he-ro* noun ?hir-(?)?
1.
a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
b : an illustrious warrior
c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
d : one who shows great courage
There is no word for hero in Lashon haKodesh, and for good reason.
(a) is clearly not in accordance with Jewish belief.
(b) isn’t either, as we say each day in the Hallelukahs, “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man (Psalms 147:10).”
(c) and (d) are the only ones which are even worth dealing with.
Consider (d). Why would a person have courage? Either because he is reckless, or because he believes in something. Recklessness is certainly not a virtue. So we’re left with believing in something. Does he believe in something true or false? Believing in a falsehood is certainly not a virtue. So we are left with believing in something which is a true value. Our definition of a true value is a Torah value. Ergo, a hero is someone who shows great courage in upholding a Torah value. A similar case can be made for (c).
There is a word in Lashon haKodesh which comes close in translation to hero. Gibor.
And as the Sages said (Avos 4:1), “Who is a gibor? One who supresses his own inclination.”
*Definition taken from Merriam Webster Dictionary.