Kol Nidre

[ Sephardic Hebrew kawl nee-drey; Ashkenazic Hebrew kohl nid-ruh, -rey ]

noun

, Judaism.

1. a liturgical prayer for recitation at the beginning of the service on the eve of Yom Kippur asking that all unfulfilled vows to God be nullified and all transgressions forgiven.

Kol Nidre

/ kɔl niːˈdre; kɔːl ˈnɪdreɪ /

noun

1. the evening service with which Yom Kippur begins
2. the opening prayer of that service, declaring null in advance any purely religious vows one may come to make in the coming year

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kol Nidre¹

< Aramaic kōl all + nidhrē vows, promises

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kol Nidre¹

Aramaic kōl nidhrē all the vows; the prayer's opening words

Example Sentences

A fife and drum band is heard in the distance playing the Kol Nidre.

From Project Gutenberg