A: Consider carefully the developmental pathways of the three test cases. First you have Judaism. It began as a widespread cult of comet/storm god worship. It was reformulated to meet the needs of a dispossessed people and encourage solidarity among them.
Summary
In this post, I will try to find traces of "It began as a widespread cult of comet/storm god worship." It became clear that there were a lot of storm gods in the area. It turns out the essence of angels in Judaism often are associated with fire. For short points summing up the names of possible storm/comet associated angels and their characteristics scroll down to the end.
It may take more analysis to argue the second point that "It was reformulated to meet the needs of a dispossessed people and encourage solidarity among them." and I did not try very hard, especially the "reformulated" part. One could perhaps mention the role two-three angels served as explainers, or that the overall content of the Hebrew Bible points in that direction of offering guidance and ensuring cohesion and control of a people, as evident when one reads the
Pentateuch.
Looking for weather gods in the ancient world
Under:
Weather God there is a lot to choose from. People of the ancient world travelled. They could be traders or officials, but it was at a slow pace. Therefore, those who travelled must have had and some knowledge about languages and customs among the people they met. It is not surprising that many of the gods in the ancient world had similar attributes, even if they went under different names.
Storm gods in the ancient Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean
Canaanite
- Ba'al, Canaanite god of fertility, weather, and war.
- Hadad, the Canaanite and Carthaginian storm, fertility, & war god. Identified as Baʿal's true name at Ugarit.
Egyptian
Hebrew
Mesopotamian
- Adad, the Assyrian storm god
- Marduk, Babylonian god of water, vegetation, judgment, and magic.
Greco-Roman
- Aeolus (son of Hippotes), keeper of the winds in the Odyssey
- Anemoi, collective name for the gods of the winds in Greek mythology, their number varies from 4 to more
- Jupiter, the Romanthunder/lightning and sky god and king of the gods
- Tempestas, Roman goddess of storms or sudden weather. Commonly referred to in the plural, Tempestates.
- Zeus, Greekthunder/lightning and sky god and king of the gods
They must have had some pretty severe weather occasionally to merit so many names for storm gods. Under Hebrew, the Wiki editor wrote: "
Unnamed lesser elohim" Can we get that any closer? It turned out to be a
Pandora's box of possibilities. In a specialized Wiki on the subject of
Angles in Judaism, one finds, that
the essence of an angel is often associated with fire. For more details, a lot of excerpts are needed, at least if one would later like to revisit the topic and would not like to start all over.
In Judaism, angels (
Hebrew: מַלְאָךְ
mal’akh, plural: מלאכים
mal’akhim)
are supernatural beings that appear throughout the
Tanakh (
Hebrew Bible),
rabbinic literature,
apocrypha and
pseudepigrapha, and traditional
Jewish liturgy as agents of the
God of Israel. They are categorized in
different hierarchies. Their essence is often associated with fire. The
Talmud describes their very essence as fire.
[1]
One does wonder what came first, the idea of one god above others, or there being a variety, that were later fitted into the one god covers all. The sm
The morphological structure of the word
mal’akh suggests that it is the
maqtal form of the root denoting
the tool or the means of performing it.[4] 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 related to the words for "angel" in Arabic (malak ملاك), Aramaic and Ethiopic.
The figure of "the angel of the LORD" (Heb. מלאך יהוה;
mal’akh YHVH) has been perceived by generations of exegetes and interpreters as obscure and perplexing. Almost every appearance of this figure in the
Tanakh complies to the following pattern:
- The narration introduces the angel of the LORD;
- He behaves as if he were a deity, e.g. promising fertility (Genesis 21:18), annihilating an army with a single blow (e.g. 2 Kings 19:32-36), or merely delivering a speech in which the angel presents himself as God (e.g. Exodus 3:2-4);
- The interlocutors of this figure address and revere him in a way reserved exclusively to a deity.
