Atah Hu Adonai L'Vadecha (Hebrew:אתה-הוא יהוה לבדך, "You alone are the Lord") is a series of verses recited in most communities duringShacharit, the morning prayers ofJudaism, inpesukei dezimra. It is composed of verses 5–11 in Chapter 9 ofNechemiah.
The recitation of these verses was introduced in the 13th century by RabbiMeir of Rothenburg.[1] The custom to recite these verses, along withVayivarech David (fromChronicles), prior to theSong of the sea is in order to recall miracles brought on by God at theRed Sea.[2]
In most Ashekenazic siddurim, this prayer appears as two separate paragraphs. What is interesting about this division is not the division itself, but the fact that it occurs in the middle of the third verse (Nechemiah 9:8). This is signifyingAbraham'schange of name from Abram to Abraham, elevating his status from the father of Aram to the father of a multitude of nations.[3] The division originates a custom that when there is aBerit Milah taking place in the community, the second part (through the end ofAz Yashir) is recited responsively.
The verses do not appear at all in Italki (Italian Rite) siddurim, which go immediately fromVayivarech David into the verses introducing theSong of the Sea.
