---

The second half celebrates the ability of the divine to be perceived simultaneously everywhere within material reality as needed. Nothing material can be everywhere at once, so this ability is a second mystery.

Both omnipresence (existence throughout reality) and transcendence (existence outside reality) are mysteries. Of course, these two mysteries can be combined to form a dichotomy that is in itself a mystery. Adon Olam does this by pressing its two halves to­gether without any gradual transition. There is no change in the poetic form when the mood changes. Adon Olam presses these mysteries close together, and thereby cele­brates the biggest mystery of all: that that which is outside of space turns out to be right here!

Another way to look at this is that the first half of Adon Olam deals with "God and the Universe", while the second half deals with "God and the Individual". God is outside the universe, yet with each individual. This is the same mystical combination of simultaneous nearness and awe-inspiring transcendence that is expressed in the grammar of all the fixed prayers. The beginning of every benediction, "Baruch Atah Adonai", is in the second person. But the ending of a benediction is always in the third person. For example: "Praised art Thou, LORD,...who returns His presence to Zion." or "Blessed are You, LORD,...who brings forth bread from the earth.", etc. Because there are prescribed fixed blessings for so many things, observant Jews say blessings fairly constantly, and have the opportunity to experience (or be reminded of) this intimacy and awe all day long.

In the second half of Adon Olam, God is portrayed as a personal "Rock" and "Protector". "I" and "my" (words with "ai" and "i" endings) occur frequently. This is dra­matically different from the rest of the Siddur. And the sound of "nu" (meaning "us" or "our") is absent.

Although there are many different congregational tunes used for Adon Olam, none of them actually sets the words of the poetry. Many simply apply the poem to a pre-existing melody. None of them make any distinction between the powerful dark mystical first half and the cheerful confident loving second half. (Great composers have written choral settings of Adon Olam that set the words to music carefully, but these are not generally sung by congregations.)

--- adapted from "The Synagogue Survival Kit" by Jordan Lee Wagner, publ. by Rowman & Littlefield. 1997.