Re: Kol Nidre

[Joe Kurland <ganeydn...>]

At 1:33 AM -0400 7/27/01, Robert Cohen wrote:
>It occurs to me that the line, I believe, *before* Kol Nidre perhaps 
>does refer, or perhaps is understood to refer, to those who 
>underwent forced conversions.  (It "gives us permission" to pray 
>with "those who have transgressed.")  Maybe that's what Joe was 
>thinking of here.

What I was taught as a child (I don't know the sources) was that the 
change in Kol Nidre from vows taken in the past to vows that might be 
taken in the future referred to those fearful of being forced to 
convert.  While the line about being permitted to pray with sinners 
may also have it's origins there, I've always taken that very 
powerful statement to mean that none of us are perfect and that we 
should have compassion for our fellow Jews (and all our fellow 
humans), to seek forgiveness for what we may have done that hurt 
them, to be prepared to forgive them as well, and to collectively 
examine our lives and resolve (but now vow) to do better.  "Us'shuvo, 
us'filo, utsedoko -- ma'avirin es haroa hagezeyro."  (But return, 
prayer, and acts of justice/charity -  avert the stern decree."


Zayt gezunt (be healthy),

Yosl (Joe) Kurland
The Wholesale Klezmer Band
Colrain, MA 01340
voice/fax: 413-624-3204
http://www.WholesaleKlezmer.com

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