- What do you think of when you hear the word ‘angel’?
- Can you think of places in the Tanach where we speak about Angels?
In Hebrew ‘mal’ach (מַלְאָךְ)’ is the standard word for "messenger", in the Tanach, for both human and divine; whereas in Modern Hebrew it is rarely used for human messengers.
The noun mal’ach is translated as "angel" 111 times, "messenger" 98 times, "ambassadors" 4 times.
The shoresh is (לאך), meaning "to send with a message" and with time was substituted with the shoresh 'sh-l-ch שלח'.
In Biblical Hebrew, the shoresh ל–א–ך is only used in the noun Mal’ach and in the noun "Mel’achah" (מְלָאכָה), meaning "work", "occupation" or "craftsmanship".
Bonus Etymology for Classical Hebrew Students:
The structure of the word mal’akh suggests that it is the maqtal form of the root denoting the tool or the mean of performing it. The term Mal'akh therefore simply means the one who is sent, often translated as "messenger" when applied to humans; for instance, Mal’akh is the root of the name of the prophet Malachi, whose name means "my messenger". In modern Hebrew, mal’akh is the general word for "angel"; it is also similar to the Arabic and Ethipic word for Angel.
*For the first 5 sources, open up your Tanach and find the contextual similarities! :)
(ט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְ-ה-וָ֔-ה שׁ֖וּבִי אֶל־גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י תַּ֥חַת יָדֶֽיהָ׃
(9) And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit to her harsh treatment.”
(יא) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֜יו מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְ-ה-וָ-ה֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֣ם ׀ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
(11) Then an angel of the LORD called to him from heaven: “Abraham! Abraham!” And he answered, “Here I am.”
(יב) וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱ-לֹ-הִ֔-ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃
(12) He had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it.
(יא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י מַלְאַ֧ךְ הָאֱ-לֹ-הִ֛-ים בַּחֲל֖וֹם יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שָׂא־נָ֨א עֵינֶ֤יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ כָּל־הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ הָעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י רָאִ֔יתִי אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבָ֖ן עֹ֥שֶׂה לָּֽךְ׃ (יג) אָנֹכִ֤י הָאֵ-ל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔-ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ שָּׁם֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֥רְתָּ לִּ֛י שָׁ֖ם נֶ֑דֶר עַתָּ֗ה ק֥וּם צֵא֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃
(11) And in the dream an angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here,’ I answered. (12) And he said, ‘Note well that all the he-goats which are mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, and mottled; for I have noted all that Laban has been doing to you. (13) I am the God of Beth-el, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now, arise and leave this land and return to your native land.’”
- Is there an issue with basing the existence of Angels on these sources?
- Why/Why not?
This interpretation is clear when we think of the first 5 sources in context, we can suggest all subjects of the encounter with an angel were in a subcontious state:
1. Hagar, who was starving and thirsty in the desert, possibly even hallucinating.
2. The language describing Lot 'arising' to greet them
3. Avraham who had just been circumcised and was suffering in the heat of the day
4. Yaakov's dream with the ladder going up to shamayim
5. Yaakov's dream where the Angel tells him to return to Eretz Yisrael.
...but what does the Ramban think?
