We have written before about Adon Olam in the context of the impropriety and lack of decorum of removing one’s talis before the service is over. I wish to return to this prayer simply based on its importance and place in the liturgy. I have always been interested in our prayers. It behooves us at the very least to understand what we are saying. Over and above simple translations, there are many excellent books in English and in Hebrew that elaborate on the themes, symbolism, structure and laws of the daily, Shabbos and holiday prayers.
I am making my way through Rav Schwab’s magnum opus on prayer based on a series of lectures he gave. I had the privilege of meeting him and had the occasion to daven in his shul many times. All I can say is that the decorum at K’hal Adas Yeshurun (known as Breuer’s) is the model for how shuls should conduct themselves.
Without going into details about the specific meaning of each phrase, I want to observe that it is probably one of the most important and significant prayers in our liturgy. We have many important prayers. We have many passionate and emotional prayers (Sh’ma Koleinu). We have many doctrinal prayers (Sh’ma Yisrael). We have prayers of gratitude (Modim), theology (Alenu) and many other types of prayers that we recite in shul on a regular basis.
Our prayers go back to antiquity. Our prayer book, however, is early medieval—9th-10th century. All siddurim can be traced back to Rav Amram Gaon. Maimonides and Saadiah Gaon also wrote a siddur,and all this was before the invention of the printing press. Ultimately, since Jews traveled quite a bit internationally for business and/or were forced to leave some countries, and they gathered together to pray, there was a need for them to be able to pray from a unified text. To avoid liturgical anarchy, the basic text was instituted with minor variations. And that is the siddur we have today.
What I find fascinating is that every siddur, Ashkenaz or Sfard, begins the daily service with Adon Olam! It’s that important. And on Shabbat and Yom Tov not only do we start with Adon Olam but we also conclude with Adon Olam. Although our synagogues today do not recite this out loud daily, we do recite it out loud on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, the holiest of days.
Because this prayer is so important, some rabbis deliver their sermon after Adon Olam before they make Kiddush. This way, the congregation remains seated and potentially focused. It also solves the problem that speaking before Musaf may be a hefsek, an unsanctioned interruption.
If this prayer is so important why is it given short shrift in so many shuls? Why is it a signal to stand up and fold taleisim? Zil G’mor, as Hillel said. Learn about it in any of the many excellent books on prayer.
Rabbi Dr. Greene has taught the siddur at YU, Stern and the Columbia-Barnard Orthodox Student Association.
