Kol Nidrei
The Yom Kippur service begins with the haunting melody of the Kol Nidrei chant. This chant, recited in Aramaic, is one of the most notable and memorable parts of the service. It ushers in a sense of somberness that pervades the day of Yom Kippur. The words "kol nidrei" mean "all vows," and the prayer is actually a legal formulation that releases one from the obligation to fulfill certain vows.
The origins of the chant are not known. Scholars know that it was recited before the ninth century. The rabbis of the Talmud declared that the kol nidrei chant referred only to personal vows, not to vows that involved another individual. Moreover, it refers to vows that one will make in the coming year, not in the year since last Yom Kippur.
Kol Nidrey ve-esarey va-ha-ramey v'konamey v'hinu-yey v'kinusey u-sh'vuot, di-n'darna u-d'ish-t'vana, u-d'ah-rimna, v'di-asarna al naf-sha-tana mi-yom kipurim sheh-avar ad yom kipurim zeh ha-ba aleynu l'tovah, kol-hon ih-ratna v'hon, kol-hon y'hon sharan. Sh'vikin, sh'vitin, b'teylin u-m'vutalin, la sh'ririn v'la ka-yamin Nidrana la nidrey, ve-esarana la esarey, u-sh'vuatana la sh'vuot.
All vows, oaths, and promises which we made to G-d from last Yom Kippur to this Yom Kippur and were not able to fulfill - may all such vows between ourselves and G-d be annulled. May they be void and of no effect. May we be absolved of them and released from them. May these vows not be considered vows, these oaths not be considered oaths, and these promises not be considered promises.