רמב"ם הלכות יסודי התורה פרק ז
הלכה ו
כל הדברים שאמרנו הם דרך נבואה לכל הנביאים הראשונים והאחרונים חוץ ממשה רבינו רבן של כל הנביאים, ומה הפרש יש בין נבואת משה לשאר כל הנביאים שכל הנביאים בחלום או במראה ומשה רבינו מתנבא והוא ער ועומד שנאמר ובבוא משה אל אהל מועד לדבר אתו וישמע את הקול, כל הנביאים על ידי מלאך, לפיכך רואים מה שהם רואים במשל וחידה, משה רבינו לא על ידי מלאך שנאמר פה אל פה אדבר בו, ונאמר ודבר יקוק אל משה פנים אל פנים, ונאמר ותמונת יקוק יביט כלומר שאין שם משל אלא רואה הדבר על בוריו בלא חידה ובלא משל, הוא שהתורה מעידה עליו במראה ולא בחידות שאינו מתנבא בחידה אלא במראה שרואה הדבר על בוריו. כל הנביאים יראים ונבהלים ומתמוגגין ומשה רבינו אינו כן הוא שהכתוב אומר כאשר ידבר איש אל רעהו כלומר כמו שאין אדם נבהל לשמוע דברי חבירו כך היה כח בדעתו של משה רבינו להבין דברי הנבואה והוא עומד על עומדו שלם, כל הנביאים אין מתנבאים בכל עת שירצו משה רבינו אינו כן אלא כל זמן שיחפוץ רוח הקודש לובשתו ונבואה שורה עליו ואינו צריך לכוין דעתו ולהזדמן לה שהרי הוא מכוון ומזומן ועומד כמלאכי השרת, לפיכך מתנבא בכל עת שנאמר עמדו ואשמעה מה יצוה יקוק לכם, ובזה הבטיחו האל שנאמר לך אמור להם שובו לכם לאהליכם ואתה פה עמוד עמדי, הא למדת שכל הנביאים כשהנבואה מסתלקת מהם חוזרים לאהלם שהוא צרכי הגוף כלם כשאר העם, לפיכך אין פורשין מנשותיהם, ומשה רבינו לא חזר לאהלו הראשון לפיכך פירש מן האשה לעולם ומן הדומה לו ונקשרה דעתו לצור העולמים ולא נסתלק מעליו ההוד לעולם וקרן עור פניו ונתקדש כמלאכים.
Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah Chapter 7
And what is the difference between the prophecy of Moses and the rest of all the prophets that all the prophets in a dream or in the mirror and Moshe Rabbeinu prophesies and he is awake and standing and it is said that when Moses came to the Tent of Meeting to speak with him and heard the voice, All the prophets by an angel, therefore see what they see in the parable and the riddle, Moshe Rabbeinu not by an angel that is said here verbally I will speak in it, and it is said and the word of God to Moses face to face, and it is said that the image of God will look, His Torah is without a riddle and without a parable, is that the Torah testifies to it in the mirror and not in riddles that do not prophesy in the riddle, but in the mirror that sees it in its sockets. In other words, just as a person is not afraid to hear the words of his friend, it is as if Moshe Rabbeinu is determined to understand the words of prophecy and he stands still. All the prophets do not prophesy at any time that Moshe Rabbeinu wants Is not so, but as long as the Holy Spirit desires to wear it and prophecy is upon him, and he does not need to be honest and come to her, for he is directed and summoned and stands as the ministering angels. Therefore he prophesies at all times that it is said, "Stand and hear what God commands you." Here stand with me, did you learn that all the prophets when the prophecy departs from them come back no And Moses did not return to his first tent, so he interpreted from woman to the world and from the like, and he became attached to the world, and the splendor of the world never departed, and the radiance of his face was sanctified and sanctified like angels.
Everyone make sure to read the English :)
רמב"ן פרשת וירא
פרק יח
ובאמת כי כל מקום שהוזכר בכתוב ראיית מלאך או דבור מלאך הוא במראה או בחלום, כי ההרגשים לא ישיגו המלאכים, אבל לא מראות הנבואה, כי המשיג לראות מלאך או דיבורו איננו נביא, שאין הדבר כמו שהרב גוזר (במו"נ ב לד), (ובהלכות יסוה"ת ז ו) כי כל נביא זולת משה רבינו נבואתו על ידי מלאך. וכבר אמרו (מגילה ג א) בדניאל אינהו עדיפי מיניה דאינהו נביאי ואיהו לאו נביא, וכן לא נכתב ספרו עם ספר הנביאים מפני שהיה עניינו עם גבריאל, אף על פי שהיה נראה אליו ומדבר עמו בהקיץ, כמו שנאמר במראה של בית שני ועוד אני מדבר בתפלה והאיש גבריאל (דניאל ט כא).
