by Arlene Berg
DEVAIKUS, DEVEKUT – "ATTACHMENT," "THE ACT OF CLEAVING TO GOD," "INTENSE DEVOTION"
DEVAIKUS – pronounce the "ai" as a long "a." The "e" and "u" are both short vowels. The accent is on the second syllable; de-VAI-kus
DEVEKUT – pronounce the "e’s" as short vowels, and the "u" as a long vowel. The accent is on the last syllable; de-ve-KUT
In Hebrew, the last letter of this word can be pronounced as either an "s" or a "t". Those Jewish people from Eastern Europe, Poland, Russia, pronounce it as an "s". Those from Western Europe, Spain, Portugal, as well as Israel, pronounce it as a "t".
DEVAIKUS, DEVEKUT – "ATTACHMENT," "THE ACT OF CLEAVING TO GOD," "INTENSE DEVOTION"
Devaikus is very, very important to the Chassidim, or Ultra-Orthodox Jewish people. They are continually striving for this! These special people can teach us a lot about their zeal and intense desire to cleave to God.
"But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave (devekut!) unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." – Yehoshua (Joshua) 22:5.
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." – Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:5.
** In his studies, my husband, Jeff, found that this word "might" can also mean "power," "EXCESS".
"For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me (devaikus!) the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; they they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear." – Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 13:11.
How God yearns for His special people, Israel, to know Him and to cleave to Him! How He longs for this also with us.