Machnisei Rachamim: Praying to Angels?

(1) All Jews have a share in the world to come:

The fifth principle: That He is the One that is fitting to serve and to exalt and to make His greatness known and to do His commandments; and not to do this to that which is below Him in existence - from the angels and the stars and the spheres and the elements and what which is composed of them. As they are all designed and there is no judgement and no free choice in their actions - only to Him, may He be blessed. And so [too], it is not fitting to serve them in order that they be intermediaries to bring them closer to Him, but rather to Him alone should they direct their thoughts and leave everything besides Him. And this fifth principle is that idolatry (worship of others) is prohibited, and most of the Torah prohibits this.

A Beraita taught that Rabbi Yossi bar Yehudah said: two ministering angels escort a person from the synagogue to his home on erev Shabbat: one good and one bad. And when he comes to his house, if he finds that the candles are lit and the table is set and his bed is made, the good angel will say: "May it be the will of God that it should be this way next Shabbat as well." And the bad angel is forced to answer "amen" against his will. And if it isn't [like this], the bad angel will say: "May it be the will of God that it should be this way next Shabbat as well." And the good angel is forced to answer "amen" against his will.

Who enters a privy says, "Be honoured, ye honoured and holy Beings who minister to the Most High ! Give glory to the God of Israel ; leave me while I enter and do my will, then shall I come unto you." Abbai said : Let not a man speak thus, lest they leave him and depart; but let him say, "Guard me, guard me, help me, help me, support me, support me, wait for me, wait for me until I enter and come out, for such is the way of human beings." When he comes out, he says, "Blessed... Who hast formed man in wisdom ...

(1) One should direct their feet next to each other as though they are one, in order to imitate that angels, as it says: “their feet were straight feet” (Ezekiel 1:7), which is to say their feet appeared as one foot. Rema: Some say when a person stands to pray he/she should take three steps forward in the way of coming close and approaching a matter that must be done.

(3) Everything which the Holy One, blessed be He, created within His world is divided into three categories. They include: a) Creations which are a combination of matter and form. They are constantly coming into existence and ceasing to exist; for example, the bodies of man and beasts, plants, and metals.b) Creations which are [also] a combination of matter and form, but do not change from body to body and from form to form ... for example, the spheres and the stars ... c) Creations which have form, but no matter at all; for example, the angels, for the angels do not possess bodies or corporeal being, but rather are forms which are separate from each other.

(4) What is meant by the prophets' statements that they saw an angel of fire or with wings? All these are prophetic visions and parables, as [Deuteronomy 4:24] states: "God, your Lord, is consuming fire," though He is not fire and [the description of Him in this manner] is only metaphoric. Similarly, [Psalms 104:4] states: "He makes His angels as winds...."

(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." His theory is that the Intelligences are intermediate beings between the Prime Cause and existing things, and that they effect the motion of the spheres, on which motion the existence of all things depends. This is also the view we meet with in all parts of Scripture: every act of God is described as being performed by angels. But "angel" means "messenger"; hence every one that is intrusted with a certain mission is an angel. Even the movements of the brute creation are sometimes due to the action of an angel, when such movements serve the purpose of the Creator, who endowed it with the power of performing that movement; e.g., "God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths that they have not hurt me" (Dan. 6:22). Another instance may be seen in the movements of Balaam's ass, described as caused by an angel. The elements are also called angels. Comp. "Who maketh winds His angels, flaming fire His ministers" (Ps. 104:4). There is no doubt that the word "angel" is used of a messenger sent by man; e.g., "And Jacob sent angels" (Gen. 32:4); of a prophet, e.g., "And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim" (Judges 2:1); "And He sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt" (Num. 20:16). 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.