Nachmanadies (Ramban) The Parashat Vayera
Chapter 18
‘According to his (the author of the Morei Nevuchim) words, Sarah did not knead cakes nor did Abraham prepare a bullock, and also, Sarah did not laugh. It was all a vision!...And if all these were part of prophetic visions, then it follows that the account related in the verses ‘And the angels hastened Lot…as well as the entire chapter is but a vision….the author of the Morei Nevuchim thinks that the events took place of themselves, but the conversations relating to all matters were in a vision! But SUCH WORDS CONTRADICT SCRIPTURE (Torah). It is forbidden to listen to them, all the more to believe them. Asur lishome’am..af ki le hamin bahem’. Strong language, indeed.
Ramban makes a distinction between ‘angels’, which, he agrees, human senses cannot perceive and communications, which, he states, people did actually receive, even though not as clearly as did Moshe. ‘When G-d said (Ex.6,3) I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob….that means that He ‘appeared’, not an angel’
According to both, Rambam and Ramban, the terms, malach, occasionally also elokim, denote a special kind of personal Divine communication. The difference between the views of the two Commentators would seem to be mainly one of emphasis: Rambam stresses the exceptional/supernatural experience of the communications. This worries Ramban, who is concerned that one might not accept the Biblical account as having ‘really’ occurred. Actually, Ramban goes along with the idea that human beings can't simply ‘see’ angels. Ramban’s stress is on the roles verbally commanded to an individual, directly by Hashem, and words or events t carried out at His command, where the Divine agent is not simply a manifestation of the G-d, a Malach. The text lends itself to either of these perspectives.
Let's go back to the very beginning, creation.
(כו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱ-לֹ-הִ֔-ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(26) And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.”
- Who is 'us' referring to?
- How can we prove that Hashem created man on His own? (see the next pasuk)
(א) נעשה אדם. עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן, לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם הוּא בִּדְמוּת הַמַּלְאָכִים וְיִתְקַנְּאוּ בוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְלַךְ בָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָן אֶת הַמְּלָכִים הוּא נִמְלָךְ בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְאַחְאָב, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מִיכָה רָאִיתִי אֶת יקוק יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ (מלכים א כ"ב), וְכִי יֵש יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל לְפָנָיו? אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ מַיְמִינִים לִזְכוּת וְאֵלוּ מַשְׂמְאִילִים לְחוֹבָה, וְכֵן בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא (דניאל ד'), אַף כָּאן בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלוֹ נָטַל רְשׁוּת, אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים כִּדְמוּתִי; אִם אֵין כִּדְמוּתִי בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הֲרֵי יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית: ******(ב) נעשה אדם. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁלֹּא סִיְּעוּהוּ בִיצִירָתוֹ וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם לַמִּינִים לִרְדּוֹת, לֹא נִמְנַע הַכָּתוּב מִלְּלַמֵּד דֶרֶך אֶרֶץ וּמִדַּת עֲנָוָה שֶׁיְּהֵא הַגָּדוֹל נִמְלָךְ וְנוֹטֵל רְשׁוּת מִן הַקָּטָן; וְאִם כָּתַב אֶעֱשֶׂה אָדָם, לֹא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא מְדַבֵּר עִם בֵּית דִינוֹ, אֶלָּא עִם עַצְמוֹ, וּתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּינִים כָּתַב בְּצִדּוֹ, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם, וְלֹא כָתַב וַיִּבְרְאוּ:
(1) נעשה אדם WE WILL MAKE MAN — The Rabbis learned the humility of HaShem, blessed be he, from here: because the man is in the likeness of the angels and they might envy him, therefore HaShem took counsel with them (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 18 and see Genesis Rabbah 8). And when He judges the kings He likewise consults His heavenly council, for thus we find in the case of Ahab to whom Micha said, (1 Kings 22:19) “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left.” Has God, then, a right hand and a left hand? But it means that some stood on the right side to plead in favour of the accused and others stood on the left side to accuse; and similarly we read (Daniel 4:14), “the matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones”, — here, also, He consulted His heavenly council and asked permission of them, saying to them: “There are in the heavens beings after My likeness; if there will not be on earth also beings after My likeness, there will be envy among the beings that I have created”
(Sanhedrin 38b). (it would be worse for the pre-existing creations eg.animals to envy each other, than for Angels to envy man.)
