Was Kol Nidrei Sponsored by Adidas?

18 September 2026

Some have suggested that the reason for wearing runners on Yom Kippur is because it's a fast day.

But I think there is something deeper.

Shoes have a unique job. They cover the lowest part of the body, the part that touches the ground, separating us from the earth beneath our feet.

And that gives the shoe a spiritual meaning. It represents where the soul meets the ground.

Inside us is a G-dly soul that reaches upwards, seeking meaning, goodness and holiness. But on the outside, we are just another animal, driven by instinct, appetite and self-interest.

That is the human condition. We are angels in leather shoes. Our deepest self is holy, but our touchpoint with the physical world can be very animalistic.

Our task is to bring those two worlds together, to make even the animal live a G-dly life. Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes we don’t. It’s a lifelong battle between our higher self and our lower urges.

But Yom Kippur is different.

On that day, we don’t fight the animal. For a few precious hours, we transcend it. We don't eat or drink. We step away from bodily pleasures and comforts. And we remove the leather shoes from our feet.

Beneath all the layers, beneath our appetites and distractions, beneath our mistakes and regrets, there is a soul that was always pure.

For one day a year, we don't need to wrestle with the animal. We step out of its skin, and our true self is free to shine.

So perhaps Adidas does belong at Kol Nidrei. The shoes may be synthetic, but the soul is the real thing.