Now perhaps we can understand who the lion is. Of course it’s Hashem – for there is no Power other than Him. He is not the most powerful; rather, He is the sole Power that exists. Hashem is the Lion. But if we refuse to humble ourselves to Him, He may decide to lend some of His power to (or more accurately, channel His power through) a mere mortal. Hashem’s hope is that when humans see a fearsome leonine ruler threatening them, they might actually decide to turn their hearts back to their Father in Heaven. This is a helpful assistance that Hashem lends us when He sees we are having a hard time relating to Him. Since He is invisible, it is often easier when we have something we can see. Nevertheless, when we encounter those powers which humble us so well, it is crucial that we don’t say that they themselves possess the power. Rather, we must get the message that we humans are all subject to the greatest Power of them all – Hashem.
By now it should be clear why Av, the month of Shimon, is the time to work on listening. When Nebuchadnezzar roared, who was really roaring? Was it not Hashem throwing His august voice to a human dummy in order to help His children become humble people? We have to open our ears and listen carefully to discern from where sounds are really coming. Everything in the world happens because Hashem is causing it to be so. World events, and the decisions of world leaders, are all only Hashem sending messages to those who desire a relationship with Him. If we can learn to hear the voice of Hashem when the lion’s lips are moving, we’ll have an accomplishing Av.