decided to enter one of the ruins in Yerushalayim to daven. As he began his prayer inside the ruin, Eliyahu HaNavi, of blessed memory, appeared and stood at the entrance, guarding it until Rabbi Yosei had finished. When Rabbi Yosei concluded, Eliyahu greeted him, and following a brief interaction on why Rabbi Yosei chose to go inside versus davening a shorter Tefillah outside, Eliyahu asked him the following question: "What voice did you hear in that ruin?" Rabbi Yosei responded, "I heard a Heavenly voice, cooing like a dove, saying: 'Woe to the children, because of whose sins I destroyed My house, burned My Temple, and exiled them among the nations.'"
Eliyahu then said, "By your life, know that this voice does not cry out only in that moment, but it cries out three times each and every day. Moreover, whenever Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s greatness is evoked – such as when Am Yisrael enter their synagogues and study halls and respond within the Kaddish: יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ הַגָּדוֹל מְבֹורָך, Hakadosh Baruch Hu shakes His head and says: 'Happy is the King who is thus praised in His house. When the Beit Hamikdash stood, this praise was recited there, but now, how great is the pain of the father who exiled his children, and woe to the children who were exiled from their father’s table.'"
Of note, in this story it does not say that Hakadosh Baruch Hu roars like a lion, but rather that he coos like a dove. Chazal ask how, on the same page of Gemara, we went from Hakadosh Baruch Hu roaring like a lion to Him broadcasting a soft dove-like voice through a bat kol. Some say the sound itself is like the roar of a lion, but when delivered by a bat kol – a lower level of voice – it takes on the characteristics of a dove. Others say it sounds different during the busy loud day than it does at night, when the silence around makes it sound louder and more startling. Some also say the change in voice reflects a difference between the First and Second Beit Hamikdash. The difference in these voices is a topic in its own right, for another time.
I would just like to pull one point and question from this Gemara. The initial part of the Gemara says Hakadosh Baruch Hu roars כָּאֲרִי and not כְּאַרְיֵה. Why is the name of the lion shortened compared to how it appears in the Pesukim that this same Gemara references? I was unable to find an answer in the classic commentators, but in a moment, we’ll explore a nice idea that addresses this detail and its significance – namely, because the shortened name no longer contains Shem Hashem within it.
In Megillat Esther, with regards to Haman drawing lots to determine when he would set forth in his quest to eradicate the Jewish people, Chazal say he pulled more than one lot. He pulled one corresponding to the day and another for the month. Furthermore, before even drawing lots, he did some research into which months would be good months for the lot to land on. Haman was actually a wise man when it came to Jewish History – including us adopting several customs traced back to him, such as decorating the shul for Shavuot (Targum Sheini) – and he worked through the months one by one. Nisan would not work because of Pesach, and Iyar because of Pesach Sheini. Sivan would not work because Matan Torah took place in that month. Tammuz would not work because Yehoshua made the sun stand still and Ezra arrived in Eretz Yisrael during that month, and also because Haman figured Hakadosh Baruch Hu would not bring yet another calamity to Am Yisrael in that month. It is very important to note, we see here from this original Persian/Iranian that Hakadosh Baruch Hu won’t bring a new tragedy during a month already filled with them!
After running through a bunch of months, Haman then turned to the mazalot for guidance in setting a date. There, too, one by one each of the months were rules out because they had animals that were associated either to stories involving the Avot, or a great connection to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, or signs of Mashiach. When he reached Av, and its mazal of the lion, he saw how Daniel was saved from an army of lions, and he quickly discarded that option figuring there was no chance he could be successful in the month of Av.
Chazal, in that Midrash, ask the same question as earlier. Namely, why was Daniel saved from the lions? Whereas the previous answer related to Daniel davening to Hakadosh Baruch Hu as a lion, here the answer is slightly different, and is based on what we find directly in Sefer Daniel (6:24):
The king was very glad and ordered Daniel to be brought out of the den. Daniel was brought up out of the den, and no injury was found on him, for he had trusted in his G-d.
Daniel was saved because he trusted in Hakadosh Baruch Hu and the Midrash expands to say, this means he also davened to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The next morning, they came to check what was left in the den and found all the lions sitting calmly around Daniel, none getting anywhere near him or thinking about mealtime. One of the wise officers explained the miracle as being merely a case of the lions not being hungry and being in a state of post-meal drowsiness. So, they tested the theory out, and one officer jumped in to prove his point. The face of that dead officer was plastered on posters before his remains ever hit the ground!
