[HANASHIR:10926] Re: Adon Olam to Rock Around the Clock

[Freedabet <Freedabet...>]

A short excerpt from Macy Nulman's article on Adon Olam in his Encyclopedia 
of Jewish Prayer (a must on your reference shelf):

"Adon Olam... incorporated into the Shacharit service since the 15th century 
[CE]...  In addition to serving as an introduction to the early morning 
service, it is also sung or said as a closing hymn for the evening and musaf 
services on the Sabbath and holidays, as part of the night prayer, as a 
wedding song in the Moroccan tradition, and by those present at the deathbed. 
 The utterance of Adon Olam in the early morning... [attunes the mind to 
reverential awe] and thenceforth Satan cannot denounce the prayers that are 
spoken...  Adon Olam is repeated... at the conclusion of a service so that 
Satan shall not be a threat."



Composed around the year 1000.  Ashkenazic rites omit about 1/3 of the 
original.  The original last line is 'Amen Amen shem nora' which is also the 
title of a popular choral number.

[buy the book -- you'll be glad you did...]


Michael

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+