*****(2) נעשה אדם WE WILL MAKE MAN — Although they did not assist Him in forming the man and although this use of the plural may give the heretics an occasion to rebel (i. e. to argue in favour of their own views), yet the verse does not refrain from teaching proper conduct and the virtue of humbleness, namely, that the greater should consult, and take permission from the smaller; for had it been written, “I shall make man”, we could not, then, have learned that He spoke to His judicial council but to Himself. And as a refutation of the heretics it is written immediately after this verse “And God created the man”, and it is not written “and they created” (Genesis Rabbah 8:9)
א"ר יוחנן כ"מ שפקרו המינים תשובתן בצידן (בראשית א, כו) נעשה אדם בצלמנו (ואומר) (בראשית א, כז) ויברא אלקים את האדם בצלמו (בראשית יא, ז) הבה נרדה ונבלה שם שפתם (בראשית יא, ה) וירד יקוק לראות את העיר ואת המגדל (בראשית לה, ז) כי שם נגלו אליו האלקים (בראשית לה, ג) לאל העונה אותי ביום צרתי
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: If there is any place in the Bible from where the heretics attempt to prove their heresy, i.e., that there is more than one god, the response to their claim is alongside them, i.e., in the immediate vicinity of the verses they cite. The verse states that God said: “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26), employing the plural, but it then states: “And God created man in His image” (Genesis 1:27), employing the singular. The verse states that God said: “Come, let us go down and there confound their language” (Genesis 11:7), but it also states: “And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower” (Genesis 11:5). The verse states in the plural: “There God was revealed [niglu] to him when he fled from the face of his brother” (Genesis 35:7), but it also states in the singular: “To God Who answers [haoneh] me in the day of my distress” (Genesis 35:3).
but what exactly are they...?
Do they have physical attributes?
hmmm...
(5) I looked and saw a man dressed in linen, his loins girt in fine gold. (6) His body was like beryl (tarshish), his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs had the color of burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech was like the noise of a multitude. (7) I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see the vision, yet they were seized with a great terror and fled into hiding.
וכתיב ביה במלאך (דניאל י, ו) וגויתו כתרשיש וגמירי דתרשיש תרי אלפי פרסי הוו
And it is written in a verse with regard to an angel: “His body was like Tarshish” (Daniel 10:6). And it is learned as a tradition that the city of Tarshish was two thousand parasangs. Consequently, in order to accommodate four angels (In Yaakov's dream), the ladder must have been eight thousands parasangs wide.
*parasang. an ancient Persian unit of distance, equal to about 3.5 miles (5.6 km).
If they are 'energies of Gd', what exactly are they capable of?
(יח) וַיֹּ֧סֶף וַיִּגַּע־בִּ֛י כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אָדָ֖ם וַֽיְחַזְּקֵֽנִי׃ (יט) וַיֹּ֜אמֶר אַל־תִּירָ֧א אִישׁ־חֲמֻד֛וֹת שָׁל֥וֹם לָ֖ךְ חֲזַ֣ק וַחֲזָ֑ק וּֽבְדַבְּר֤וֹ עִמִּי֙ הִתְחַזַּ֔קְתִּי וָאֹֽמְרָ֛ה יְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י כִּ֥י חִזַּקְתָּֽנִי׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲיָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ לָמָּה־בָּ֣אתִי אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְעַתָּ֣ה אָשׁ֔וּב לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עִם־שַׂ֣ר פָּרָ֑ס וַאֲנִ֣י יוֹצֵ֔א וְהִנֵּ֥ה שַׂר־יָוָ֖ן בָּֽא׃ (כא) אֲבָל֙ אַגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ אֶת־הָרָשׁ֥וּם בִּכְתָ֖ב אֱמֶ֑ת וְאֵ֨ין אֶחָ֜ד מִתְחַזֵּ֤ק עִמִּי֙ עַל־אֵ֔לֶּה כִּ֥י אִם־מִיכָאֵ֖ל שַׂרְכֶֽם׃ (פ)
(18) He who looked like a man touched me again, and strengthened me. (19) He said, “Have no fear, precious man, all will be well with you; be strong, be strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened, and said, “Speak on, my lord, for you have strengthened me!” (20) Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must go back to fight the prince of Persia. When I go off, the prince of Greece will come in. (21) No one is helping me against them except your prince, Michael. However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth.
