Angels in Judaism

(1) The LORD appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. (2) Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground, (3) he said, “My lords, if it please you, do not go on past your servant.

(17) God heard the cry of the boy, and an angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heeded the cry of the boy where he is.

(11) Then an angel of the LORD called to him from heaven: “Abraham! Abraham!” And he answered, “Here I am.” (12) And he said, “Do not raise your hand against the boy, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your favored one, from Me.”

(10) Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran. (11) He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. (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. (13) And the LORD was standing beside him and He said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. (14) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. (15) Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is present in this place, and I did not know it!”

(1) Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the Kevar River that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. (2) In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of King Yehoyachin’s captivity, (3) the word of Adonai came expressly to Ezekiel the son of Buzi the Kohen, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Kevar River and the hand of Adonai was there upon him. (4) And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire flashing up, so that a brightness was round about it; and out of the middle of it, as the color of electrum out of the midst of the fire. (5) And out of the middle of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. (6) And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings. (7) And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass. (8) And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and as for the faces and wings of them, four, (9) their wings were joined one to another; they did not turn when they went; every one of them went straight forward. (10) As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and four had the face of a lion on the right side; and four had the face of an ox on the left side; and four also the face of an eagle. (11) Thus were their faces; and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. (12) And every one of them went straight forward; wherever the spirit was to go, they went; they did not turned when they went. (13) As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like coals of fire, burning like the appearance of torches; it flashed up and down among the living creatures; and there was brightness to the fire, and out of the fire, lightning went forth. (14) And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. (15) Now, as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel at the bottom hard by the living creatures, at the four faces of them. (16) The appearance of the wheels and their work was like the color of a beryl; and the four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was like a wheel within a wheel. (17)When they went, they went towards their four sides; they did not turn when they went. (18) As for their rings, they were high and they were dreadful; and the four of them had their rings full of eyes round about. (19) And when the living creatures went, the wheels went hard by them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the bottom, the wheels were lifted up. (20) Wherever the spirit (ruach) was to go, as the spirit was to go there, so they went; and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. (21) When those went, these went, and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. (22) And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above. (23) And under the firmament, their wings conformed to each other; this one of them had two which covered, and that one of them had two which covered their bodies. (24) And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty (Shaddai), a noise of tumult like the noise of a host; when they stood, they let down their wings. (25) For, when there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads, as they stood, they let down their wings. (26) And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above. (27) And I saw as the color of electrum, as the appearance of fire round about enclosing it, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him. (28) As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory (k'vod) of Adonai. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke."

§ The Gemara returns to discussing the heavenly beings. The Sages taught: Six statements were said with regard to demons: In three ways they are like ministering angels, and in three ways they are like humans. The baraita specifies:

In three ways they are like ministering angels: They have wings like ministering angels; and they fly from one end of the world to the other like ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like ministering angels. The Gemara is puzzled by this last statement: Should it enter your mind that they know this? Not even the angels are privy to the future. Rather, they hear from behind the curtain when God reveals something of the future, like ministering angels.

And in three ways they are similar to humans: They eat and drink like humans; they multiply like humans; and they die like humans.

Six statements were said with regard to humans: In three ways, they are like ministering angels, and in three ways they are like animals. The baraita explains: In three ways they are like ministering angels: They have intelligence like ministering angels; and they walk upright like ministering angels; and they speak in the holy tongue like ministering angels.

In three ways humans are like animals: They eat and drink like animals; and they multiply like animals; and they emit excrement like animals.

(5) Rabbi Simon said: At the time when the Holy Blessed One came to create the first man, the ministering angels formed themselves into groups, some saying 'man should not be created' and some saying 'man should be created.' As it says: "Kindness and Truth met; Justice and Peace kissed" (Psalms 85:11). Kindness said: man should be created because he does acts of kindness, and Truth said: man should not be created, because he is all lies. Justice said: man should be created because he does just acts, and Peace said: man should not be created because he is all quarrels. What did the Holy Blessed One do? God took Truth and threw him to the ground, as it says: "And Truth was thrown to the ground" (Daniel 8:12). The ministering angels said before the Blessed Holy One: Master of the Universe: why are You disgracing the chief of your court ceremonies - bring Truth back from the ground! As it says: "Truth will grow from the ground" (Psalms 85:12). The Rabbis said [the following] in the name of Rabbi Hanna bar Idi, and Rabbi Pinchas and Rabbi Hilkiyah in the name of Rabbi Simon said: "Very" refers to man, as it says: "And God saw all that God had done, and behold it was very good" (Genesis 1:31), behold man is good. Rabbi Huna Rabbah of Tzippori said: while the ministering angels were reasoning one with the other and engaging one with the other, the Holy Blessed One created man. God said to them: what are you reasoning about - I already created man.

