The Details that are Devilish
Obsessed by detail, when the poet looks
at many paintings he observes what’s happening beyond the focal
center, keeping us on tenterhooks
by peripheral details that he brings to light by being vocal.
The same applies to critics when they’re bold enough to counter-intuit,
observing closely the periphery
of words, though many are obsessed by asking: “How do artists do it?”
pedantically too beg-to-differy.
The details Israel faces in political negotiations
with opponents aren’t the devil.
The devil is the way their foes’ dishonest explanations
evangelize at a most hellish level.
Meir Soloveichik, in a discussion of the idiom “the devil is in the details,” in a course that he calls “Why Do Jews Do That?” cited an article by English Plus, Feb 3, 2025,“Why the Devil Is in the Details: The Hidden Truth Behind This Proverb”:
Interestingly, the devil is in the details wasn’t always about the infernal trickster lurking in fine print. The expression is believed to have evolved from an earlier phrase: God is in the details. This earlier version, attributed to various figures like the German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and the French writer Gustave Flaubert, emphasized that excellence lies in careful attention to the finer points. It suggested that precision and thoroughness lead to greatness.
At some point, likely in the 20th century, the phrase took a darker turn. Instead of celebrating detail-oriented craftsmanship, it became a warning that hidden complications or mistakes in minor details could cause disaster. Thus, the divine precision of careful work was replaced with the lurking danger of hidden errors—the devil, so to speak….
The devil is in the details is more than just a catchy phrase—it’s a fundamental truth of life. While big ideas and grand visions are exciting, the real work lies in executing them correctly, down to the smallest element. A little diligence today can save you from enormous trouble tomorrow.
So next time you’re tempted to skim over something or assume the details don’t matter, remember: that’s exactly what the devil wants you to think.