Prshah Rabbit Hole - Vayechi: Lions, False Messiahs and Psychology

Yehudah is like a young lion. You have risen above plunder my son. He crouches, rests like a lion, like an awesome lion, who will rouse him?

Yehuda ben Teima says: Be bold like a leopard, light like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in Heaven.

The lion has roared, who will not fear? the Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?

The sage replied that it is certainly true that for most of the year [it appears] that Hashem leaves the earth in the hands of its own misdeeds. However, there is one special time of the year when the lion of Bei Ila’ei roars, and who will not be afraid? And when the sound of the shofar is heard who will not be terrified? [In reference to Rosh Hashanah we say] "today is the birthday of the world", like a pregnant woman, and this is "and all the pregnant women miscarried". And even the nations of the world are judged on this day, and this is "and the wall of Rome fell".

It is prohibited to form figures of the Divine heavenly realm such as the four faces (of the prophetic vision) together and similarly the figures of ofanim, and seraphim, and the ministering angels. And similarly the figure of a human being. The production of any of these are forbidden even if only being produced for ornamental value. And if an idol worshipper made them it is prohibited to retain them in your possession...

...When was this stated? When they are images that protrude (such as 3D images) but flat/engraved like those woven onto a garment or those formed on a wall with dyes (murals) are permitted. The form of the sun moon and stars are prohibited whether they protrude or are sunken/flat. And if they are for the purposes of learning; to understand and to teach all are permitted - even protruding...

Images of animals. One may infer from this that even [an image of] a lion is permitted. The Ba"ch forbids it and his argument is that "stars and constellations are heavenly bodies which are forbidden [to be depicted], and the sign of Leo stands alone in the month of Av, and Taurus in the month of Iyar and it is therefore forbidden to make [images of] them." According to this, each of the 12 astrological signs would be forbidden, even each one on its own, but I have never heard of anybody being careful about this... Therefore, it seems that when we say that the astrological signs are forbidden, this means all 12 of them together, similar to the four faces [of the prophetic vision] together.

Since the two lions on the sides of the tablets were designed to strengthen the tablets, symbolizing the Jewish people - who are like a lion - who uphold the Torah with all of their strength, there is no reason that one would be suspicious [that the images are for the purpose of idolatry]. And it is not a distraction from prayer, but rather, it can strengthen faith and love to uphold the Torah and all its commandments and to adhere to G-d, the giver of the Torah. And for this reason it is permissible to create four images: a lion, a leopard, an eagle and a deer, which are the symbols used by the Tanah Yehuda ben Teima: "Be bold like a leopard, light like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in Heaven."

The Hekhal was narrow behind and broad in front, resembling a lion, as it says, "Ah, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped" (Isaiah 29:1): Just as a lion is narrow behind and broad in front, so the Hekhal was narrow behind and broad in front.