Post-Purim 5786: Operation Growling Bear

Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/11/26 titled: Post-Purim 5786: Operation Growling Bear. This began as a recap of a Mishlei/Megilah/Midrash crossover shiur I gave before Purim. Then Operation Roaring Lion, which commenced on Shabbos Zachor, added another dimension. Better late than never!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Hello, I'm Rabbi Matt Schneewiss, and this is the audio version of the four-page article I wrote and published on my Substack at rabbi Schneeweiss.substack.com on March 11, 2026. And the article is titled Postpurim 5786, Operation Growling Bear. The context. On February 28, 2026, Shabbat Zakhar 5786, Israel and the United States launched coordinated attacks on multiple sites in Iran. The first was a decapitation strike that killed the top echelon of the Iranian regime, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni. The U.S. chose the name Operation Epic Fury while Israel went with Operation Roaring Lion. Everyone seems to agree that Israel's name was intended to frame this as a continuation of Operation Rising Lion this past June. I assumed that in both cases the lion imagery was meant to symbolize Israel. Specifically, the phrase rising lion was expressly based on by Midbar 2324, behold, the people rises up as a lioness, as a lion, he lifts himself up. A prophecy about Israel. I figured the same was true of the present operation. When I checked the quote unquote official explanations online, they confirmed my suspicions, as did Chat GPT, the paid version. But one of my Talmedium told me that, quote, the name is a reference to the fact that it's going to instigate an uprising among the Iranian people, who are symbolized by the Lion, as can be seen on their flag. When I countered the point, when I countered with the point about the name of Operation Rising Lion, another friend responded, quote, the operation in June was also publicly a reference to the Iranian people, as backed up by countless posts by Israeli propaganda on Twitter, etc. End quote. And when I asked GROK, the free version, it supported this contention, citing articles, analyses, and ex posts showing that the lion imagery was deliberately chosen for its dual symbolism. I'd like to propose an alternative name that is arguably even more fitting, given the players involved and the timing of the war. The Psicha of Raishlakish, Persia, Iran, as a growling bear. There is a subgenre of Agadic Midrash known as a Pisiha, preface. When Khazal set out to teach a safer of Tanakh, they would sometimes begin with an introductory Drasha, expounding on Apasuk from a different book of Nach. My assumption is that these psichas were meant to serve as a lens through which to thematically frame the entire sefer. The Gemara in Megillah 11a recounts a Psiha from Raishlakish to Megillas Esther based on a Pasuk in Mishle. Quote, like a roaring lion and a growling bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people. Mishlay 28 15. A roaring lion, this is the wicked Nivuhanetsar. As it is written about him in Yermiahu 4 7, the lion has come up from his thicket. A growling bear, this is Achash Ferosh, as is written about him, quote from Daniel 7.5, and uh behold another beast, a second one, like a bear. And Revyosef taught that these are the Persians, who for they eat and drink like a bear, and they are coated with flesh like a bear, and they grow their hair like a bear, and they never rest like a bear. A wicked ruler, this is Haman. Over a poor people, this is the Jewish people, for they are destitute of mitzvos. End quote from the Gumara. I took this up in my morning Mishlay shir the week before Purim. First we set out to understand the Pazak on its own terms, and then we attempted to understand the Drasha as a Psiha. Here is a recap of our findings. Understanding Mishlay 25 2815. The major question is simple. What are the mushal metaphor and nimshal referent? In what way is a wicked ruler like a roaring lion or a growling bear? Why focus on the sounds these animals make rather than the actual harm they cause to their prey? And why specify over a poor people rather than simply any people? Before presenting our explanation, let us review the Mishlayc definition of a Russia, a wicked person. A Russia is someone who seeks to impose his own order onto reality in order to achieve personal power and greatness. He is the opposite of the Mishlayic Tsadik. A tsadik seeks to understand the system of which he is a part and the needs of the people within it in order to facilitate the flourishing of the system as a whole. In contrast, the Russia seeks to dominate others, disregarding their needs and utilizing them as a means of advancing his own glorification. He is like a parasite on the system, cruelly sapping it of all its resources for his own self-aggrandizement. Since this is an artificially imposed scheme, rooted in his megalomania, it is destined to fail. Unfortunately, the Russia's abuse of his subjects can endure for a long time. As Shlomoch states in Kohalas 715, there is a Russia who prolongs his wickedness. Hitler did a lot of damage before reality caught up with him. The roaring lion and growling bear threaten harm, but the sounds they make do not in themselves cause harm. The practical Mishlaik lesson is that those who find themselves under the rule of a Russia must assess the situation and differentiate between the illusory threat posed by projected by the Russia and the harm he is likely actually to cause. Once this differentiation is made, one can act out of wisdom instead of reacting out of fear. Consider, for