Kippur are unbound of their vows. Be not mistaken, the explanation you have received is apologetic propaganda that only seeks to sow fear in your heart.

[@Reporterreporter770]

Well done

[@tomhuppi3949]

Seems to me that there is a forth possibility...

[@julieposch4813]

Thankyou..💚 from 🇦🇺

[@blathermore]

As a Christian, I love the Kol Nidre because it is a point of eternity...a renewal of the heart to keep or discard, to clean the house of our soul. The music is so haunting and tender. Please watch out for the 'tradition' thing.....people convert to Judaism from varied backgrounds

[@georgeyesthal6560]

Idiot! They tortured and killed your savior.

[@sloboda2012]

Drink more fluoride.

[@imisstoronto3121]

@@georgeyesthal6560 Jesus was jewish, idiot

[@SammytheawesomeILikePotatoes]

George Yesthal I’m pretty sure it was the romans lol

[@gaseredtune5284]

@@georgeyesthal6560 The Bible says “they” that killed Him is every single Sinner. We all killed Him and it’s not a good sign that you blame “them”

[@rrsolo]

the holiest day for us is shabbat. it is in the 10 commandments. don't forget that!

[@okoptimo]

An Ointment of Trust...

[@okoptimo]

Day of At One Meant...A chance to have, to be, to give AnOintment to our People..not just Annoying...Child of..Timeless Love.. to Chaim, to Abel in Babel,..YesUR..Ah!..ReDeem our Faults... Better For Give..to Live..BornAgain n Again..Die..Young at 90..

[@adelmomarietta3964]

This prayer developed due to Christian persecution during the Spanish Inquisition which forced Jews to convert or choose death. However, on Yom Kippur, the converted Jews, called Mariano’s, would creep into the Synagogues and sit in the corners listening to the prayers. They never really renounced their Judaism but did so only because they feared death. The words of this prayer mirror their true feelings. For as the translation from the Hebrew states that all vows or oaths which are taken on that Yom Kippur will be null and void if they are unable to fulfill them. Due to the terrible persecution from the Church they often had to hide their true beliefs.

[@HPMTube1991]

Incorrect!

[@BigBearHuskyMusher]

That's a pretty fucked up prayer.

[@breakfastbuddy5]

its for short , everything i have promised i LIED , its a prayer for LIARS , its nothing holy about it, its a prayer for doubleminded people ,and Jacob said that man should not expect much from God .

[@longsha]

I'm a Jew and think this is a vile prayer and should be removed from the liturgy of Yom Kippur.

[@43slax]

you're no Jew idiot. dont lie. The prayer is for those oaths between man and god and not between between men

[@mtalinovsky]

it is not yours del 1000 years it live

[@staceykannedy7473]

What is it about??

[@imisstoronto3121]

Ed your comment makes no sense. Without "why", you expect an answer?

[@longsha]

I'm a Jew and think this is a vile prayer and should be removed from the liturgy of Yom Kippur.

[@staceykannedy7473]

What does the prayer mean? I think I'm missing why it's bad.

[@longsha]

@@JuanGallardo Because it asks for forgiveness of future sins .

[@longsha]

@@staceykannedy7473 Because it asks for forgiveness of future sins .

[@angeladoherty590]

@@longsha love the beautiful haunting music

[@sofiae8123]

@@longsha It means that before you commit a sin, you may want to think about it. Your actions are stronger than your thoughts or words. Maybe you could study with a rabbi who could help you understand a message that is not about the here and now, but also about the past and the future.