Question:
Sometimes my anxiety lead me to “bargaining with G-d” saying I will do so and so to either make something happen or I will do it if something happens. Do they have the power of a neder? Let me say that my anxiety got so bad I was nearly fired work and already am recommended to take medication. Kol Nidre appears to preempt any future neder for the rest of the year which should relax people with anxiety. I am a woman so I read women usually don’t do hatarot nedarim but rely on Kol nidre. But then I read I would need to understand the actual prayer while saying it. I know Hebrew so I am pretty sure I got the Hebrew part but the Aramaic may have gotten me to not know that part. But I used an English/Hebrew Machzor which also had commentary about the prayer so I most likely would looked at that and have known what the prayer was about even if I do not know every word for word. I also may have glanced at the translation as well but that has been a while ago so I can’t verify. Will my Kol Nidre still be effective because I made so many of these “bargainings”?
Answer:
You are correct in assuming that Kol Nidre preempts any future “bargainings”. You don’t have to understand all the words, it is sufficient to know the general layout. If you are married your husband can be a sheliach for you when he does hatarot nedarim for himself on erev Rosh Hashana.
Sources:
Y:D 211:1 & 234:56
