Akdamus

Become a Supporter Library Library

Seasons of the Moon Poetry


AKDAMUS

If all the heavens were parchment,
If all the trees of the forest were
pens,
If all the waters of the sea were
ink,
And if every creature was a scribe,
They would not suffice
To expound the greatness of
The Creator,
And the reflection of His Majesty
in Heaven and on Earth -
(Effortlessly-created
With the breath of the letter
Heh)

The poem Akdamus is read on the morning of Shavuot before the Torah reading. Every line ends with the syllable 'ta', which consists respectively of the last and the first letters of the Aleph-Beis. The allusion is to the endlessness of the Torah. As soon as we reach the final letter 'Tav', we immediately start to dwell again on its infinite depth with the first letter -'Aleph'.


    Sources:
  • AKDAMUS - translated by Rabbi Nachman Bulman

Visit the Ohr Somayach Shavuos page
This poem originally appeared in SEASONS OF THE MOON for Sivan 5756.
Written by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair.
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman.
HTML Design: Michael B. Treblow

Ohr Somayach is hosted by TeamGenesis


Copyright © 1996 Ohr Somayach International. Send comments to: info@ohr.edu
Ohr Somayach International is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation (letter on file) EIN 13-3503155 and your donation is tax deductable.