'ה כֵּן יֹאבְדוּ כָל־אוֹיְבֶיך – So let all Your enemies perish, Hashem! All that said, Haman picked the lot of Av but determined there was no chance for it to be good timing for his plan.
Rabbotai, I would like to ask the following question. If it helped Daniel when he was thrown into the lion’s den, why does it not help us today? Why did it not help prevent the destruction of the First Beit Hamikdash, which occurred in that exact same month of Av? This question appears in several locations, albeit in a slightly different manner than how I presented it. Pesikta Rabbati (27) poses the question as follows:
Why was the Temple not destroyed in the first, second, third, or fourth month, but rather in the fifth? Initially, there was an intention to destroy it in the first month (whose mazal is a ram), but the merit of Yitzchak stood in its defense. Yitzchak said, "Master of the Universe, remember the Akeida when I was bound before You, and I offered a ram in place of myself." When there was an intention to destroy it in the second month (whose mazal is the bull), the merit of Avraham stood in its defense, as it is written: "And Avraham ran to the herd." When there was an intention to destroy it in the third month (whose mazal is twins), the merit of Yaakov stood in its defense, as it is written: "And the (twin) boys grew." When there was an intention to destroy it in the fourth month (whose mazal is the crab), the merit of Moshe stood in its defense. Moshe said, "Master of the Universe, this creature (the Jewish people) lives only because of water, and I was saved by water."
However, when the time came to destroy it in the fifth month, there was no one to appease the situation, for the fifth month is associated with a lion, as it is written: "The lion has come up from his thicket.” The lion destroyed the Temple, which is called a lion, as it is written: "Woe to Ariel, Ariel." The lion struck Israel, who are also called Ariel, as it is written: "And like a lion, he will lift himself up," in the month that is called Ariel, because they disregarded the words of Ariel, as it is written: "The lion roared, who will not fear?"
We learn here that Hakadosh Baruch Hu intended that the Beit Hamikdash be destroyed in the fifth month, with its mazal of the lion. What is the significance of this? We’ll run through a few additional points in order to reach and understand a powerful answer.
The Midrash says (Pesikta DeRav Kahana 13:15; Yalkut Shimoni, Yirmiyahu 219): עָלָה אַרְיֵה בְּמַזַּל אַרְיֵה וְהֶחֱרִיב אֶת אֲרִיאֵל – The lion came up during the constellation of the lion and destroyed Ariel. The lion that came up refers to Nevuchadnezzar; the constellation of the lion refers to the fifth month – Av; and Ariel refers to the city in which David HaMelech encamped. The Midrash then continues with an optimistic answer as to why: עַל מְנָת שֶׁיָבֹא אַרְיֵה בְּמַזַּל אַרְיֵה וְיִבְנֶה אֲרִיאֵל – In order that the lion would come in the constellation of the lion and rebuild Ariel. The lion that will come refers to Hakadosh Baruch Hu; the constellation of the lion refers to Av; and Ariel refers to Yerushalayim.
Rabbeinu Bachya says (Shemot 38), not only are the Beit Hamikdash and Mizbe’ach referred to as אֲרִיאֵל, and not only did the fire atop the altar have the shape of a lion, but the builders of the Mishkan were also lions. Who were these builders? There was Betzalel ben Uri from the tribe of Yehuda, a tribe symbolized by the lion, and at his side was Oholiav ben Achisamach from Dan, a tribe that is also linked to the lion in their bracha: דָּן גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְזַנֵּק מִן־הַבָּשָׁן. Who later built the Beit Hamikdash? This was Shlomo HaMelech, also from the tribe of Yehuda, together with Chiram, whose mother was from the tribe of Dan.
At the end of Parshat Yitro, the Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 29:9) says: “When Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave the Torah, no bird tweeted, no fowl flew, no bull lowed, no wheels flew, seraphs (angels) did not say: ‘Kadosh, Kadosh,’ the sea did not tremble, people did not speak, but rather, the entire world was quiet and silent. The voice emerged: אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.” The Midrash says this entire scene was captured by the Pasuk: אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא. The Midrash then provides another learning connected to the lion:
דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִקְרָא אַרְיֵה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כט, א): הוֹי אֲרִיאֵל אֲרִיאֵל, וּמַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד נִקְרָא אַרְיֵה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל יט, ב): מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא בֵּין אֲרָיוֹת רָבָצָה. יִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְרָא אַרְיֵה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מט, ט): גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה. וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר נִקְרָא אַרְיֵה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ד, ז): עָלָה אַרְיֵה מִסֻּבְּכוֹ, וְהֶחֱרִיב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְנָטַל מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד וְהֶגְלָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר (נחום ב, יב): אַיֵּה מְעוֹן אֲרָיוֹת, הֵיכָן הֵם בָּנַי. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה (ירמיה כה, ל): שָׁאֹג יִשְׁאַג עַל נָוֵהוּ.
