הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָּךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ (תהלים צא, יא). עָשָׂה אָדָם מִצְוָה אַחַת, מוֹסְרִים לוֹ מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד. עָשָׂה שְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת, מוֹסְרִין לוֹ שְׁנֵי מַלְאָכִים. עָשָׂה כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, מוֹסְרִין לוֹ מַלְאָכִים הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָּךְ. וּמִי הֵן הַמַּלְאָכִים? אֵלּוּ שֶׁמְּשַׁמְּרִים אוֹתוֹ מִן הַמַּזִּיקִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יִפֹּל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ (תהלים צא, ז). וּמַה הוּא יִפֹּל? שֶׁמַּשְׁלִימִים לוֹ. כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים: וּמִמְּנַשֶּׁה נָפְלוּ עַל דָּוִיד (דה״א יב כ, כא). וּכְתִיב: בְּלֶכְתּוֹ אֶל צִיקְלַג נָפְלוּ עָלָיו מִמְּנַשֶּׁה (דה״א יב, כא). Behold, I send an angel before thee (Exod. 23:20). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (Ps. 91:11). When a man performs one precept, one angel is assigned to guard him; when he performs two precepts, two angels are given to him; when he performs all the precepts, many angels are assigned to him, as it is said: For He will give His angels charge over thee. Who are these angels? They are the beings who will protect him from demons, as it is said: A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand (ibid., v. 7). What is meant by may fall? It means that they force (their opponents) to surrender to him, as it is said in the Book of Chronicles: Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David (I Chron. 12:20), and it is written as well: As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh (ibid., v. 29).
וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ. לָמָּה מִן הַשְּׂמֹאל אֶלֶף וּמִן הַיָּמִין רְבָבָה? לְפִי שֶׁהַשְּׂמֹאל אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה מַלְאָכִים הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּתִיב בַּתְּפִלִּין, וְהַתְּפִלִּין נְתוּנִין עַל הַשְּׂמֹאל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ (דברים ו, ח) And ten thousand at thy right hand. Why does it say a thousand at thy left hand, and ten thousand at thy right hand? The left hand does not require as many angels, because the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is inscribed on the phylactery which is placed on the left hand, as it is said: Ye shall bind them for a sign upon thy hand (Deut. 11:18).
אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן יְהֵא מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלָּא יִפֹּל. שְׂמֹאל שֶׁאֵינָהּ פְּשׁוּטָה בַּמִּצְוֹת, אֵינָהּ מַפֶּלֶת אֶלָּא אֶלֶף מַזִּיקִין. וְיָמִין שֶׁהִיא פְּשׁוּטָה בַּמִּצְוֹת, מַפֶּלֶת רִבּוֹא מַזִּיקִין. R. Hanina said: It is not written “will be at thy side,” but rather will fall at thy side, because the left hand, which is not extended in the performance of the commandments, can make only a thousand demons fall, while the right hand, which is outstretched in the performance of the precepts, can make ten thousand demons fall.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: מַהוּ יִפֹּל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף? הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹסֵר לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל רִבּוֹא וְאֶלֶף מַלְאָכִים, שֶׁיְּהוּ מְשַׁמְּרִין אוֹתוֹ וְעוֹשִׂין לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶן מַכְרִיז לְפָנָיו וְאוֹמֵר: תְּנוּ כָּבוֹד לְצַלְמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ מָלֵא רוּחוֹת וּמַזִּיקִים. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: What is meant by the words A thousand may fall at thy side? The Holy One, blessed be He, gives to each Israelite ten thousand angels who guard him and help him on the way. One precedes him, exclaiming: Pay homage to the likeness of the Holy One, blessed be He. He does this because the entire world is filled with spirits and demons.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שַׁלּוּם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי: אֵין לְךָ בֵּית רֹבַע בַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ תִּשְׁעָה קַבִּין מַזִּיקִין. וְהֵיאַךְ עֲשׂוּיִן? אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי: פוֹרְמָא בִּפְנֵיהֶם, כְּגוֹן חֲמוֹרִים שֶׁל טוֹחֲנִים. וּכְשֶׁהָעֲוֹנוֹת גּוֹרְמִין, הַפוֹרְמָא נִגְלֶה וְהָאָדָם נִשְׁתַּטֶּה. וּכְשֶׁהַמַּלְאָךְ כּוֹרֵז, הָאָדָם בְּשָׁלוֹם. שָׁתַק, מִיָּד נִזּוֹק, וְהַמַּלְאָךְ אוֹמֵר נִשְׁלַם פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתִּקְרַב לַשַּׁחַת נַפְשׁוֹ וְחַיָּתוֹ לַמְמִתִים (איוב לג, כב). לַמֵּתִים אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר כָּאן אֶלָּא לַמְמִתִים, לְאוֹתָן מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה שֶׁהוּא נִמְסַר לָהֶם. R. Judah the son of Shalum said in the name of R. Levi: There is not a piece of ground which supports one roba of seed, in any part of the world, that does not contain nine hundred kabs of demons. How are they formed? R. Levi said: The demons wear masks similar to those on a miller’s ass, but when (a man’s) sins cause the mask to fall off the demon, the man becomes mad (at the sight). However, as long as the angel cries out, the man is safe; but if he is silent, the man is affected at once. The angel says: So-and-so must die, as it is said: Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to the destroyers (Job 33:22). “To death” is not written here, but rather to the destroyers, namely, to those angels of destruction to whom man is handed over.
וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהַמַּלְאָךְ כּוֹרֵז לְפָנָיו? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף (איוב לג, כג). אִם יְהֵא מִן אוֹתָן אֶלֶף, כּוֹרֵז לְפָנָיו, לְהַגִּיד לְאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ (איוב לג, כג). אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר (איוב לג, כד). הֱוֵי, אִם נִתְרַבָּה בַּמִּצְוֹת, רִבּוֹא וְאֶלֶף מַלְאָכִים מְשַׁמְּרִין אוֹתוֹ. וְאִם הוּא שָׁלֵם בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשַׁמְּרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' שֹׁמְרֶךָ ה' צִלְּךָ עַל יַד יְמִינֶךָ (תהלים קכא, ה). From what source do we know that the angel calls out before him? It is said: If there be for him an angel, and intercessor, one among a thousand (ibid., v. 23)—if he is one of those thousand, he (the angel) calls out before him to vouch for a man’s uprightness. At that time He is gracious unto him, and saith: “Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom” (Job 33:23–24). Thus if a man fulfills many precepts, ten thousand and a thousand angels guard him, but if he is perfect in understanding the Torah and in the performance of good deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself guards him, as it is said: The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand (Ps. 121:5).
וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּיַעֲקֹב שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ: אִישׁ תָּם ישֵׁב אֹהָלִים (בראשית כה, כז). אִישׁ תָּם בְּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, ישֵׁב אֹהָלִים עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וְנִתְרַבָּה בַּמִּצְוֹת, נִמְסְרוּ לוֹ מַחֲנוֹת מַלְאָכִים לְשָׁמְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים, וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם מַחֲנֵה אֱלֹהִים זֶה, וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנָיִם (תהלים לב ב, ג). וְאוֹמֵר: וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ, וְהִנֵּה ה' נִצָּב עָלָיו וַיֹּאמַר, וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ (תהלים כח יב, טו). This you find to be so in the case of Jacob, of whom it is written: Jacob was a perfect man, dwelling in tents (Gen. 25:27). A perfect man in the performance of good deeds; dwelling in tents devoting himself to the Torah; and full of precepts—camps of angels were assigned to watch over him, as it is said: And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And Jacob said when he saw them: “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim (Gen. 32:2–3). It says also: And behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood beside him and said: “… And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee” (ibid. 28:13–15).
אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא: אַשְׁרֵי יְלוּד אִשָּׁה שֶׁרָאָה מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים וּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ מְשַׁמְּרִין אוֹתוֹ וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ מַלְאָכִים בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשְׁלַח יַעֲקֹב מַלְאָכִים לְפָנָיו אֶל עֵשָׂו (תהלים לב, ד). וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי מִכָּל רָע (תהלים מח, טז). אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּתֻמּוֹ צַדִּיק אַשְׁרֵי בָנָיו אַחֲרָיו (משלי כ, ז). R. Hoshaya declared: Happy is the individual born of woman who has the King of Kings as His attendant, guarding Him and sending angels as His messengers, as it is said: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau (ibid. 32:4). It likewise says: The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil (ibid. 48:16). Hence Scripture says: He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him (Prov. 20:7)