ועבדת את העבודה הזאת, בחודש הזה (בא יג:ה)

A villager once arrived in Ruzhin. Tired from his journey, he fell asleep on one of the benches in the shul. In the meantime, the Chassidim came to daven Mincha and Maariv, but no one noticed the villager sleeping so deeply.

A few hours later, the holy Ruzhiner zt’’l came to check for chametz and to recite “Kol Chamira.” As soon as the Ruzhiner began saying Kol Chamira, the villager woke up with a start and cried out: “Oy! They’re already saying ‘Kol Nidrei’ when I haven’t yet eaten the Suedas Hamafsekes!”

The surrounding Chassidim could not contain their laughter. However, the Ruzhiner exclaimed:“Don’t laugh! He is speaking the truth!”

He explained: as our holy seforim teach, what one can accomplish during the Yamim Noraim through teshuvah, tefillah, and tzedakah, can also be achieved during the month of Nissan by properly observing the mitzvos of Pesach. The Ruzhiner referred to the passuk: “ועבדת את העבודה הזאת”—the Yom Kippur service (Yom Kippur is called “זאת”as it says “בזאת יבוא אהרן אל הקודש) can be accomplished בחודש הזה—during the month of Nissan.

Thus, in essence, Kol Nidrei and Kol Chamira are one!