example, the rhyme about what to do when confronted by a bear. If it's black, fight back. If it's brown, lie down. Those who possess this knowledge of how different bears behave will hopefully be able to set aside their instinctive reaction to the bear's menacing growl and instead act strategically in a manner that maximizes their chances of survival and success. The same is true here. A Russia is capable of causing severe damage, but one who knows the nature and tactics of a Russia will be able to discern the difference between actual harm and mere threat. Why does our PUSIC highlight the effect of a Russia's fear-mongering on a poor people? Because they're the most vulnerable to manipulation by fear. The combination of having few resources and little power makes them particularly susceptible to the Russia's threats. Note that the word used in the PUSIC is dal, which is more expansive than socioeconomics, and can also mean weak, helpless, and lowly in status. This broad sense is reflected in instances where the dal is mentioned alongside the poor and other vulnerable groups, as in Tihilim 82.3, do justice to the lowly, dal, and the orphaned, vindicate the afflicted, Ani, and the impoverished, Rosh. Application to Megillas Esther. With the shot of our prosecond hand, we can now understand how the Psicha of Raish Lakish frames our reading of the Megillah. His Russia identifies three wicked rulers, Nivukhanetzar, Achash Virosh, and Haman. The implication is that they only succeeded in their tyrannical rule because the Jews were, quote, poor in mitvos, end quote. How so? Part of what gives the Russia his power is the success he has achieved within the value system he has embraced. Examples include military might, Gingis Khan, or Chingis Khan, revolutionary ideology, Mao Zedong, religious authority, Ayatollah Khomeini, wealth, Muamar Gaddafi, social status or class, Stalin, and national or ethnic superiority, Hitler. The power held by these Rushim rests on their control of the levers of success and failure in the value system they embody and project among the people they rule. But the Russia's power is only as strong as his subjects' investment in that same value system. Consider David Koresh, who manipulated his followers through fear of spiritual exclusion from the coming kingdom of God. This fear tactic only works on those who share his value system. Those who reject it are beyond his reach. Consider Jeffrey Epstein, whose network of abuse and abusers was sustained by the wealth and political influence he wielded. Those victims who courageously came forward knew they had to face financial and reputational ruin, sacrificing success within the very system that had granted Epstein his power. In doing so, they broke free. Now we can understand why evil rulers only have power over a nation that is poor in mitzvos. Mitzvos anchor us in Hashem's value system. Quote from Yermiyahu 923, comprehending and knowing me that I am Hashem who does kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these is my desire. These values transcend the physical and are antithetical to whatever alternative forms of currency the Russia deals in. Sadly, we succumbed to the rulers mentioned in the Psicha precisely because our poverty and Mythos led us to buy into their values. When Nivuchanatzar built a statue of gold, commanded his subjects to bow down to it, and declared, whoever does not fall and prostrate himself will immediately be thrown into a fiery burning furnace, Daniel 3.6, all the Jews capitulated out of fear except for Hanani Mesha and Nazaria, who said, quote, from Daniel 3, 17 through 18, Nivuchanetzar, we are not worried about replying to you about this matter. Behold, our God whom we worship is able to save us. He will rescue us from the fiery burning furnace and from your hand, O king. But if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not worship your God, and to the golden statue that you have set up we shall not prostrate ourselves. End quote. Note that they did not naively rely on a miracle, believing Hashem would save them for their piety. Rather, they publicly affirmed their belief that their fate would be decided by Hashem, declared their willingness to give up their lives for Kidush Hashem, sanctification of the name, and openly rejected Nibuchanetar's authority and his God. That act showed Nebuchadnezzar that he had no power over them. He could threaten their lives, but was unable to touch their souls. Likewise, Khazal in Megillah 12A teaches us that the Jews in Shushan became liable for destruction in part, quote, because they partook of that Russia's feast, end quote. That is, they had assimilated into the hedonistic Persian culture. Perhaps this is why Ravyosev interjects with his description in Arpsicha. Quote, they eat and drink like a bear, and they are coated with flesh like a bear, and they grow their hair like a bear, and they never rest like a bear, end quote. Had the Jews not subscribed to the pleasure-seeking ways of their king and his kingdom, he would not have held such power over them. Similarly, in the case of Haman, we are told, quote, from Esther 3.2, and all the king's servants who were at the king's gate would kneel and bow to Haman, but Mordecai would not kneel or bow. End quote. According to Khazal in Esther Rabbah 7-5, bowing to Haman was tantamount to worshiping of Odazara, idolatry. Mordecai's refusal to bow was tantamount to political sorry. Mordecai's refusal to bow was political suicide. Sorry. Third time. Mordecai's refusal to bow was political suicide, an unthinkable choice to those attempting to curry favor in the Persian