Adon Olam
JB
ByJacob Bernstein
סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, הכנה לתפילה, אדון עולם

(א) אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ, בְּטֶֽרֶם כָּל יְצִיר נִבְרָא:

(ב) לְעֵת נַעֲשָׂה בְחֶפְצוֹ כֹּל, אֲזַי מֶֽלֶךְ שְׁמוֹ נִקְרָא:

(ג) וְאַחֲרֵי כִּכְלוֹת הַכֹּל, לְבַדּוֹ יִמְלֹךְ נוֹרָא:

(ד) וְהוּא הָיָה וְהוּא הֹוֶה, וְהוּא יִהְיֶה בְּתִפְאָרָה:

(ה) וְהוּא אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי, לְהַמְשִׁיל לוֹ לְהַחְבִּֽירָה:

(ו) בְּלִי רֵאשִׁית בְּלִי תַכְלִית, וְלוֹ הָעֹז וְהַמִּשְׂרָה:

(ז) וְהוּא אֵלִי וְחַי גּוֹאֲלִי, וְצוּר חֶבְלִי בְּעֵת צָרָה:

(ח) וְהוּא נִסִּי וּמָנוֹס לִי, מְנָת כּוֹסִי בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָא:

(ט) בְּיָדוֹ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי, בְּעֵת אִישַׁן וְאָעִֽירָה:

(י) וְעִם רוּחִי גְּוִיָּתִי, יְהֹוָה לִי וְלֹא אִירָא:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Preparatory Prayers, Adon Olam

(1) Master of the Universe Who reigned before any creature was created.

(2) At the time when all was made by His will, then was His Name proclaimed King.

(3) And after all things shall cease to be the Awesome One will reign alone.

(4) He was, He is, and He shall be in glory.

(5) He is One, and there is no second to compare to Him, to associate [with Him].

(6) Without beginning, without end, power and dominion are His.

(7) He is my God and my ever-living Redeemer, the Rock of my destiny on the day of distress.

(8) He is my flag1It is to Him that I rally and through Him that I am identified.—Etz Yosef and my refuge; He is the portion of my cup on the day I call.2He answers me.

(9) Into His hand I entrust my spirit [both] when I sleep and when I awaken.

(10) And with my spirit my body [too], Adonoy is with me, I shall not fear.

The Name Adon

ברכות ז׳ ב:א׳
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״אָדוֹן״, עַד שֶׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם וּקְרָאוֹ אָדוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה״.
Berakhot 7b:1
Until now, the Gemara has cited statements made by Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of the tanna, Rabbi Yosei. Now, the Gemara begins to cite what Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: From the day that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world there was no person who called him “Lord” until Abraham came and called him Lord. As it is stated: “And he said, ‘My Lord, God, by what shall I know that I will inherit it?’” (Genesis 15:8).

Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch points out a difference between a “King” and a “Master”. The relationship between a King and a citizen of the country is a very tenuous one. “What do I have to do with the King? The King does not know that I exist. He is not aware of my needs or my problems.” The word “Adon” is used in connection with a servant. The relationship between a master and his servant is a very different one from the relationship between a king and his citizen. The master knows his servant very well. A personal relationship exists between them.

Owner of the World: Olam

We Change, Not Him