Weekly Tefilah Focus

Now that we have provided the outline of this powerful tefilah, with which we begin and end our day, we present the line-by-line translation and explanation of Adon Olam from the Pathway to Prayer Siddur by HaRav Mayer Birnbaum shlita. We have previously noted the uniqueness of this great siddur and how it provides so much more than basic translations. Additionally, it is very easy on the eye to glance, line by line, at the brief but clear explanations. This siddur sold out, but I am told that there are more on the way from a new printing.

The tefilah of Adon Olam has been given much prominence. It was placed at the start of our daily Shacharis tefilah, it is recited by many nightly before going to bed, and we begin our Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur tefilos in the morning using a special nusach for this inspiring tefilah. In effect, we start and end our day with Adon Olam every day of the year and give it even more attention on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

What are the three most frequent and arguably the most powerful words (outside of words of Torah) that we say every single day of our lives? Many of us will recite these words, b’ezras Hashem, close to or over three million times over the course of our lives.

…hodu lo, barchu sh’mo

…thank Him for the good He has done for you, and praise His Name (which represents His way of running the world to do good to us).

We ended the last segment with the following questions:

Bo’u sh’arav b’sodah, chatzeirosav bis’hilah; hodu lo, barchu sh’mo.

(Therefore) enter His gates with thankfulness (for the miracles), (and proceed into) His courtyard to express the praise of His greatness, (and) thank Him for the good He has done for you, and praise His Name (which represents His way of running the world to do good to us).