Adon Olam
Adon Olam ("Lord of the world"), the hymn that closes the Sabbath and festival morning services in many synagogues, in Hebrew to an old synagogue tune as Eliezer Gerovitsch printed it in an edition of 1897, for 2 to 4 singers. It praises Hashem, who reigned before anything was made and will reign alone when all is gone, who is one, without beginning or end; its last lines say: into His hand I commit my spirit, when I sleep and when I wake, and I will not fear.
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The first verse
Words: Hebrew hymn, author unknown (medieval)Tune: old synagogue tune ("A. W.", alte Weise), as Eliezer Gerovitsch printed it (1897)
Adon olam asher malach,b'terem kol yetzir nivra.L'et naasa vecheftzo kol,azai melech shemo nikra.
About Adon Olam
Adon Olam, "Lord of the world", is a hymn that many congregations sing together at the close of the Sabbath and festival morning services. Its last lines, "into His hand I commit my spirit when I sleep and when I wake", led Seligman Baer to think it was meant for bedtime. Our tune is read from Eliezer Gerovitsch's Schirej Tefilah, in an edition of 1897, which marks it as old, in D minor as printed, with our four parts built on his harmony. It is sung in Hebrew, transliterated, for 2 to 4 singers: his strain four times, carrying lines 1 to 6, 9 and 10 of the poem. It is sung with the substituted name customary when singing outside prayer: Adoshem.
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