As such, the incident
leaves the reader with the question whether it was an angel or a deity who had just appeared.[5]
Under the heading "In the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)", one finds "
Angels as teachers in Jewish apocalyptic literature":
Angels in the roles of teachers become especially important in Jewish apocalyptic literature, in such books as
Daniel, Zechariah, and 4 Ezra, which
feature enigmatic and terrifying prophetic visions experienced by unknowing humans who need heavenly guidance to understand what they have witnessed; no longer does prophecy come with full or immediate understanding.
[12] Rather, a type of commentary or explanation of the vision is provided through the figure of
an interpreting angel, whose teachings dispel the ignorance of the prophet and allow him to better understand, and thus better propagate, the knowledge of the end times that his vision contains.[13]
Such knowledge of the apocalypse had both heavenly and earthly implications, and
assumed a great deal of importance to the oppressed people of Israel at the time, who needed explanations for why God would let them go through so much hardship; thus, the knowledge was “good.”
[14] Because of the bizarre features of the visions contained in such apocalyptic literature, interpreting angels assume the roles of teachers rather than just messengers; instead of just conveying information, they must explain it.
[13]
As teachers, they convey the full might and authority of heaven, while being able to comfort their distressed human charges in a more relatable way than if the prophets were directly spoken to by God. Thus, angels as teachers function as relatable interpreters and testaments to God's power, while also increasing His transcendence.
[13] Most of all,
they were important in establishing human prophets in their proper role as comforters, with “good” knowledge, to the people of Israel.
In 4 Ezra, the interpreting or teaching angel is
Uriel. When Ezra expresses his distress about issues that would be similarly preoccupying Jews of his time—namely, why God would allow His chosen people to suffer under the oppression of the Gentiles—
Uriel is sent from heaven by God to help relieve his ignorance. [...]
[13]
In Daniel, angels also assume the roles of interpreters and teachers, notably in their abilities to explain visions concerning the eschaton, and help human prophets unknot knowledge from it. In Daniel, it is the archangel
Gabriel who is sent down from heaven by God to explain Daniel's perplexing visions and help relieve some of his distress (Daniel 8:16-17). In Daniel 7-12, the good knowledge that is transmitted to Daniel and thus to the rest of the population, is that
the earthly events that have been so oppressing the Jewish people are being mirrored in heaven, and that justice will eventually reign in the form of a final battle pitting the armies of heaven against evil forces, which will be vanquished.
[15]
Much more about angels some names and functions
Here are some quotes that move closer to what this realm of angels, the first is from the same article about
Angles in Judaism.
In rabbinic literature
As a
subcategory of heavenly beings, mal’akim occupy the sixth rank of ten in Maimonides' Jewish angelic hierarchy.
Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael
The
Talmud names four angels who would later be known as
archangels, surrounding God's throne:
As the Holy One blessed be He created four winds (directions) and four banners (for Israel's army), so also did He make four angels to surround His Throne—
Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael. Michael is on its right, corresponding to the tribe of Reuben; Uriel on its left, corresponding to the tribe of Dan, which was located in the north; Gabriel in front, corresponding to the tribe of Judah as well as Moses and Aaron who were in the east; and Raphael in the rear, corresponding to the tribe of Ephraim which was in the west.
[16]
The "the sixth rank of ten in
Maimonides' Jewish angelic hierarchy." refers to a text of
Moses ben Maimon,
[note 1] (1138–1204) who "in his
Mishneh Torah, counted ten ranks of
angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest:
[17][18][19][20]" And they are: 1.
Chayoth Ha Kadesh[21]; 2.
Ophanim 3.
Erelim 4.
Hashmallim 5.
Seraphim 6.
Malakim, Messengers, angels 7.
Elohim"
Godly beings" 8.
Bene Elohim"
Sons of Godly beings" 9.
Cherubim 10.
Ishim"manlike beings".
This list is similar as far as the names goes to what is mostly found in the Jewish Kabbalah literature, see
Angels in Judaism.
Below are excerpts about all the terms, as far as possible and beginning with
1.
