Davka (1971)
In Psalm 27, which we read during this penitential season, we recite the following verse: הוריני ה’ דרכך ונחני באורח מישור למען שוררי. “Teach me, O Lord, Thy way and lead me in the path of righteousness because of my enemies’ sake.” Because of my enemies? Does that make sense? I prefer the translation of Dr. Phillip Birnbaum in our prayer books: “despite my enemies.” David finds himself surrounded by enemies on all sides. They are out not only to destroy him physically, but worse, to cut him down to size, to reduce him to just another primitive pagan chieftain, to make him just another one of their own, to rob him of his faith, his spiritual uniqueness, his special charm, to dispossess him of his neshamah, of his capacity to compose תהילים or Psalms. And so David prays: “Teach me Your way and guide me in the right path למען שוררי – despite my enemies.”Perhaps it is best to characterize this attitude with an Aramaic word that has gone over into Yiddish: דווקא, davka. In the Talmud, that word means: necessarily, exactly. But it also takes on, especially in the Yiddish, a larger and more poignant meaning that is really untranslatable: despite, the acceptance of a challenge, the exercise of stubbornness and persistence against all odds.Davka is for me a symbol of one of the most precious, unique, and irreplaceable Jewish traits, and the Jew's characteristic mode in confronting the world: the ability to prevail against almost certain defeat, to resolve to survive despite political persecution and cultural pressure for assimilation, to determine to triumph even if it means flying in the face of facts and defying reason. למען שוררי – davka when my enemies want me to surrender my faith, my uniqueness, my commitment – davka then, teach me to be a better Jew!What is it that gives the Jew the power of davka? Wherefrom this success in attempting the impossible? What alchemy is needed to concoct this historic Jewish mixture of courage and defiance and persistence that we have c…
