Why is the name of Operation "עָם כְּלָבִיא" often translated as "a lion rising" when it literally means "a people like a lion"?
Because this expression is not just a poetic metaphor. It comes from the Torah, from the book of Numbers 23:24: הֶן עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וְכַאֲרִי יִתְנַשָּׂא — "Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion, and lift himself up as a young lion." So "עָם כְּלָבִיא" is part of a broader image: not just strong, but a people awakening and rising, ready for action. It's not a static comparison, but an image of combat readiness, spiritual strength, and determination. That is why, in June 2025, Israel chose this phrase as the official name for its operation against Iran: מבצע "עם כלביא" — Operation Rising Lion, to emphasize that the Jewish people rise like a lion when it comes to defending their future. This interpretive translation — "Rising Lion" — more accurately conveys the nature and spirit of the operation: just, powerful, and cautionary. The word לָבִיא (lavi) in Hebrew means "lion". It is a form of the word אַרְיֵה (aryeh) — also “li...
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