The imagery of the lion symbolizes several key figures and institutions in our history. The Beit Hamikdash is referred to as a lion, similarly, the royal house of David HaMelech is depicted as a lion, while Am Yisrael are likened to a lion in the bracha given to Yehuda by his father. Furthermore, Nevuchadnezzar, who destroyed the Beit Hamikdash and exiled Am Yisrael, is also portrayed as a lion in Sefer Yirmiyahu. The lion of Nevuchadnezzar overpowered the lions of the Beit Hamikdash, Malchut David, and Am Yisrael, to where Hakadosh Baruch Hu laments the loss of these lions, asking, "Where is the lion’s den? Where are My children?"
Another related point, without getting into its explanation, is that the angels assigned to the Beit Hamikdash are referred to as אֶרְאֶלִים. The Gemara says (Ketubot 104a), after Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi died, the אֶרְאֶלִים and righteous mortals both clutched the sacred Aron Kodesh. The angels triumphed over the righteous, and the Aron Kodesh was captured. What is the meaning and significance of this name אֶרְאֶלִים? The name is found in the Tefillah of Yom Kippur where Bnei Ashkenaz recite the beautiful piyyut אֹֽמֶן בְּאֶרְאֶלֵּי אֲשֶׁר אֵימָתֶךָ, while Bnei Sepharad sing out loud beautifully: אֶרְאֵלֵי מַעְלָה אוֹמְרִים ה' אֲדוֹנֵנוּ. בְּחִירֵי סְגֻלָה עוֹנִים וְאוֹמְרִים: ה' הוּא הָאֱ-לֹהִים, ה' הוּא הָאֱ-לֹהִים.
What is this name אֶרְאֶלִים and what was their unique role? The Gemara (Chagigah 5b) connects them to the crying of Hakadosh Baruch Hu:
״וְאִם לֹא תִשְׁמָעוּהָ בְּמִסְתָּרִים תִּבְכֶּה נַפְשִׁי מִפְּנֵי גֵוָה״, אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אִינְיָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: מָקוֹם יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמִסְתָּרִים שְׁמוֹ. מַאי ״מִפְּנֵי גֵוָה״? אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק: מִפְּ ַאֲווֹתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּיטְּלָה מֵהֶם וְנִתְּנָה לַגּוֹיִם. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר: מִפְּנֵי גַאֲווֹתָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם . הוּא? וְהָאָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: אֵין עֲצִיבוּת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹד וְהָדָר לְפָנָיו עוֹז וְחֶדְוָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹ״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּבָתֵּי גַוָּאֵי, הָא בְּבָתֵּי בַרָאֵי.
The verse states: “But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride.”. Rav Shmuel bar Inya said in the name of Rav: Hakadosh Baruch Hu has a place where He cries, and its name is Mistarim. What is “for your pride”? Rav Shmuel bar Yitzchak said: G-d cries due to the pride of the Jewish people, which was taken from them and given to the nations. Rav Shmuel bar Nacḥmani said: He cries due to the pride of the kingdom of Heaven, which was removed from the world. But is there crying before Hakadosh Baruch Hu? Didn’t Rav Pappa say: There is no sadness before Him, as it is stated: “Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and gladness are in His place”? The Gemara responds: This statement, that G-d cries, is referring to the innermost chambers, where He can cry in secret, whereas the other statement, that He does not cry, refers to the outer chambers.
The Gemara says Hakadosh Baruch Hu cries in secrecy when His honor is insulted but does not cry in the outer chambers. One final challenge is then posed: And doesn’t G-d cry in the outer chambers? There is a Pasuk in Yeshayahu (22:12) that implies he calls out publicly for weeping, mourning, and sackcloth! The Gemara then responds: The destruction of the Beit Hamikdash is different, as even the angels of peace cried. Hakadosh Baruch Hu called on all the angels to cry at that point, as it says: “הֵן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם מַר יִבְכָּיוּן – Behold, their valiant ones cry without; the angels of peace weep bitterly.” Why did these אֶרְאֶלִים cry? Chazal provide a magnificent answer that let us understand the name of these angels. Just as the angel Rafael heals, the angels called אֶרְאֶלִים are tasked with accepting the Korbanot offered in the Beit Hamikdash. The Beit Hamikdash is called אֲרִיאֵל, and the angels who bring its Korbanot up to the Kiseh HaKavod are thus called אֶרְאֶלִים.
