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The term “archangel,” which denotes an angel of high rank who commands other angels, doesn’t actually have a Hebrew equivalent in Jewish Scriptures. The book of Daniel, however, mentions two angels by name, Gabriel and Michael, and refers to Michael as a sar, which means “prince” or “minister.”1The term “minister” seems an apt description of what differentiates angels like Michael and Gabriel from the unnamed angels we encounter throughout the Bible, starting from Genesis.
There are many different types of angels, each one tasked with a specific mission and function. Some angels are created for one specific task, and upon completion of the task they cease to exist. Other angels, after completing their task, may be given another one to do. This is the case with the angels we refer to as ministers or archangels.
Note that, unlike people, angels cannot multitask. That’s why G‑dhad to send three separate angels to visit Abraham—each one was tasked with a separate mission: one to bring Abraham the news of Isaac’s impending birth, one to overturn Sodom, and one to heal Abraham.2
And although people can have multiple modes of serving G‑d—love, awe, etc.—when it comes to angels, each one has its own specific form of Divine service that does not change.
Michael and Gabriel: Fire and Water
In the Midrash, Michael is called the “prince of kindness (chessed) and water” and Gabriel “the prince of severity (gevurah) and fire.3” Thus, Angel Michael is dispatched on missions that are expressions of G‑d's kindness, and Gabriel on those that are expressions of G‑d's severity and judgment.
However, as we explained earlier, angels don’t multitask. Therefore, although Michael may be the chief angel or “prince” of chessed, he has many underlings, angels that work under him and represent a service of chessed. The same holds true for Gabriel and his Divine service through severity.
Thus, Michael and Gabriel are referred to as “archangels,” since they are at the head of these differing groups of angels, which are known as “hosts (tzvah),” “camps” (machaneh) or “banner” (degel) of angels.
Peace in Heaven and Earth
Since angels are by definition absolutists, it is natural that their differing modes of service would clash. The sages explain that we allude to this every day when we say, at the conclusion of the Amidah and Kaddish Prayers, “He who makes peace in His heavens, may He make peace for us and for all Israel; and say,Amen.”4
We are saying that just as G‑d keeps the peace between the angels Michael and Gabriel, even though they represent opposing modes of Divine service (fire vs. water), so too, may He “make peace for us and for all Israel.”
And to that, we say a hearty “Amen!”
Jamie Moran London, UKNovember 1, 2017
Are the 6-fold [6 winged] seraphim and 4-fold [4 winged] cherubim not 'Jewish' angels? Are those not Hebrew terms? They are certainly not Greek terms.
Also angle names sound distinctly Hebrew- Rafa-el = something of God. All names ending in 'el' refver to spirit powers of God, don't they?
Also angle names sound distinctly Hebrew- Rafa-el = something of God. All names ending in 'el' refver to spirit powers of God, don't they?
FOOTNOTES
Actually in Homeric Greek, 'angelos' just means a messenger, and 'arche' means the 'first form' of something, the exemplary model for all versions of it. Plato uses arche-type of the Good, the Beautiful, the True, in this sense. Maybe at a stretch= 'the most excellent or ideal form' of something significant to the whole kosmos of being.. Jung borrows archetype for the unconscious psyche, but in Plato, it occupies an idealised, perfect 'place' above everything else. A super consciousness, perhaps we could say. Jews should not confuse a spatial Eternity of Plato [and Christianised Plato] with the Jewish 'everlasting' in time and beyond time. What space is for Greeks, time is for Jews.
I find this to be a philosophically deeply flawed article. It cannot be true what is said here because it contradicts reason. If angels are intelligent beings then they obviously can multitask. Intelligence implies self-reflection and self-reflection is only possible if one's object of thought is universal. Intelligence also implies free will and moral consciousness, because intellectual knowledge implies the free affirmation of truth
Also, it is an absurd thought to assume that some angels cease to exist after having performed their task. Intelligent beings have a sense of the first cause and the ultimate end-goal of their existence, which is G-d. This is part of their make-up, and it would be absurd that they cannot attain their ultimate end-goal. This would mean that these angels would live in despair.
