Darga

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]

Darga
דַּרְגָּ֧א ֧ תֽוֹלְד֧וֹת
cantillation
Sof passuk	׃		paseq	׀
etnachta	֑		segol	֒
shalshelet	֓		zaqef qatan	֔
zaqef gadol	֕		tifcha	֖
rivia	֗		zarqa	֘
pashta	֙		yetiv	֚
tevir	֛		geresh	֜
geresh muqdam	֝		gershayim	֞
qarney para	֟		telisha gedola	֠
pazer	֡		atnah hafukh	֢
munach	֣		mahapakh	֤
merkha	֥		merkha kefula	֦
darga	֧		qadma	֨
telisha qetana	֩		yerah ben yomo	֪
ole	֫		illuy	֬
dehi	֭		zinor	֮

The Darga is usually followed by a Tevir.[2] It is most often found in places where a Tevir clause has two words that 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] Darga can also rarely be followed by a Mercha Kefula, an altogether rare trope.[5]

Total occurrences

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

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

References

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. Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 6
7. Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 5