Chayoth Ha Kadesh which leads to a Wiki on
Living creatures (Bible):
Ezekiel's vision of the four living creatures in
Ezekiel chapter 1 are identified as
cherubim in
chapter 10[1] who are God's throne bearers.
[2] Cherubim as minor
guardian deities[3] of temple or palace thresholds are known all over the
Ancient East. Each of Ezekiel's cherubim have four faces, that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle.
[2] However, their human shape appearances set them apart from the
griffin-like cherubs and
lamassu of
Babylonia and
Assyria. In their ability to move, Ezekiel's cherubim do not need to turn, since they face all compass points simultaneously.
[1] This description of movement differs from the
seraphim in Isaiah's vision (
Isaiah 6:2) who have an extra set of wings for their ability to fly.
[4]
Revelation's four living beings
In
Revelation 4:6–8, four living beings (Greek: ζῷον,
zōion)
[5] are seen in John's vision.
These appear as a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, much as in Ezekiel but in a different order. They have six wings, whereas Ezekiel's four living creatures are described as only having four.
[5] In verse 6, they are said to have "eyes all over, front and back", suggesting that they are
alert and knowledgeable, that nothing escapes their notice.
[5] The description parallels
the wheels that are beside the living creatures in Ezekiel 1.18; 10.12, which are said to be "full of eyes all around".
The Hebrew word for "wheel" (ôpannîm) was also used in later Jewish literature to indicate a member of the angelic orders (1 Enoch 71.7; 3 Enoch 1.8; 7.1; 25.5-6, etc.). In this passage in Revelation, the four beasts surround "the one" on the red throne (which is of ruby and sardius), which is contrasted with the white throne in
Daniel 7:9 and
Revelation 20:11–15.
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Metatron is the archangel in this host. There are various opinions about the meaning of the name. Interesting that a wheel is related to a member of an angelic order.
2.
Ophanim:
The
ophanim or
ofanim (
Heb. "wheels" ōphannīm אוֹפַנִּים; singular: ōphān, ofan אוֹפָן), also called
galgalim (galgallim
"spheres", "wheels", "whirlwinds" גַּלְגַּלִּים; singular: galgal, גַּלְגַּל), refer to the wheels seen in
Ezekiel's vision of the chariot (Hebrew
merkabah) in
Ezekiel 1:15–21. One of the
Dead Sea scrolls (4Q405) construes them as angels; late sections of the
Book of Enoch (61:10, 71:7) portray them as a class of
celestial beings who (along with the
Cherubim and
Seraphim) never sleep, but guard the throne of
God.
These "wheels" have been associated with
Daniel 7:9 (mentioned as
galgal, traditionally "the wheels of galgallin", in
"fiery flame" and "burning fire") of the four, eye-covered wheels (each composed of two nested wheels), that move next to the winged Cherubim, beneath the throne of God. The four wheels move with the Cherubim because the
spirit of the Cherubim is in them. The late
Second Book of Enoch (20:1, 21:1) also referred to them as the "
many-eyed ones".
The
First Book of Enoch (71.7) seems to imply that the Ophanim are equated to the "
Thrones" in Christianity when it lists them all together, in order: "...round about were Seraphim, Cherubim, and Ophannin".
[1]
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Raziel is the archangel in this host. He is the "Keeper of Secrets" and the "Angel of Mysteries".
3. Regarding the
Erelim one reads they are associated with death and national destruction, whether associated with natural or man-made upheaval.
Erelim (
Hebrew: אֶרְאֶלִּים, from
erelam,
Hebrew: אֶרְאֶלָּ֔ם, “valiant ones”), is a class of angel whose existence is derived from a verse in the book of Isaiah
[1][2][3][4] regarding the impending invasion of
Jerusalem by
Sennacherib during the reign of
King Hezekiah.