God's RobotsI have heard it said that angels are "God's robots". It has long been assumed that angels lack free will.
Some angels come and go with different names and different tasks. Only a few have permanent names and continue to exist in their present form. This is explained in the Kabbalah. See if you can find The Sefer Yetzirah by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan.
Angels do not have a free will.
Perhaps because only Man was created in G-d's image and not the Angels, we cannot fully understand their nature? Are you applying human attributes, nature and definitions to Angels?
Perhaps the uniqueness of all the parts of creation in the seemingly paradoxical opposing aspects of creation and nature result in an entire system that is beyond our complete comprehension; yet works as a material and spiritual 'ecosystem'.
Actually in Homeric Greek, 'angelos' just means a messenger, and 'arche' means the 'first form' of something, the exemplary model for all versions of it. Plato uses arche-type of the Good, the Beautiful, the True, in this sense. Maybe at a stretch= 'the most excellent or ideal form' of something significant to the whole kosmos of being.. Jung borrows archetype for the unconscious psyche, but in Plato, it occupies an idealised, perfect 'place' above everything else. A super consciousness, perhaps we could say. Jews should not confuse a spatial Eternity of Plato [and Christianised Plato] with the Jewish 'everlasting' in time and beyond time. What space is for Greeks, time is for Jews.
Different names to refer to angelsIn the words of Maimonides (Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah 2:7):
The different names with which the angels are called reflect their [spiritual] levels. Thus, they are called: 1) The holy chayyot, who are above all the others; 2) the ofanim; 3) the er'elim; 4) the chashmalim; 5) the serafim; 6) the mal'achim;7) the elohim;
8) the sons of the elohim; 9) the keruvim; 10) the ishim.
These ten names which are used to refer to the angels reflect their ten [different spiritual] levels...."
The different names with which the angels are called reflect their [spiritual] levels. Thus, they are called: 1) The holy chayyot, who are above all the others; 2) the ofanim; 3) the er'elim; 4) the chashmalim; 5) the serafim; 6) the mal'achim;7) the elohim;
8) the sons of the elohim; 9) the keruvim; 10) the ishim.
These ten names which are used to refer to the angels reflect their ten [different spiritual] levels...."
Your guardian angel is a special angel assigned to look after you personally during your life. Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastrianism include belief in guardian angels. A lady claims when she was upset and stressed out she had an apparition in the middle of the night. No it couldn't be a dream, lucid dream, hallucination, sleep paralysis, overactive imagination, or fiction dressed up as fact - or, for that matter, some spirit or lowercase-g god or something yet more obscure originating from one of the world's massive number of religions that don't include angels and have just about as much credibility as the ones that do. It had to be her guardian angel. Anecdotal evidence like that abounds but somehow proof is lacking
That the archangels command hosts and that they or their compeers and hosts cannot multitask is novel.Where do we get such views?
Actually in Homeric Greek, 'angelos' just means a messenger, and 'arche' means the 'first form' of something, the exemplary model for all versions of it. Plato uses arche-type of the Good, the Beautiful, the True, in this sense. Maybe at a stretch= 'the most excellent or ideal form' of something significant to the whole kosmos of being.. Jung borrows archetype for the unconscious psyche, but in Plato, it occupies an idealised, perfect 'place' above everything else. A super consciousness, perhaps we could say. Jews should not confuse a spatial Eternity of Plato [and Christianised Plato] with the Jewish 'everlasting' in time and beyond time. What space is for Greeks, time is for Jews.
Am wrong in assuming that Torah was given by G-d to the Jews to remedy duality,attaining the perfected state through practice of the mitzvahs ,and is the fragmenting of the light through the process of Tzimtzum originally a result of our inability to bear the light undiluted as it were?The 10 orders of angels were messengers along the evolving path of our attainment of g-dhood . the equivalent of the unity of G-d. In the tehillim, I cannot recall the apothegm "ye are gods" (in his image and likeness?
