Hatarat Nedarim, the verbal annulment of vows made in the past, can be performed any time from Erev Rosh Hashanah until Erev Yom Kippur, by all males over the age of Bar Mitzvah, in the presence of a court of three men, (some, including Chabad have the custom to say it in front of a court of ten men).
Hatarat Nedarim can be done any day of the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah and some wait especially until Erev Yom Kippur. One should stand when reciting Hatarat Nedarim, whereas everyone else sits. One must understand the text of Hatarat Nedarim. If he doesn’t understand the Hebrew, he should say it in English or any other language that he understands.
The text of Hatarat Nedarim is effective only for those vows or positive practices that one no longer remembers. Any vow or positive practice that one remembers must be presented (not necessarily on Erev Rosh Hashanah) before a Beit Din of three, of whom at least one is well-versed in the laws of Nedarim.
A positive practice requires Hatarat Nedarim if it was observed:
- One time or more, with the intention of continuing to do so indefinitely.
- Three times or more, even in the absence of any such intention, unless he specifically stipulated (whether verbally or in thought) that he was doing so Bli Neder (without a vow).