For when Rav Hisda was sitting and studying in the yeshiva, the messenger, the angel of death, was not able to come near him since his mouth was never quiet from his learning. He climbed and sat on the cedar tree of the yeshiva. The cedar broke and he was silent, and [then] the [angel of death] was able [to take him].

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moses ascended on High to receive the Torah, the ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, what is one born of a woman doing here among us? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: He came to receive the Torah. The angels said before Him: The Torah is a hidden treasure that was concealed by you 974 generations before the creation of the world, and you seek to give it to flesh and blood? As it is stated: “The word which He commanded to a thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8). Since the Torah, the word of God, was given to the twenty-sixth generation after Adam, the first man, the remaining 974 generations must have preceded the creation of the world. “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that You think of him?” (Psalms 8:5). Rather, “God our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth that Your majesty is placed above the heavens” (Psalms 8:2). The rightful place of God’s majesty, the Torah, is in the heavens. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Provide them with an answer as to why the Torah should be given to the people. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, I am afraid lest they burn me with the breath of their mouths. God said to him: Grasp My throne of glory for strength and protection, and provide them with an answer. And from where is this derived? As it is stated: “He causes him to grasp the front of the throne, and spreads His cloud over it” (Job 26:9), and Rabbi Naḥum said: This verse teaches that God spread the radiance of His presence and His cloud over Moses. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, the Torah that You are giving me, what is written in it? God said to him: “I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of Egypt from the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2). Moses said to the angels: Did you descend to Egypt? Were you enslaved to Pharaoh? Why should the Torah be yours? Again Moses asked: What else is written in it? God said to him: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Moses said to the angels: Do you dwell among the nations who worship

idols that you require this special warning? Again Moses asked: What else is written in it? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it” (Exodus 20:8). Moses asked the angels: Do you perform labor that you require rest from it? Again Moses asked: What else is written in it? “Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7), meaning that it is prohibited to swear falsely. Moses asked the angels: Do you conduct business with one another that may lead you to swear falsely? Again Moses asked: What else is written in it? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Moses asked the angels: Do you have a father or a mother that would render the commandment to honor them relevant to you? Again Moses asked: What else is written in it? God said to him: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13) Moses asked the angels: Is there jealousy among you, or is there an evil inclination within you that would render these commandments relevant? Immediately they agreed with the Holy One, Blessed be He, that He made the right decision to give the Torah to the people, and as it is stated: “God our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth” (Psalms 8:10), while “that Your majesty is placed above the heavens” is not written because the angels agreed with God that it is appropriate to give the Torah to the people on earth.

Pursue peace. How so? This teaches that a person should pursue peace in Israel between everyone (in the way that Aaron would pursue peace in Israel between everyone, as it says [Psalms 34:15], “Turn from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say:) If a person stays quietly in his place, how can he pursue peace in Israel between everyone? [Rather, he should go out from his place and into the world and pursue peace in Israel,] as it says, “Seek peace and pursue it.” How does this work? Seek it where you are, and pursue it in some other place. Even the Holy Blessed One made peace in the heights, for He did not call ten angels Gabriel, ten angels Michael, ten angels Uriel, and ten angels Raphael, in the way humans do, calling ten people Reuben, ten people Shimon, ten people Levi, and ten people Judah. For if He had done as humans do, when He called one of them, they all would have come, and then become jealous of one another. So instead, He called only one angel Gabriel and one Michael, and when He calls any one of them, [that angel] comes before Him, and He dispatches the angel wherever He desires. And how do we know that they revere one another, and respect one another, and are humbler than human beings? Because when they open their mouths to sing a song, one of them says to the other: You should begin, for you are greater than I, and then the other one says: No, you should begin, for you are greater than I. This is not the way it is with human beings. Every person says to another: I am greater than you, and the other person responds: No, I am greater than you.And some say they spoke in groupings [of angels]. One grouping would say to the other: You all should begin, for you are greater than we, as it says (Isaiah 6:3), “And this one called out to that one and said….”

Immediately, each and every one of the angels became an admirer of Moses and passed something to him, as it is stated: “You ascended on high, you took a captive, you took gifts on account of man, and even among the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell there” (Psalms 68:19). The meaning of the verse is: In reward for the fact that they called you man, you are not an angel and the Torah is applicable to you, you took gifts from the angels. And even the Angel of Death gave him something, as Moses told Aaron how to stop the plague, as it is stated: “And he placed the incense, and he atoned for the people” (Numbers 17:12). And the verse says: “And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped” (Numbers 17:13). If it were not that the Angel of Death told him this remedy, would he have known it?

