"The Mystery of Kol Nidrei: Embracing the New Year." Times of Israel, October 13, 2024.
My second blog for the Times of Israel is a version of my Kol Nidrei drash at Cleveland Hillel. The inspiration, as for the previous blog, was the prayers themselves, which I studied closely this year in order to lead High Holiday services.
Specifically, I was inspired by the comments on Kol Nidrei in Ismar Elbogen's Jewish Liturgy: A Comprehensive History (1913). Despite how long ago his book was published, Elbogen's comments on the prayers still resonate. In this case, he draws attention to the fact that Kol Nidrei remains a mystery in many respects, and yet its power is undeniable. The drash offered a chance to explore a resemblance between hearing Kol Nidrei and hearing shofar, giving insight into the former's power while leaving its mystery intact. It was a chance, too, to explore Jean-Luc Marion's fascinating new book, Revelation Comes from Elsewhere (2022; trans. 2024).
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