Let’s now begin to tie up our loose ends, but before doing so, we’ll recap all that brought us to this point. The month of Av is called אַרְיֵה – lion, and the lion is its mazal. The month is also called אָב – symbolizing the Rachamim a father has towards their child. The Beit Hamikdash is called אֲרִיאֵל, as are its builders and those who destroyed it. The altar inside is called אַרְיֵה, the fire that consumes the Korbanot takes the form of an אַרְיֵה, and the angels tasked with bringing the Korbanot up are called אֶרְאֶלִים. Everything pivots around the lion.
Let’s begin to tie up our loose ends, but before doing so, let’s recap everything that has brought us to this point. The month of Av is associated with the אַרְיֵה – lion, as its mazal (astrological sign) is the lion. This month is also called אָב, which represents the Rachamim (compassion) a father has for his child. The Beit Hamikdash is referred to as אַרְיֵה (אֲרִיאֵל), as are those who built it and those who destroyed it. Additionally, the altar is called אַרְיֵה, the fire that consumes the Korbanot takes the form of a lion, and the angels responsible for elevating these offerings are called אֶרְאֶלִים. Finally, Hakadosh Baruch Hu receives the Korbanot, and He, too, is called אַרְיֵה. Clearly, everything revolves around the lion!
When the First Beit Hamikdash was destroyed on account of the three cardinal sins of idolatry, murder, and illicit relations, Anshei Knesset Hagedola approached Hakadosh Baruch Hu in prayer for three straight days. They asked that He have compassion and mercy on Am Yisrael by abolishing the yetzer hara for idolatry. We have no idea how strong that inclination was, and it may even seem foolish and comical to consider bowing to a stone and worshiping an animal. But the Gemara says, Menashe said to Rav Ashi, “Had you been around in my generation, you’d have run after idols!” What was the result of their request?
נפק כגוריא דנורא מבית קדשי הקדשים – The form of a fiery lion cub came forth from the chamber of the Holy of Holies (Sanhedrin 64a). The Maharal says lions destroyed the Beit Hamikdash. Meaning, the form that Avodah Zara took when it exited from the Kodesh Hakodashim at the request of the Anshei Knesset Hagedola was that of a lion. Zechariah HaNavi then said to the people: “This is the evil inclination for idol worship!” The Maharal adds, the Second Beit Hamikdash was also destroyed in the mazal of אַרְיֵה – in the month of Av. How so? Was the Second Beit Hamikdash not destroyed by the Romans? Unlike the Babylonians who are likened to lions, the Romans are likened to pigs! The explanation is, the end of the first destruction took place during the second destruction. David HaMelech connected the two Batei Mikdash together when he composed (Tehillim 137):
עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִינוּ בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אֶת־צִיּוֹן... זְכֹר ה' לִבְנֵי אֱדוֹם אֵת יוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָאֹמְרִים עָרוּ עָרוּ עַד הַיְסוֹד בָּהּ׃
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, we also wept when we remembered Zion... Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem’s fall; how they cried, “Rase it, rase it, to its very foundations”
The final stage, which was carried out by Edom, is really the culmination of the first destruction that saw the people exiled to Bavel.
I would now like to present a yesod, and B’ezrat Hashem I will be able to explain it in the correct way and clearly, because the matter is both delicate and complex, as it relates to the world of Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s names.
Earlier, we brought the Midrash that Hakadosh Baruch Hu cried out, “Where is the lion’s den? Where are My children?” They used to live together in the lion’s den, and now, following the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, they were separated. What exactly is this lion’s den? I’d like to present a beautiful idea based on the sefer B’Yam Derech (Tisha B’Av) which begins with the Pasuk in which the word אַרְיֵה appears most often, in all its forms. The Pasuk appears in Parshat Balak:
וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר אוֹי מִי יִחְיֶה מִשֻּׂמוֹ אֵ-ל׃
He took up his parable and said: Woe, who can survive except G-d has willed it!
