Editing Kol Nidre (section)

==Reform in the 19th century==
Yielding to the numerous accusations and complaints brought against "Kol Nidrei" in the course of centuries, [[Rabbinical Conference of Brunswick|the rabbinical conference held at Brunswick in 1844]] decided unanimously that the formula was not essential, and that the members of the convention should exert their influence toward securing its speedy abolition.<ref>''Protocolle der Ersten Rabbiner Versammlung'', p. 41, Brunswick, 1844; Petuchowski, Jakob J., ''Prayerbook Reform in Europe'' (1968, NY, World Union for Progressive Judaism) pages 336-337 (the entire chapter 15 is devoted to New Versions of ''Kol Nidre'').</ref>

The decision of the conference was accepted by many congregations of western Europe and in all the American [[Reform Judaism]] congregations, which while retaining the melody substituted for the formula a German hymn or a Hebrew psalm (particularly Psalm 130), or changed the old text to the words, "May all the vows arise to thee which the sons of Israel vow unto thee, O Lord, ... that they will return to thee with all their heart, and from this Day of Atonement until the next," etc. Naturally there were many Orthodox opponents of this innovation, among whom M. Lehmann, editor of the ''Israelit'', was especially prominent.<ref>see ib. 1863, Nos. 25, 38; Kieval, Herman, "The Curious Case of Kol Nidre", ''Commentary'' vol. 46, nr. 4, Oct. 1968 pp. 53–58, reprinted as "The Paradox of Kol Nidre" in Goodman, Phillip, ''The Yom Kippur Anthology'' (1971, Phil., Jewish Publ'n Soc.) p. 92; Friedland, Eric L., ''The Historical and Theological Development of the Non-Orthodox Prayerbooks in the United States'', a Ph.D. dissertation for the Brandeis Univ. Dept of Near Eastern & Judaic Studies (June 1967) page 238.</ref> In 1961, Kol Nidrei, in its full Aramaic text, was restored to the Reform liturgy, so strong was its sentimental appeal.<ref>Rosenberg, Arnold S., ''Jewish Liturgy as a Spiritual System'' (1997, NJ, Jason Aronson Inc.) page 169.</ref> Among [[Reconstructionist Judaism|Reconstructionist Jews]], it was briefly omitted from the liturgy and then restored but with a slightly revised text that limited its application only to those vows that operated "to estrange ourselves from those who have offended us or to give pain to those who have angered us".<ref>Kieval, Herman, "The Curious Case of Kol Nidre", ''Commentary'' vol. 46, nr. 4, Oct. 1968 pp. 53–58, reprinted as "The Paradox of Kol Nidre" in Goodman, Phillip, ''The Yom Kippur Anthology'' (1971, Phil., Jewish Publ'n Soc.) p. 92.</ref>

At other times and places during the 19th century emphasis was frequently laid upon the fact that "in the 'Kol Nidrei' only those vows and obligations are implied that are voluntarily assumed, and that are, so to speak, taken before God, thus being exclusively religious in content; but that those obligations are in no wise included that refer to other persons or to non-religious relations."<ref>''Allg. Zeit. des Jud.'' 1885, p. 396</ref>
Even before 1844, some rabbis and congregations (not all of them Liberal) had ceased reciting Kol Nidre: It is not found in the Berlin 1817 prayerbook, nor the Hamburg prayerbooks of 1819 and 1841, and the famous pioneer of Modern Orthodoxy, Rabbi [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]], had omitted it during Yom Kippur services at least twice. In 1840, Rabbi Leopold Stein (who later became the Rabbi of Frankfurt on Main) published a volume of German language prayers and hymns offered as additions or alternatives to the traditional ones, and for a substitute for Kol Nidre he provided the hymn (apparently his own work), "O Tag des Herrn!" (''O Day of the Lord''); adding a lengthy footnote that said, "That much though is certain and cannot be denied by anyone -- that the [Kol Nidre] formula is by no means suited to introduce the holiest of all days, and that it would have been more suitable for any occasion but that of the eve of the exalted Day of Atonement."<ref>Petuchowski, Jakob J., ''Prayerbook Reform in Europe'' (1968, NY, World Union for Progressive Judaism) pages 337-340.</ref> An English translation - "O come, day of God" - of Stein's hymn was used, in the place of ''Kol Nidre'', in the American Reform ''Union Prayer Book'' (1945 & 1963) - the 1894 edition of the Union Prayer Book had a slightly different English translation but it appears that some editions between then and 1945 were defective and erroneously omitted most of the pages (this page among them) for the eve of 'Atonement Day', but Kol Nidre was returned to the Reform liturgy in subsequent prayerbooks.<ref>Friedland, Eric L., ''The Historical and Theological Development of the Non-Orthodox Prayerbooks in the United States'', a Ph.D. dissertation for the Brandeis Univ. Dept of Near Eastern & Judaic Studies (June 1967) pages 241-244.</ref>

In the opinion of some Jewish writers, the principal factor that preserved the religious authority of the ''Kol Nidrei'' is its plaintive melody.<ref>E.g., Mordechai Jaffe (cantor of Prague, early 17th century), quoted in Gershon, Stuart W., ''Kol Nidrei, Its Origin, Development, and Significance'' (1994, NJ, Jason Aronson) pp. 90, 96, and 130; Hoffman, Lawrence A., ''Gates of Understanding 2: Appreciating the Days of Awe'' [companion volume to Stern, Chaim, ''Gates of Repentance'', a Reform prayerbook for the High Holydays](1984, NY, Central Conference of American Rabbis) p. 202; Davidson, Israel, "Kol Nidre", ''The American Jewish Year Book 5684'' (1923, NY) p. 191. And similarly, Hyams, Ario S., "Kol Nidre: The Word in Absolute Music", ''Journal of Synagogue Music'', vol. 5, nr. 2 (June 1974) pages 21-26.</ref>