Devakut: Cleaving to God

Our Torah portion this week (Vaetchanan) says: “But you who have cleaved to the LORD your God are all alive today” (Deut. 4:4). The Hebrew word devakut (דְּבָקוּת) means “cleaving” and refers to communion with God. This word comes from the root word davak (דָּבַק), meaning to “cling” or “stick” (the Modern Hebrew word for “glue” is devek (דֶבֶק) which also comes from the same root).

The sages comment that we can cleave to God only one day at a time. As Yeshua said: “Take therefore no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient for the day its own trouble” (Matt. 6:34). One day at a time.

The LORD gives us daily bread (לֶחֶם חֻקֵּנוּ) so that we may persevere for this day. “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand today — if you hear his voice” (Psalm 95:7). Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart (Heb. 3:15). “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God, but encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:12-13).

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Deut. 4:4 Hebrew page (pdf)