- What does this make you picture? Describe it to us.
The main thing to understand is that 'malach' is a Hebrew word used to describe some form of G-dly power, that we don't fully understand, and 'malach' cannot be translated as 'Angel's the way we imagine when we hear the English word. We learn that Malachim are not a separate entity from G-d, rather they are parts of G-d in action. They cannot make decisions and have no free will. Malachim are G-d's 'tools', as explained in the opening etymology.
To simplify it, think of your right hand. It could never function separately from the rest of your body, and has no choice but to abide by your instructions. If your hand reaches for something, it's your action, and your hand cannot choose what it does next!
So, now that we know Malachim exist, as some kind of 'G-dly energy/tool', how should we treat Malachim?
5. אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהַבּורֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו לו לְבַדּו רָאוּי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, וְאֵין רָאוּי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְזוּלָתו.
The Thirteen Principles of Jewish faith (as recorded in Maimonides' introduction to Perek Chelek) are as follows:
5. I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to G-d. One may not pray to anyone or anything else.
G-d is the only one whom we may serve and praise. We may not act in this way toward anything beneath Him, whether it be an angel, a star, one of the elements, or any combination of them. All these have a predetermined nature and, therefore, none can have authority or free will. It is therefore not proper to serve these things or make them intermediaries to bring us closer to G-d. All our thoughts should be directed only toward Him.
1.The verse 'Barchuni leshalom' from shalom aleichem, where we sing of 2 Malachim/Angels who escort us on Shabbat from shule, and we welcome them and ask them to bless us that next week should be a good Shabbat too.
2. During Selichot before R"H & Y"K, we sing Machnisei Rachamim, along with other lesser known prayers directed towards Malachim/Angels. This Tefillah asks the 'Malachim' to pass on our prayers and tears to Hashem. We use intermediaries in our tefillot to humble ourselves during slichot, and daven to Malachim instead of G-d.
- Why are these problematic?
Some Rabbi's suggest participating in the hymn, with your own proper kavana, directly towards G-d and no others.
*shalom aleichem can be found on Page 374 in the koren siddur, machnisei is not in the koren siddur
רבי יודן אמר משמיה דידיה בשר ודם יש לו פטרון אם באת לו עת צרה אינו נכנס אצלו פתאום אלא בא ועמד לו על פתחו של פטרונו וקורא לעבדו או לבן ביתו והוא אומר איש פלוני עומד על פתח חצירך שמא מכניסו ושמא מניחו. אבל הקב"ה אינו כן אם בא על אדם צרה לא יצווח לא למיכאל ולא לגבריאל אלא לי יצווח ואני עונה לו מיד. הה"ד (יואל ב) כל אשר יקרא בשם יקוק ימלט.
R' Yudan said in his own name: When a person of flesh and blood has a patron of flesh and blood, and a time of distress befalls that person, he cannot just barge nto the presence of his patron suddenly to hask for his help. rather, he must first come to his doorway of his patron, and call out to his servant or a household member, and he passes a message on to the patron than so-and-so is standing at the entrance of the courtyard. Perhaps the patron will allow him to enter, but there is no guarantee, and perhaps he will leave him out and never hear him.
But the Holy One, Blessed is He, it is not so. If trouble befalls a person, he will not scream to the Michael nor to Gabriel, but he should shout to Me, and I will answer him immediately. Anyone who calls in the name of the Lord will escape.
- when you sing these songs, or say these tefillot, it is vital to remember that you are davening to Hashem alone, and not to an 'Angel', but rather, about a Malach of G-d, and G-ds infinite power.
Some tefillot we say that you can look into involving malachim are:
- Hamalach Hoagoel page 299 in koren siddur
- Beshem Hashem page 301 in koren siddur
- Kedusha of every shacharit and mincha
- Af Bri (in tefillat tal on sukkot) page 847 in koren siddur
Chanuka Sameach!