[2]
While the erelim are ascribed numerous functions in Jewish and
Kabbalistic texts and literature, they most
often appear to be associated with moments of death and national tragedy.[3][2] They appear in multiple angelic hierarchies, ranking first among the ten orders of angels in the
Berit Menuchah,
[5] second in the
Zohar,
[3][5] third by
Maimonides,
[3][5][6][7][8] and tenth in the
Maseket Azilut.
[4]
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Zaphkiel is the archangel of this host. The name means God's knowledge.
4.
Hashmallim seem to fit with angels associated with storm and notice that the word "hashmal" has become the modern Hebrew equivalent of electricity.
The Hashmallim (חַשְׁמַלִּים
chashmalim; sing. Hashmal, חַשְׁמַל
chashmal) are
angelic entities in Judaism.[1]
The word
hashmal appears in the
Hebrew Bible in
Ezekiel 1:4:
I saw, and behold, there was
a stormy wind coming from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and a brilliance surrounding it; and from its midst, like the color of the Hashmal [often translated electrum] from the midst of the fire, and in its midst there was the likeness of four Chayot חיות (living creatures).
Hashmallim occupy the fourth rank of ten in
Maimonides's exposition of the
Jewish angelic hierarchy.
The
Septuagint translates "hashmal" to ηλεκτρον (
elektron), which means "amber" in English.
Francis Bacon coined the English word "electricity" to describe the static electric effect of rubbing amber with cloth.
Later, "hashmal" became the modern Hebrew word that translates to the English word "electricity." Jewish poet
Judah Leib Gordon coined the modern Hebrew word, in his 1878 collection
Gabashta.
[2]
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Zadkiel is the archangel of this host. He has the attributes of freedom, benevolence and mercy.
5.
Seraphim which with the meaning of "the burning one" fits well with what a blazing comet would do.
A
seraph (
/ˈsɛrəf/,
"the burning one";
/ˈsɛrəfɪm/, in the
King James Version also
seraphims (plural);
Hebrew: שָׂרָף (
śārāf [saːraːf]), plural שְׂרָפִים (
śərāfîm [səraːfim]);
Latin:
seraphim, plural
seraphin (also
seraphus (-i, m.));
[1] Greek: σεραφείμ (
serapheím);
Arabic: مشرفين (
musharifin)
[2] is a type of celestial or
heavenly being originating in
Ancient Judaism. The term plays a role in subsequent
Judaism,
Christianity, and
Islam.
[3] The singular "seraph" is a
back-formation from the Hebrew plural-form
'seraphim', whereas in Hebrew the singular is
'saraph'.
[4]
Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in
Christian angelology and in the fifth rank of ten in the
Jewish angelic hierarchy. A seminal passage in the
Book of Isaiah (
Isaiah 6:1–8) used the term to describe six-winged beings that fly around the
Throne of God crying "
holy, holy, holy". This throne scene, with its triple invocation of holiness, profoundly influenced subsequent
theology, literature and art. Its influence is frequently seen in works depicting angels, heaven and
apotheosis. Seraphim are mentioned as celestial beings in an influential
Hellenistic work, the
Book of Enoch, and the
Book of Revelation.
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Camael is the archangel of this host. He has the attributes of strength, courage and war.
6.
Malakim leads back to
Angels in Judaism but the
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Raphael is the archangel of this host. He is associated with healing. One example of this function can be found in the
Book of Tobit.
7.
Elohim has:
In the
Hebrew Bible,
elohim (
Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים
[(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]) usually refers to a single deity,
[1][2][3][4] particularly (but not always) the
God of Israel.
[1][2][3][4][5][6] At other times it refers to
deities in the plural.
[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The word is the
plural form of the word
eloah[1][2][4][7][8][9] and related to
el. It is
cognate to the word
'l-h-m which is found in
Ugaritic, where
it is used as the pantheon for Canaanite gods, the children of El, and conventionally vocalized as "Elohim". Most uses of the term
Elohim in the later Hebrew text imply a view that is at least
monolatrist at the time of writing, and such usage (in the singular), as a proper title for the supreme deity, is generally not considered to be synonymous with the term
elohim, "gods" (plural, simple noun). Rabbinic scholar
Maimonides wrote that the various other usages are
commonly understood to be homonyms.[10]
The notion of divinity underwent radical changes in the early period of
Israelite identity and development of
Ancient Hebrew religion.
