Daniel has his own prophetic
dream: He sees four beasts, the third being a leopard which is the most cunning
of all the animals, as it says in Pirkei Avot (5:23), “Be
cunning as a leopard.”
This stopped me in my tracks. The mishnah itself reads as
follows, in relevant part:
יְהוּדָה בֶּן
תֵּימָא אוֹמֵר: הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר, וְקַל כַּנֶּֽשֶׁר, רָץ כַּצְּבִי,
וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִֽיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָֽיִם.
Yehudah ben Teyma says: Be bold
as a leopard, light as an eagle, fleeting as a deer and mighty as a lion to do
the will of your Father in Heaven.
I have seen many translations and explanations of this mishnah
and long ago concluded that the word עַז (az) means “bold”,
“brazen” or “strong”, but certainly not “cunning”. A quick consultation with Jastrow, followed
by a somewhat longer consultation with Brown, Driver & Briggs
supported this. So where does this notion come from? I thought I would ask
ChatGPT. This is the answer I received:
Short answer: there is essentially no support in classical Jewish sources for translating “עַז כַּנָּמֵר (az kenamer)” as “cunning as a leopard.” “Bold,” “brazen,” or “audacious” is the correct sense.
Here is why.
1. The Hebrew word “az” (עַז)
The key adjective in the phrase is עַז. In Tanakh and rabbinic Hebrew, az consistently means:
- strong
- bold
- fierce
- brazen / audacious
It does not mean clever, sly, or cunning.
Examples:
- “עַז פָּנִים” = brazen-faced (impudent), not clever
- “עַז כַּאֲרִי” (Judges 14:18) = fierce as a lion
If the Mishnah intended cunning, it would have used words like:
- עָרוּם (crafty, shrewd)
- חָכָם (wise)
- פִּקֵּחַ (clever)
It does not.
2. Why a leopard (נָמֵר)?
In rabbinic literature, the leopard is associated with chutzpah, brazenness, and fearlessness, not cunning.
This fits the structure of the Mishnah:
עַז כַּנָּמֵר
קַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר
רָץ כַּצְּבִי
גִּבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי
Each animal represents a behavioral or motivational trait, not an intellectual one:
- Leopard → boldness / brazenness
- Eagle → alacrity
- Deer → speed
- Lion → strength
The list would be conceptually broken if “cunning” were suddenly introduced.
3. Classical commentators
All major commentators explain az kenamer as boldness in serving God:
- Rashi: overcoming embarrassment in mitzvot
- Rabbeinu Yonah: resisting social pressure and mockery
- Bartenura: not being ashamed to do what is right
- Rambam (in Shemonah Perakim): moral courage
None suggest cleverness or deception.
4. Where might “cunning” come from?
The translation you saw likely stems from non-Jewish symbolic associations where leopards (or big cats generally) are viewed as stealthy or crafty hunters. That symbolism simply does not govern rabbinic Hebrew usage.
Another possibility is confusion with:
- נִמְרָץ (energetic, forceful)
- or with modern animal stereotypes rather than linguistic evidence
But linguistically and traditionally, it doesn’t hold.
5. Bottom line
- “Az kenamer” = bold, brazen, audacious
- “Cunning as a leopard” has no basis in Hebrew, the Mishnah, or classical Jewish interpretation
- The Mishnah is teaching moral courage, not cleverness
If you want, I can also show how this mishnah was understood practically in halakhic contexts (e.g., standing out in mitzvah observance despite social pressure).
ChatGPT gave me the answer I wanted—but I am not unaware of
confirmation bias and I’m reluctant to let this issue rest without at least
giving readers an opportunity to comment and, in particular, to let me know if
they are familiar with any translation of Avot that endorses the use of the
word or concept “cunning”.
Andrew Levitt’s article can be read in full here.
For comments and
discussion of this post on Facebook click here.
