On Friday evening, I will help to usher in Yom Kippur by partaking in the first service of the holiday, known as Kol Nidre. Hosted by Penn State Hillel, it will be held in the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center at 6 p.m. Even if you are not an observing Jew, I encourage you to come indulge in the cultural experience. The name of the service is derived from its pinnacle prayer titled "Kol Nidrei," which is what I will be chanting before a room of about 400 people. While some individuals may find this task a bit daunting, I do not view it as any sort of performance, but rather as another opportunity to stand before G-d and make a vow with the addition of many onlookers to hold me accountable.
The prayer is chanted three times, with each repetition growing louder and with stronger intent. Its translation boils down to the idea that all personal vows one has made to G-d in the past year that have not been fulfilled, will be considered null and void from this point forward. This prayer empowers the individual because by relaxing the absolute commitment to keep every promise, the person becomes liberated and enabled to honestly appraise their actions and experiences of the past year. Yom Kippur is a whole day devoted to this task, it is the Day of Atonement, and the Kol Nidrei is sort of the overture that sets the stage for the deep introspection that lies ahead.
Lately, I have felt somewhat disconnected from G-d, which greatly saddens me because at my core, I know my passion for and value of Judaism is immense. However, I seem to be stuck in a rut, trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts and void of hope that I will ever fully conquer my inner demons. While I should look to G-d to help me through this difficult time, I have instead recently shut Him and many others out. At least I am well aware of this behavior of isolation that I have been imploring and my hope is that chanting this intense declaration on Friday night will be the first step in opening myself back up to G-d, restoring optimism and strength within me for the coming year. Additionally, I believe the presence of so many others in the room serves as a way to hold me accountable because they are witnessing the establishment of this reconnection. While I have made great strides, there are many obstacles I have yet to overcome. There is always schoolwork to be done and other responsibilities that make it very easy to become distracted from tackling those challenges; therefore, I intend on taking full advantage of this 24-hour period of reflection and repentance to regroup and determine the best way to work toward fulfilling the potential and plan G-d has in store for me.
The prayer is chanted three times, with each repetition growing louder and with stronger intent. Its translation boils down to the idea that all personal vows one has made to G-d in the past year that have not been fulfilled, will be considered null and void from this point forward. This prayer empowers the individual because by relaxing the absolute commitment to keep every promise, the person becomes liberated and enabled to honestly appraise their actions and experiences of the past year. Yom Kippur is a whole day devoted to this task, it is the Day of Atonement, and the Kol Nidrei is sort of the overture that sets the stage for the deep introspection that lies ahead.
Lately, I have felt somewhat disconnected from G-d, which greatly saddens me because at my core, I know my passion for and value of Judaism is immense. However, I seem to be stuck in a rut, trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts and void of hope that I will ever fully conquer my inner demons. While I should look to G-d to help me through this difficult time, I have instead recently shut Him and many others out. At least I am well aware of this behavior of isolation that I have been imploring and my hope is that chanting this intense declaration on Friday night will be the first step in opening myself back up to G-d, restoring optimism and strength within me for the coming year. Additionally, I believe the presence of so many others in the room serves as a way to hold me accountable because they are witnessing the establishment of this reconnection. While I have made great strides, there are many obstacles I have yet to overcome. There is always schoolwork to be done and other responsibilities that make it very easy to become distracted from tackling those challenges; therefore, I intend on taking full advantage of this 24-hour period of reflection and repentance to regroup and determine the best way to work toward fulfilling the potential and plan G-d has in store for me.