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Every year, Jews around the world begin Yom Kippur with the solemn and haunting Kol Nidrei prayer, recited just before the sun sets. This ancient legal formula annuls all vows that will be made in the coming year. But this seems a confusing choice for the beginning of Yom Kippur. Why would Jews begin the Day of Atonement by negating promises they haven’t yet made?
The old adage “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is actually the opposite of what this Yom Kippur service teaches us. Kol Nidrei shows that words have enormous power.
Explore the full text of the Kol Nidrei prayer in Aramaic (it’s not Hebrew!), English translation, and transliteration.
Kol Nidrei lasts a few moments, but Yom Kippur prayers fill most of the 25 hour Day of Atonement. Learn more about the flow of Yom Kippur services.
Prayer has been the foundation of Jewish ritual and practice for thousands of years, but you may still wonder how and why to say the prayers in the canon. At My Jewish Learning, we invite you to explore the deeper side of prayer. Each week we'll share a unique exploration of a particular Jewish prayer, plus offer background materials and more to enhance your understanding. In the meantime, you can explore all of MJL's prayer resources here.
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