The ambiguity of the term elohim is the result of such changes, cast in terms of "vertical translatability", i.e. the re-interpretation of the gods of the earliest recalled period as the national god of monolatrism as it emerged in the 7th to 6th century BCE in the
Kingdom of Judah and during the
Babylonian captivity, and further in terms of
monotheism by the emergence of
Rabbinical Judaism in the 2nd century CE.
[11]
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Haniel is the archangel of this host, associated with Venus, joy and pleasure.
8.
Bene Elohim leads to
Sons of God:
Sons of God (
Hebrew: בני האלהים,
romanized:
bənê haĕlōhîm,
[1] literally: "sons of the gods"
[2]) is a phrase used in the
Hebrew Bible and in
Christian Apocrypha. The phrase is also used in
Kabbalah where
bene elohim are part of different
Jewish angelic hierarchies.
Which has:
Genesis 6
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
- Genesis 6:1 KJV.
And further down there are references to Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7, Deuteronomy 32:8, Psalms 29:1, 82:6, 89:6 and Daniel 3:25. The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Michael is the leader of this host. The Wiki on
Michael mentions:
Sanctuaries to Michael were built by Christians in the 4th century, when he was first seen as a healing angel. Over time his role became one of a protector and the leader of the army of God against the forces of evil.
9.
Cherubim
A
cherub (
/ˈtʃɛrəb/;
[1] plural
cherubim;
Hebrew: כְּרוּב
kərūv, pl. כְּרוּבִים
kərūvîm) is one of the unearthly beings who directly attend to
God, according to Abrahamic religions. The numerous depictions of cherubim assign to them many different roles, such as protecting the entrance of the
Garden of Eden.
[2]
In
Jewish angelic hierarchy, cherubim have the ninth (second-lowest) rank in
Maimonides'
Mishneh Torah (12th century), and the third rank in Kabbalistic works such as
Berit Menuchah (14th century).
De Coelesti Hierarchia places them in the highest rank alongside
Seraphim and
Thrones.
[3]
In the Book of Ezekiel and (at least some) Christian icons, the cherub is depicted as having two pairs of wings, and four faces: that of a
lion (representative of all
wild animals), an
ox (
domestic animals), a
human (humanity), and an
eagle (
birds).
[4] Their legs were straight, the soles of their feet like the hooves of a bull, gleaming like polished brass. Later tradition ascribes to them a variety of physical appearances.
[4]
And further down under Judaism:
In rabbinic literature, the two
cherubim are described as being human-like figures with wings, one a boy and the other a girl, placed on the opposite ends of the
Mercy seat in the inner-sanctum of God's house.
[23] Solomon's Temple was decorated with Cherubs according to 1 Kings 6, and
Aḥa bar Ya’akov claimed this was true of the
Second Temple as well.
[24]
[...]
Maimonides says that
the figures of the cherubim were placed in the sanctuary only to preserve among the people the belief in angels, there being two in order that the people might not be led to believe that they were the image of God.
[25]
Having read Genesis, I had been wondering about these cherubims, but it is at any rate not easy to connect them to anything about storm or comets, although one also could look at the attributes of the archangel. The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Gabriel is the leader of this host. The Wiki about Gabriel mentions that the meaning of the name is 'God is my Strength' and adds: "Alongside archangel
Michael, Gabriel is described as the
guardian angel of Israel, defending its people against the angels of the other nations.
[6]"
10.
Ishim
The
Ishim or
Eshim are a class of
angels said to be the closest to the affairs of mortals. The Ishim are also comparable with the
Erelim or the
Bene Elim/Bene Elohim. [...]
