Did the Talmud Warn About Iran?

20 March 2026

The King and the Fashion Police

On April 1, 1979, the world felt like it was shifting on its axis. The Shah of Iran had been deposed, the revolution had taken hold, and Ayatollah Khomeini formally declared an Islamic Republic. It was the beginning of a long, dark chapter of totalitarian rule that would cast a shadow of terror over the entire globe.

Just one week later, on April 8, a very different kind of energy was vibrating in a crowded room in Brooklyn. It was the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Thousands of people had gathered to hear him speak, and as he often did, the Rebbe shared a story from the Talmud that seemed, at first glance, like a bit of ancient trivia.

The Rebbe quoted a story about a man named Huna bar Natan, a Jewish leader in the 5th century. Huna was standing before the Persian King, Yazdegerd I. The King noticed that Huna’s belt was hitched up too high. He looked an awkward mess.

The King then did something more fitting for a Jewish mother than a Persian monarch. He leaned over and personally adjusted Huna’s belt. As he straightened it, the King said:

"You Jews are described in the Torah as a 'kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' You should look the part. You should be dignified."

When the great sage Ameimar later heard about this, he smiled. He saw it as a fulfillment of the biblical promise that "Kings shall be your foster fathers", that even world leaders would one day help the Jewish people realize their own greatness.

A Play on Words (and Destiny)

At the time, the audience in Brooklyn was a bit puzzled. Why talk about 5th-century Persian fashion tips now?

But the "insiders" noticed something incredible. In the original Aramaic of the Talmud, the word for "belt" is Homyani .

Just seven days after Khomeini rose to power in Iran, the Rebbe was pointing to a page of the Talmud, written 1500 years ago, describing a Persian ruler adjusting a "Homyani" to make a Jew stand taller.

Now to be fair, some linguists point out that the more precise pronunciation of the word is Hamenai, which, as it turns out, sounds a lot like Khamenei , the name of the last Iranian dictator. However you read it, this seems more than curious.

The Rebbe’s Lesson

We can’t know the full depth of the Rebbe’s mind, but the message here is as clear as it is inspiring. Long before the world understood the threat of radical political Islam, the Rebbe saw it. But he also saw a bright end to the story.

He saw a "Homyani" (a Khomeini) or a "Hamenai" (a Khamenei) not as a force that could break us, but as an opposition that will make us stronger. As Israel rises to the task today, we are seeing the fulfillment of that promise. Sometimes, it takes a tyrant to remind of who we truly are: a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

They may want to tighten a noose, but in the grander scheme of history, they are just another notch in our belt.

The Divine Irony

There is another irony in this talmudic tale. In the Iran of the Ayatollahs, so-called Morality Police roam the streets using force and fear to adjust how people dress, demanding modesty at the end of a stick.

But here was a Persian King doing the exact opposite. He wasn't enforcing a dress code through intimidation. He was acting as a servant, upholding the dignity of another human being. That is true power, not the ability to oppress, but the choice to uplift. A small man uses his position to diminish others. A true leader uses his position to help others stand taller.

A Vision for the Future

The Rebbe was showing us more than just a play on words. He was showing us a model for the world as it should be. Leaders who lift. Jews who are proud. And a deep friendship between a Persian King and a Jewish leader. Until very recently, that sounded like a quaint historical side note. Today, it’s a realistic vision for the future.

The day is coming when the belts of oppression will fall away, former enemies will become friends, and leadership will mean not control, but helping every person recognise their divine worth. It seems like that day is coming fast. Better buckle up.