Akdamut

"Akdamut", or "Akdamut Milin" or "Akdamus Milin" (Hebrew: אקדמות מילין, "In Introduction to the Words") is a prominent piyyut (Jewish liturgical poem) recited annually on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot by Ashkenazi Jews. It was penned by Rabbi Meir bar Yitzchak of Worms, Germany, who lived in the 11th century. "Akdamut" consists entirely of praise for God and is written in Aramaic.

"Akdamut" is read on the first day of Shavuot during the Torah service. The original practice was for it to be recited after the reading of the first verse of the lection (Exodus 19:1), but in the past few centuries, the practice has developed in many congregations (mainly Eastern European ones) that the poem is read after the kohen has been called to the Torah reading, but before he has made the blessing. In most synagogues it is read responsively: the "ba'al korei" singing two verses, and the congregation responding with the next two verses. There are some synagogues where it is not recited.

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The 45 two-line verses of "Akdamut" are arranged as a double alphabetic acrostic followed by the initial letters spelling out the words, "Meir, son of Rabbi Isaac, may he grow in Torah and in good deeds. Amen. Be strong and have courage."

The language of "Akdamut" is terse and complicated, and is replete with references to Torah and Talmud. Each line concludes with the syllable "ta" (תא), which is spelled with the last letter (tav) and first letter (aleph) of the Hebrew alphabet. The encoded message from the author is that a Jew never stops learning Torah — when one finishes, one must start anew again. This message was appropriately chosen for Shavuot, since this holiday commemorates the Jews accepting the Torah on Mount Sinai.

References

*Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Salamon, [http://www.artscroll.com/Books/akdh.html Akdamus Millin: A new translation and commentary anthologized from the traditional Rabbinic literature] , ArtScroll publishers
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