Brief Summary
As we have seen, reciting Adon Olam with heart and mind brings the great result of Hashem’s guarantee that our tefilah will be accepted.
Shacharis was enacted by Avraham Avinu, and he was the first to call Hashem by the Name “Adon,” which indicates a close personal relationship with each of us, as compared to a king who is distant from his subjects.
“Adon Olam” is made up of two distinct parts. The first part, up to the words “v’hu Keili,” speak of Hashem’s greatness and awesomeness. He is, was, and always will be. He created a universe so vast and complex that we cannot begin to grasp its enormity. Just one example are the trillions of stars that on average are larger than the size of our Sun and some of which are even up to 1,400 times its diameter. The Sun can fit the volume of roughly 1.5 million times the Earth in it. He is One. There is no other (independent existence).
We then transition to “v’hu Keili,” stating that this awesome G-d, Whom we cannot even fathom, is MY G-D OF POWERFUL COMPASSION. The meaning “Keil,” which is one of the Names of Hashem, is “powerful and complete rachamim” (Gra, Maharal, and others). The rest of Adon Olam is all about OUR personal relationship with Hashem and how He is there for each and every one of us individually.
Each morning, after we internalize the message of Adon Olam, we can truly feel that Hashem wants to hear our tefilos and bring us closer to Him through tefilah. Our tefilah will then become an uplifting avodah that we look forward to. It is no wonder that Hashem guarantees that our tefilos will be heard and accepted if we say Adon Olam with mind and heart.
Connection to Taanis Esther
Below are excerpts from Tefillah and Emunah (Inspiring Insights from the Lakewood Mashgiach, Rav Nosson Wachtfogel)
How could these words of Keili, Keili, lamah azavtani (My G-d, my G-d, why have You forsaken me? – T’hilim 22:2) reflect these very different emotions of simchah, gratitude, crying out, and pleading, all at the same time from the same words? My understanding (based on the commentaries on T’hilim 22 on these words) is that when the words “Keili, Keili” are said, we can reflect on the past compassion and kindness that MY personal G-d of powerful compassion has bestowed upon me all my life. This should bring simchah and an abundance of gratitude. When the words “lamah…” are said, we cry out and plead about the current state of pain and suffering we are in now, as well as the larger picture of the pain and suffering of the long galus and chilul Hashem in the world, and our longing for all the world and all of us, to recognize Hashem as King and acknowledge that all He has done has been for our benefit with love, compassion, and kindness.
May we merit very soon, in these two months of Adar and Nisan, to witness the coming of Mashiach and the G’ulah Sh’leimah.
To access print versions of previous Tefilah segments, please visit OU Torah’s Search portal, select the Topic of “Tefillah,” and then select “Weekly Tefilah Focus” from the Series list.
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