Friday, March 09, 2007
JEWISH ANGELS
At the Jewish Heritage Online Magazine website there is an article on "Angels" that presents an understanding of these beings which is much closer to the Catholic concept than what I found in the Cabala.
Here the angels praise God and minister to man. Here are guardian angels. Here Rabbis reject worship of angels. Here are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and a fallen angel who is not named Satan, but who sounds very similar. There is some divergence. Man is said to be superior to the angels, unlike the case in Catholic cosmology. Here there is a reference to an "elaborate demonology." On the whole, however, these angels sound familiar.
Another article in the magazine website describes the amulets and invocations dedicated to the angels for protection in pregnancy. The word "magic" is applied in several places here, and names of angels are extended to Shamriel, Starbiel, Gastrakhiel, Sandalphon.
One could almost read in this section a description of the Catholic practice of wearing medals.
