Darga
דַּרְגָּ֧א ֧ תֽוֹלְד֧וֹת
cantillation
Sof passuk ׃   Paseq ׀
Etnakhta/atnakh ֑   Segol ֒
Shalshelet ֓   Zakef katan ֔
Zakef gadol ֕   Tifcha/tarkha ֖
Rivia ֗   Zarka ֘
Pashta ֙   Yetiv ֚
Tevir ֛   Geresh ֜
Geresh muqdam [de] ֝   Gershayim ֞
Karne parah ֟   Telisha gedola/talsha ֠
Pazer ֡   Atnah hafukh [de] ֢
Munakh/shofar holekh ֣   Mahpach ֤
Merkha/ma’arikh ֥   Mercha kefula ֦
Darga ֧   Qadma ֨
Telisha qetana/tarsa ֩   Yerah ben yomo ֪
Ole ֫   Illuy ֬
Dehi [de] ֭   Tsinnorit ֮

Darga (Hebrew: דַּרְגָּא) is a cantillation mark commonly found in the Torah, Haftarah, and other books. The symbol for the darga resembles a backwards Z.[1]

The darga is usually followed by a Tevir.[2] It is most often found in places where a Tevir clause has two words which are closely related.[3] The Hebrew word דַּרְגָּא translates into English as step. With the Hebrew word tevir meaning "broken," the combination of darga tevir means "broken step."

Darga can also be followed by a Munach Rivia,[4] and can (rarely) be followed by a Mercha Kefula, an altogether rare trope.[5]

Total occurrences

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Book Number of appearances
Torah 1091[6]
   Genesis 253[6]
   Exodus 221[6]
   Leviticus 171[6]
   Numbers 237[6]
   Deuteronomy 209[6]
Nevi'im 710[7]
Ketuvim 637[7]

Melody

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The Ashkenazic darga is recited in a fast, downward slope, as follows:  

The Sefardic darga is ascending, and the Moroccan darga is descending with a waver in the middle.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 45
  2. ^ Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 113
  3. ^ Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 168
  4. ^ Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, pages 102-03
  5. ^ Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 111
  6. ^ a b c d e f Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 6
  7. ^ a b Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 5
  8. ^ "טעמי מקרא".