< HOME  Sunday, September 27, 2009

The difference between ashkanazi and sephardic prayers on yom kippur

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An interesting bit of information that gives a view into the mindset of the Ashkanazi jews that make up the vast majority of zionists. From their own past Wikipedia:

"Kol Nidre

Before sunset on the eve of Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement"), the congregation gathers in the synagogue. The Ark is opened and two people take from it two Torah scrolls. Then they take their places, one on each side of the cantor, and the three recite:

In the tribunal of Heaven and the tribunal of earth, by the permission of God — praised be He — and by the permission of this holy congregation, we hold it lawful to pray with transgressors."

The cantor then chants the prayer beginning with the words Kol Nidre with its touching melody, and, gradually increasing in volume from pianissimo (quiet) to fortissimo (loud), repeats three times the following words:

All personal vows we are likely to make, all personal oaths and pledges we are likely to take between this Yom Kippur and the next Yom Kippur, we publicly renounce. Let them all be relinquished and abandoned, null and void, neither firm nor established. Let our personal vows, pledges and oaths be considered neither vows nor pledges nor oaths.[2]

The leader and the congregation then say together three times "May all the people of Israel be forgiven, including all the strangers who live in their midst, for all the people are in fault." The Torah scrolls are then replaced, and the customary evening service begins.

Philip Birnbaum, in his classic edition of the Mahzor (High holy day prayer book) comments on this passage: "It refers to vows assumed by an individual for himself alone, where no other persons or interests are involved. Though the context makes it perfectly obvious that no vows or obligations towards others are implied, there have been many who were misled into believing that by means of this formula all their vows and oaths are annulled. In the eleventh century Rabbi Meir ben Samuel (Rashi's son-in-law) changed the original wording of Kol Nidre so as to make the Ashkenazi version apply to the future instead of the past; that is, to vows that one might not be able to fulfill during the next year."

The Sephardi version still refers to the past year."


So it appears that the Ashkanazi allow themselves to renege all oaths, promises, pledges, and vows for the next year in advance. By removing any guilt in advance, it assures that this "loophole" will be exploited to the fullest, a blank check if you will.

Seems like a carte blanche to give false witness for the entire next year.

1 Comments:

At Monday, September 28, 2009, Blogger Greg Bacon said...

Ashkanazi allow themselves to renege all oaths, promises, pledges, and vows

Including that Constitutional oath that they take upon assuming office?

I've got a Torah 'scroll' in my bathroom, it's nickname is CHARMIN and it comes in handy at least once a day!!!

 

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