Part of the Matheson Trust Sacred Audio Collection

Kol Nidrei (also known as Col Nidre) is an Aramaic declaration recited in the synagogue before the beginning of the evening service on every Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Though not a prayer, this dry legal formula and its ceremonial accompaniment have been charged with emotional undertones since the medieval period, creating a dramatic introduction to Yom Kippur on what is often dubbed “Kol Nidrei night”. It is written in Aramaic, not Hebrew. Its name is taken from the opening words, meaning “all vows”. The term Kol Nidrei is also popularly used as a name for the entire Yom Kippur evening service.

Kol Nidrei

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