What is the meaning of אוֹי? Why is Bilaam freaking out here? The Gemara says (Sanhedrin 106a):
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ , אוֹי מִי שֶׁמְּחַיֶּה עַצְמוֹ בְּשֵׁם אֵל
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: Woe unto one who sustains himself in an indulgent manner in the name of G-d.
Rashi explains this to mean: עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ כְּמוֹ פַּרְעֹה וְחִירָם – Woe unto one who takes the name of G-d – אֵ-ל – as though he were G-d himself. Just as Pharoah did when he declared, “I am god, and the Nile is mine, I created it!” Additionally, says Rashi, it means woe to those who indulge and pamper themselves in this world, casting off the yoke of Torah from their necks and fattening themselves. The Gemara continues:
א"ר יוֹחָנָן אוֹי לָהּ לָאֻמָּה שֶׁתִּמָּצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שהקב"ה עוֹשֶׂה פִּדְיוֹן לְבָנָיו מִי מֵטִיל כְּסוּתוֹ בֵּין לָבִיא לִלְבִיאָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּזְקָקִין זֶה עִם זֶה
Rabbi Yocḥanan says: Woe unto the nation that will be at the time when Hakadosh Baruch Hu redeems His children. Who places his garment between a male lion and a female lion when they are mating?
What does this mean? It means something incredibly relevant to us today! Woe to the nation that will be found hindering the Jewish people at the time when Hakadosh Baruch Hu brings the Geula! They will be like one who gets in the way of the male lion and female lion looking to approach one another – they will most certainly die if they attempt to prevent Hakadosh Baruch Hu from connecting with Knesset Yisrael!
The first basic question to ask here is, what is the connection between the words מִשֻּׂמוֹ אֵל and two lions? Secondly, why does the Gemara reference a לָבִיא and לְבִיאָה, rather than an אַרְיֵה and לְבִיאָה? There are multiple names given for the lion, and I’ve always been of the belief that אַרְיֵה is the male lion, and לְבִיאָה is the female. The Maharsha explains. The names לָבִיא and לְבִיאָה were chosen because לָבִיא contains the words ל-בִּי אֵל – in me is G-d; and לְבִיאָה contains the words ל-בִּי הָאֵל – in me is the G-d. The לָבִיא refers to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and the לְבִיאָה refers to Knesset Yisrael. The two lions approaching each other are Hakadosh Baruch Hu and Knesset Yisrael – both likened to lions, and with the presence of Hakadosh Baruch Hu within Knesset Yisrael. Woe to the nation that attempts to separate the two, as what remains in each when the name ל-אֵל is removed is simply בִּי – me.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu cries out: אַיֵּה מְעוֹן אֲרָיוֹת – Where is the lion’s den? Where is this place that is referred to as the lion’s den? Where is the place where I was connected to Am Yisrael like a לָבִיא and לְבִיאָה under the name of ל-אֵל?
In Sefer Melachim Bet (17:25), when the Kutim arrived in Eretz Yisrael, it tells us what took place at first:
וַיְהִי בִּתְחִלה ת שִׁבְתָּם שָׁם לֹא יָרְאוּ אֶת־ה' וַיִּשְׁלַח ה' בָּהֶם אֶת־הָאֲרָיוֹת וַיְהִיוּ הֹרְגִים בָּהֶם׃ וַיֹאמְרוּ לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר לֵאמֹר הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הִגְלִיתָ וַתּוֹשֶׁב בְּעָרֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן לֹא יָדְעוּ אֶת־מִשְׁפַּט אֱ-לֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ וַיְשַׁלַּח בָּם אֶת־הָאֲרָיוֹת וְהִנָּם מְמִיתִים אוֹתָם כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינָם יֹדְעִים אֶת־מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ׃
When they first settled, they did not fear G-d; so G-d incited lions against them, which killed them. They said to Ashur’s king, saying, “The nations that you exiled and settled in Shomron’s towns do not know the law of the G-d of the land, and He has incited lions against them, and behold they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the G-d of the land.”
They arrived in Eretz Yisrael but they had no fear of Hakadosh Baruch Hu! What this means is, if you know the Name of Hashem, you don’t receive lions. When are lions sent? When you do not fear the Lion. When you don’t fear Hakadosh Baruch Hu and follow His will, He sends lions to you.
I would like to explain this idea a bit further, albeit briefly, based on the Maharal’s writings in Sefer HaNetzach. The source for all fear – פַּחַד – that existed in the world was the Beit Hamikdash. This idea is based on a Pasuk we recite every morning in Pesukei Dezimra just prior to Ashrei (Tehillim 68:36):
