The Hebrew month of Av has just started….. The Hebrew astrological sign for Av is the Lion — so (like last year) we thought we’d post images of some of our favorite lions used in Jewish ritual art and decoration.
Of course, as a symbol, the Lion — one of the most frequently mentioned animals in the Bible — plays a powerful role in Jewish tradition beyond the astrological symbol, and as such it figures frequently in the decoration of synagogues, Jewish gravestones, papercuts, and other items.
The lion is is the symbol of the tribe of Judah, and it represents strength, courage and majesty. Lions often can be found flanking representations of the Ten Commandments or the Crown of the Torah. On gravestones, representations of the lion may refer to the name of the deceased, such as Ari or Leib.
(In the “mainstream” Zodiac, the Lion sign of Leo covers July 23-August 22 — and a “World Lion Day” is marked August 10.)
2 comments on “JHE Photo Essay: A Pride of Lions for the Month of Av”
Interesting collection of photos. There is no explanation of why the lion is displayed so often. What is the significance of Lion ?
Thanks. We had already linked to an article about the symbolism of the lion, but we also now added some explanatory text.