Adom Olam: Master of Eternity

Adon Olam (Hebrew: אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם; “Eternal Lord” or “Lord of the Universe”) is a strictly metrical hymn in the Jewish liturgy written in Iambic tetrameter. It has been a regular part of the daily and Shabbat (Sabbath) liturgy since the 15th century.

According to the custom of the Sephardim and in British synagogues generally, it is congregationally sung at the close of Sabbath and festival morning services, and among the Ashkenazi Jews also it often takes the place of the hymn Yigdal at the close of the evening service on these occasions, while both hymns are almost universally chanted on the Eve of Atonement (Kol Nidre).