[Avodah] lion king

[Jonathan Traum via Avodah]

>  Lisa Liel wrote:
>>> According to
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_lions it comes
>>> from the lion having been a symbol of kingship in the ancient world. 
On 04/25/2016 03:58 PM, Micha Berger wrote:
>> I presume RET is asking -- and if not, I am -- was Yaaqov avinu's
>> berakhah
>> of Yehudah the first association of lions with melukhah? Or did he draw
>> from some pre-existing part of the ancient world?
I can't say with any authority what was in Yaakov Avinu's thoughts
there, but lion imagery in the ancient world certainly does seem to
predate him.


On 04/25/2016 09:22 PM, Zev Sero via Avodah wrote:

> ...
> But all this is about using lions as a symbol of royalty.  RET's
> question was not about that but about the idea that lions themselves
> are kings, and that seems to come from a Xian source.
>
The wikipedia article references Hagigah 13b, which says "דאמר מר מלך
שבחיות ארי" or in the Soncino translation: "For a Master said: The
king of the wild animals is the lion..."

Jonathan Traum