Parashat VaYehi, Gen. 47:28-50:26

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Judah- the lion-hearted.

Study with Baruch Sienna


This week we conclude the book of Genesis: Jacob and his family have descended into Egypt where they will become enslaved until God's liberation. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. In Parshat VaYehi, Jacob lies dying, and calls his sons for their final blessing. (Like the parasha Chaye Sarah, this week's portion that describes Jacob's death means '[Jacob] lived.') Our parasha (and the book of Genesis) end on the note of Joseph dying (but not before extracting a promise that he too should be buried in the land of Israel) and being put in a coffin in Egypt.

Before he dies, Jacob calls his sons for his final words- a combination of prayer, curse, warning and hope. Classical commentators and modern scholars all agree that Jacob's deathbed testament, ostensibly spoken to the twelve sons, is in truth addressed to the tribes. The former understand this oracle to be prophetic; indeed, Jacob begins, "Come together that I may tell you what is to befall you in days to come." Critical scholars believe that the passage reflects the later historical reality of the period of the Judges, when the Israelites had formed a loose confederacy but were not yet a unified nation, and lacked a cohesive identity and still felt their tribal differences. A parallel passage, composed later, can be seen in Moses' final blessings to the tribes (Deut. 33); now the monarchy is well established, and inter-tribal rivalries are not evident.

The twelve tribes are compared to animals and plants (ass, hind, wolf)- similar to the zodiac signs. During the period of the Judges, Reuben, Simon, and Levi were not prominent tribes. Dan (in Deuteronomy) and Judah (in Genesis) are compared to the lion. The Deuteronomy reference likening Dan to the lion may possibly be a play on words- La'ish, Dan's chief city is also a poetic word for lion. However, it is the tribe of Judah, which was to become the central tribe, which becames associated with the lion. Jacob compares Judah to a lion cub. What does this mean? Rashi agrees with the Aramaic translation that 'lion' here means 'king,' and alludes to David. Indeed, the lion is synonymous with 'king of beasts. David, descended from the tribe of Judah, the Davidic monarchy and ultimately, the Messiah, which become inextricably linked with this symbol. But does lion symbolize more than royalty?

The lion is mentioned in the Bible over a hundred times. There are six different words for lion (five appear in Job 4:10-11): aryeh, (or ari), shachal, shachatz, (old or fierce lions), lavi (king of beasts), kfir (a young lion), and layish. The term gur can also refer to lion cubs or other cubs. (Israel's first Prime Minister changed his name from the original 'Gruen' to the Hebrew: Ben Gurion!) There are no lions in the wild in the land of Israel today, but the numerous biblical references attest to their presence in the wilderness in ancient times. Lions were already rare in the Crusader period and finally became extinct from the land of Israel in the nineteenth century.


The lion is particularly associated with Judah (Lion of Judah). Yehudah (the Hebrew name for Judah) and the Yiddish word for lion- Lieb- are frequently paired, as in the name: Yehudah-Lieb. The rabbi of the famous 'Golem' story, known also as the Maharal, was named (Judah) Yehudah Loew (from the German Löwe for lion). The surname Lowy is a common form of the name. (The 16th century mystic, Isaac Luria was also known by the acronym Ashkenazi Rabbi Isaac: 'Ha'Ari HaKadosh'- the Holy Lion.) The 'Lion of Judah' has become one of the most popular symbols for the Jewish people. These rampant lions, frequently seen flanking the two tablets or a menorah, can be often found in synagogue iconography, over the ark or on Torah mantles. Some scholars suggest that these lions are borrowed from similar European heraldic motifs, where the lion is found on crests and shields. Other art historians speculate that the lions symbolize the winged lion-like keruvim (cherubim) that protected the Ark of the Covenant, similar to the lions made from glazed moulded bricks that guard the Ishtar gates of Babylonia. Lion pairs are frequently seen at the gates of cities (note: the two lions in front of libraries). A single rampant lion is the symbol of Jerusalem.

Biblical stories of Samson, David, and Daniel portray lions for their strength. The Wizard of Oz humourously reverses the well known standard by making a 'cowardly lion' that needs courage. Lions are a symbol of royalty and power and were used as metaphors by the prophets (Nahum, Ezekiel).The lion was also adopted as a symbol for Jesus by Christians, and the lion 'Aslan' is the Christ figure in the popular "Chronicles of Narnia" film based on C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. But the lion was not only a symbol of physical strength; in rabbinic literature, the lion was a symbol of courage: "be as brave as a lion to do the will of the Creator." (Pirkei Avot 5:23) and the lion was a symbol of scholarship and spiritual strength. Even God is compared to a lion: "Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has taken nothing?.... The lion has roared, who will not fear? Adonai God has spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:4, 8). The lion's roar is impressive, and Jeremiah uses this image to describe God's judgment:  "Adonai roars from on high, God makes God's voice heard from God's holy dwelling; God roars aloud over God's earthly abode; God utters shouts like the grape-treaders, against all the dwellers on earth" (25:30).

The lion also appears as a symbol of the future Messianic age when all shall live in peace. Isaiah describes the calf and the young lion dwelling together (11:6,7). According to Isaiah, in the end of days, "The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; the serpent’s food shall be earth. In all My sacred mount nothing evil or vile shall be done -- said Adonai" (Isa. 65:25).

"Judah will be a lion's whelp." Jacob blessed Judah with a comparison to a lion cub. Judah was to be the tribe of King David. But in addition to royalty and monarchy, Judah- the lion-hearted represents strength, courage, protection and a world of peace.

Shabbat Shalom.

BDS