The Fearless Beauty of the Leopard

The leopard is a member of the big cat family, which includes the jaguar, tiger, and cheetah, but differs significantly from them in nature, appearance, and size.

Weighing in at around 154 pounds (and sometimes more than 198 pounds), the leopard can measure up to 4.9 feet long. Its fur is a beautiful yellow-brown, dotted with black spots. They are found in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. The leopard's base color is yellow, lighter on its sides and white on its belly, with black spotted rings along its sides and thighs, while the belly showcases banded patterns. The spots are ringed with white or yellow patches, making the leopard hard to spot in the dense foliage. Strong and muscular, the leopard's tail makes up over half its body length, with a black-tipped top and a white bottom that often sticks up when it walks. Its legs aren't particularly long, ears are rounded and black at the back with a white spot. In the wild, a leopard can live up to 15 years, and up to 21 years in captivity.

Night Vision Extraordinaire

Big cats like leopards are known as nighttime hunters, prowling for prey as evening falls. Their incredible night vision is their most critical feature for success. With the largest eyes among meat-eating animals, their pupils expand in darkness, allowing them to see where others gropingly search. The retina's sensitivity lets them catch the faintest glimmers of light at night. The nighttime pupil expansion gives that iconic green glow to cat eyes at night. Like their feline relatives, leopards have a keen sense of hearing. Their ears pick up the slightest air vibrations, alerting them to any rustling nearby made by other animals. The whiskers operate as a "radar," sensing their surroundings.

Time to Feast

Leopards lead solitary lives while the females handle family "duties." Males prey mostly on other mammals, including hares, gazelles, ibexes, wild boars, porcupines, rabbits, and occasionally birds. A leopard in South Africa was observed fishing for tilapia and catfish. When no prey is available, they'll feast on carcasses..

Leopards inhabit varied environments—forests, deserts, savannas, mountains, and plains. They are the largest predator within Israel's feline family. Although they hunt mostly at night, in cold winters, they are active during the day. Agile climbers, leopards will haul their hefty spoils up trees to dine in peace. There they enjoy a quiet meal away from possible intruders..

Little Leopards

After roughly a three-month pregnancy, a leopardess gives birth to one to four cubs, seldom six. Born blind and helpless, they weigh about 1.1 pounds. They open their eyes after a week and initially nurse on their mother's milk. By one month old, they sample meat alongside nursing, which lasts up to three months. At four months, they join mom on hunting excursions. The family patriarch might live solo, but he maintains contact and protects the female from threats..

The leopardess takes full care of her cubs, leaving them alone for the first time only at ten days old, during hunting trips lasting days. She frequently relocates them within shaded, hidden spots. She cares for them for nearly a year to fend off potential predators, like hyenas, which endanger cubs left alone..

Bold Yet Unthreatening

In Israel, leopards are not known for attacking humans, due to their smaller size and lesser boldness compared to those found elsewhere. Even in regions with larger leopards, human attacks are much rarer than those by lions or tigers. Naturally fearful of humans, leopards avoid confrontations, retreating unless provoked or having previously attacked. Stories of unexpected encounters abound, but these big cats often choose to disengage. In these moments, staying calm is key. Unprovoked leopards typically retreat noisily without harm. Agitating a leopard is never advisable—it tests their patience...

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Leopard skins are highly valuable, leading to illegal hunting of thousands each year in Africa. To prevent their extinction, leopard skin trade is banned under international agreements, including in Israel..

The Leopard and Chanukah

The teachings of Avot encourage us to learn boldness from the leopard: "Be as bold as a leopard..." (Avot 5:23). Why??

When hunting, a leopard fixates on a single goal, ignoring everything else around it..

The story of the Maccabees' revolt against the Greeks illustrates the essence of bravery. About the victory over the Greeks, "You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak" is recited. Calling the battling Jews weak seems counterintuitive, as they fought valiantly!!

The answer lies in their boldness despite inherent weakness—a spirit of determination and self-sacrifice, transcending natural limits..

Other nations may rely on strength, believing victory assured if the balance of power tips their way. Yet the Jewish heart feels its natural vulnerability, seeking divine help. When triumphant, it remembers that strength is divinely granted: "Remember Hashem your God, for it is He who gives you strength to achieve greatness."

In the battle with Greece, Jewish resolve to fight defied the odds, driven by their inner courage against a seemingly stronger foe. True bravery is the realm of the powerful; boldness belongs to those who fight without guaranteed strength..

The lion, king of beasts, exemplifies natural bravery and the Greek Empire's might, while the leopard, daring and bold, represents the weaker Judean kingdom. Though not king, the leopard's audacious spirit could triumph even over a lion.