court. According to Yakuchimoni, number 1054, even the other members of the Sanhedrin bowed, just as in the days of Nubukhanetzar. But Mordechai knew that subscribing to Haman's corrupt values would be metaphysical suicide. Thankfully, he and Esther were able to rouse the Jews of Shushan into doing rapid Teshuvah, placing their security in Hashem and relying on the promise that he would be, quote, close to us whenever we call him, end quote, referring to Dvarim 4-7. It was that return to the Torah's value system that ultimately made us worthy of salvation. The thrust of the Pesiha is that we should not view ourselves as passive, helpless victims oppressed by evil tyrants. Rather, we are the ones who rendered ourselves vulnerable by turning away from Torah and Mitvos. The vacuum created by that renunciation of our core Torah principles is what allowed these foreign values to rush in, rendering us prone to manipulation at the hands of the fear-mongering Rashaim. And that message was not merely intended by Raish Lakish as a meta commentary on Miguel's Esther. It stands as a warning to us, to future Jews in exile who are at risk of repeating the sins of our forefathers. Application to Iran today. I listened to an amazing actually, you know what? I want to retitle that application to Persia slash Iran today. I listened to an amazing episode of Khiv Retigur's podcast called How to Win Iran's Forever War, which I wrote about in this what I'm thinking about this morning post. The focus is Mukawama, Iran's quote, ideological engine, a fusion of Marx, Mao, martyrdom, and Shiite theology that teaches its followers that suffering is strength and devastation is victory. End quote. Khaviv reiterated many of the points in an article, many of these points in an article for the Free Press called This Is How the Islamic Republic Falls. I will conclude my own article with a lengthy excerpt from Khaviv's, in which he paints a picture of the Iranian regime at the brink of collapse based on the principles in our Pasak. The bolded text is mine. Quote: The regime is dying, not from American pressure, not even primarily from Israeli military success, but from the accumulated weight of its own internal contradictions and from the fury of the peoples it has destroyed in order to sustain itself. Data collected through encrypted VPN-based surveys by the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran tells a story of ideological bankruptcy. Parenthetically, these are unavoidable, there are unavoidable selection biases at work in these polls, but they're the best data we have, and they're in line with a great many other data points about the deep shifts in Iranian public opinion in recent years, not least the mass protests and the murderous crackdowns they drew from the regime. End parentheses. After the 12-day war with Israel, support for Khomeini and the principles of the 1979 revolution collapsed to 11%. 70% of respondents said they wanted the regime gone. Nearly two-thirds said the war with Israel last year had nothing to do with Iran's national interests. It was the regime's war, not theirs. 69% wanted the regime to stop calling for the destruction of Israel. Not because they love Israel, but because the Mukawama's forever war has gutted the country they actually live in. What has followed is something that looks less like the like ordinary protest and more like the early stages of an ideological revolution, a counter-revolution. Protesters in the street of Tehran in the early in early 2026 chanted slogans that read like a precise surgical dismantling of Khomeini's founding arguments. Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my life for Iran. A direct repudiation of Khomeini's insistence that Iranian nationalism was idolatry, that Islam had no borders, and that Iran's wealth existed to fund the global resistance. Our enemy is right here. They lie that it's America, protesters shouted. In the Grand Bazaar, traders chanted, they take our bread to buy rockets for Lebanon. The currency, the Iranian real, is in free fall. Water and electricity shortages are chronic. The regime's response to mass protests has been to shut down the internet and kill tens of thousands in the street. The constant internet shutdowns are gutting the freelance economy that young Iranians depend on for dollar-denominated income. And the population blames the regime for this crash, not the West. The regime that claimed to represent the people is impoverishing the people to sustain a military empire the people never wanted. And the young are not just angry. They are rewriting the Iranian story. On encrypted platforms in clandestine online networks connecting Tehran, Beirut, and Baghdad, a generation of young Iranians are producing parodies and counter-epics, retelling of the Mukamwa as martyrs, as figures who sacrificed their people's future for a mirage of empire. This is not a fringe protest. This is the ideological immune system of a society rejecting a harmful pathogen. The Mukowama promised to redeem the weak. It has become the instrument of their degradation. The gap between the promise and the reality has become impossible to paper over. End quote from Rotigur. The Iranian regime is a growling bear. For 47 years, its evil rulers have controlled the populace through fear. That fear has been fueled by a shared value system, Mukawama. But if Khaviv's analysis is correct, the people are beginning to see through that ideology. They are starting to realize that for all its menace, the growl is not a bite. May Hashem bring about the swift downfall of these Rasha'im and bring peace to those who seek it.