(1) As for the existence of angels, there is no necessity to cite any proof from Scripture, where the fact is frequently mentioned.

(2) We have already stated above that the angels are incorporeal. This agrees with the opinion of Aristotle: there is only this difference in the names employed--he uses the term "Intelligences," and we say instead "angels." ... But "angel" means "messenger"; hence every one that is entrusted with a certain mission is an angel.

The elements are also called angels. ... It is also used of ideals, perceived by prophets in prophetic visions, and of man's animal powers, as will be explained in another place.

(3) [As for the texts that say] "God does nothing without consulting the host above..."

These passages do not convey the idea that God spoke, thought, reflected, or that God consulted and employed the opinion of other beings, as ignorant persons have believed. How could the Creator be assisted by those whom God created! They only show that all parts of the Universe, even the limbs of animals in their actual form, are produced through angels: for natural forces and angels are identical. How bad and injurious is the blindness of ignorance!

Our Sages have already stated--for those who have understanding--that all forces that reside in a body are angels, much more the forces that are active in the Universe. The theory that each force acts only in one particular way, is expressed in Beresheet Rabba (chap. 1.) as follows: "One angel does not perform two things, and two angels do not perform one thing"; this is exactly the property of all forces.

"R. Jochanan said that Judah was about to pass by [without noticing Tamar], but God caused the angel of lust, i.e., the libidinous disposition, to present himself to him." Man's disposition is here called an angel.

(4) We have already stated that the forms in which angels appear form part of the prophetic vision. Some prophets see angels in the form of man, others perceive an angel as a fearful and terrible being, others see them as fire,

Another passage in Beresheet Rabba (ibid.) runs thus: "Before the angels have accomplished their task they are called men, when they have accomplished it they are angels."

All that which the Holy One, blessed is He! created in His world, is divided into three types: (a) Composite creatures of matter and form; they are beings which undergo constant changes, as the bodies of man, beasts, plants and minerals; (b) Composite beings of matter and form which do not undergo changes of either body or form as the former, but their forms remain forever set in their body unchanged; they are: the planets and the stars around them; their matter is unlike other matter and their forms are unlike other forms; (c) Beings possessed of forms but of no matter whatever; they are the angels; for the angels are incorporeal but varied forms.

And, what is this that the prophets say that they saw the angel as of fire and winged? This all is in prophetic vision and enigmatical, emphasizing that the being is incorporeal and has no gravity as other massive bodies, as, for instance it is said: "For the Lord your God is a burning flame," (Deut. 4,24). Who is not of fire but it is merely a figure of speech; and, for further instance, it is said: "He maketh His angels of winds." (Ps. 104, 4).

Not being corporeal, in what do these forms vary one from the other? In that that they are not alike in their being, but each one of them functions in a lesser degree than the other, and each one derives his being from the power of the one above him; but all of them derive their being from the Power and Goodness of the Holy One, Blessed is He! and from His munificence, which is as Solomon in his wisdom pointed at and said: "For One higher than the high watcheth." (Ecc. 5,7).

The variation in the names of the angels is based upon their degrees; they are therefore called: Holy Living Creatures, which are above all others, Wheels, Valiant Ones, Electrum, Flying Serpent, Angels, Gods, Sons of Gods, Chariot Bearers, and Men. All these ten names by which the angels are called designate their respective ten degrees; the degree which has nothing higher than itself, save only the degree of God, blessed is He! is the degree of the form which is called Living Creatures; thus it is spoken of in prophecy as being beneath the Throne of Glory. And the tenth degree is the degree of the form known as Men, which are the angels who speak with the prophets and appear to them in the vision of prophecy. Therefore they are called Men, as their degree approaches the degree of the intellect of the sons of man.³Hagigah, 11a-13a. G.

All of these Forms are alive and recognize the Creator, and know Him with an extreme power of intelligence, each Form according to its degree, not according to its size. But even the Form of the first degree cannot attain the truth of the Creator as He is, for, its intelligence falls short of such attainment and knowledge; nevertheless, it attains and knows more than the Form beneath itself knows and attains. Likewise are they all, from each and every degree, even till the tenth degree, which Form also knows the Creator with an understanding which is not within the power of the sons of man, who are composite beings of matter and form, to attain and know. And, all of them do not know the Creator as He Himself knows His Own Being.

All beings, save only the Creator, from the First Form to the smallest moth which might be in the center of the earth, came into being by the power of His truth; and because He knows His Own Being, and recognizes His Own greatness, Glory and Truth, He is All-Knowing, and there is not a matter concealed from Him.