:בְּיָדו אַפְקִיד רוּחִי. בְּעֵת אִישָׁן וְאָעִירָה
:וְעִם רוּחִי גְּוִיָּתִי. ה’ לִי וְלא אִירָא
“Into God’s hand, I safeguard my spirit/when I sleep and when I awake. With my spirit is my body; God is with me — I shall not fear!”
Adon Olam Prayer (11th Century)
The last verses of this beloved poem are the most personal, imagining Adonai, as it were, holding us. What a beautiful image – b’Yado בְּיָדו – in God’s hand… we are safe, protected, secure. There is nothing to fear when we are cradled in God’s hands. Like a baby in the arms of its mother or father, there is nothing to fear. Everything will be all right. Everything will be OK. We shall not fear…
— Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