In
Judaism, the
Ishim (
Heb. אִישִׁים - "men", "personages", "personalities", "individuals") or
Eshim (אֵשִׁים -
"fires", "flames", "sparks", "conflagrations") are a class of
angels said to be the closest to the affairs of mortals.[
citation needed] They are composed of fire and snow, and are described as the "beautiful souls of just men" who reside in
Makon, the
5th Heaven.[
citation needed]
The
Portuguese Wiki claims that
Sandalphon is the leader of this host. The Wiki about him has: "He is said to appear before the feminine presence of the
Shekhinah[1] and to receive human prayers and send them to
God."
There are other angels, among them Nuriel, Jehuel, Samael and Lailah.
A.
Nuriel
Nuriel, an
angel in
Jewish mythology, translates as
"Fire of the Lord" and is the angel
responsible for hailstorms.[1]
In Jewish legend, Moses encountered Nuriel in the 2nd heaven,
[2] when he issues from the side of Chesed (Mercy), Nuriel manifests in the form of an eagle,
[3] an eagle that, when issuing from the side of Geburah (Strength), is Uriel.
According to the
Zohar, Nuriel governs
Virgo.
[4] He is 300
parasangs (approx. 5.6 km) tall and has an army of 50
myriads of angels (= 500,000) "all fashioned out of water and fire."
[5] The height of Nuriel is exceeded only by the
Erelim, by the watchers, by Af and Hemah, and of course by
Metatron, who is the tallest hierarch in heaven. Nuriel is also effective as a charm for warding off evil. His name is found engraved on
oriental and
Hebrew amulets, notably those worn by pregnant women.
[6]
Outside of Judaism, in the
Syriac Book of Protection, Nuriel is characterized as a "spellbinding power" and is grouped with
Michael,
Shamsiel,
Seraphiel, and other great angels.
[7] In gnostic lore, Nuriel is one of seven subordinates to Jehuel, prince of fire.[4]
B.
Jehuel
Yahoel or
Jehoel (
Hebrew יהואל, also spelled Jehoel in some English texts, and Yaoel in French sources) is the name of an angel appearing in the
Old Church Slavonic manuscripts of the
Apocalypse of Abraham, a
pseudepigraphical work dating from after the
Siege of Jerusalem (70).
[1] He is an associate of
Michael (Apoc.Abr.10:17) charged to restrain
Leviathan and destroy idolaters (10:10-14).
[2]
Another later pseudepigraphical rabbinical work ascribed to
Ishmael ben Elisha, Hebrew
3 Enoch 48d, gives
Yahoel as one of the 70 names of
Metatron, which makes sense in light of the character and role of Yahoel in the Apocalypse of Abraham.
[3]
In the 13th Century
kabbalistic Berith Menucha of
Abraham Merimon of Granada Yahoel is the angel over fire.
If Jehuel is the angel over fire, then one might think of fire in the sky, but it could also just be a household fire. Charged to restrain Leviathan indicates a recognition of existence. The
Wiki has:
Leviathan (
/lɪˈvaɪ.əθən/; לִוְיָתָן,
Līvəyāṯān) is a mythical creature with the form of a
sea serpent in
Judaism. It is referenced in several books of the
Hebrew Bible, including
Psalms, the
Book of Job, the
Book of Isaiah, and the
Book of Amos; it is also mentioned in the apocryphal
Book of Enoch.
The Leviathan of the Book of Job is a reflection of the older Canaanite Lotan, a primeval monster defeated by the god Baal Hadad. Parallels to the role of Mesopotamian
Tiamat defeated by
Marduk have long been drawn in
comparative mythology, as have been wider comparisons to
dragon and
world serpent narratives such as
Indra slaying
Vrtra or
Thor slaying
Jörmungandr.
[1]
And there is further down:
Later Jewish sources describe Leviathan as a
dragon who lives over the sources of the
Deep and who, along with the male land-monster
Behemoth, will be served up to the righteous at the end of time. The
Book of Enoch (60:7–9) describes Leviathan as a female monster dwelling in the watery abyss (as
Tiamat), while
Behemoth is a male monster living in the desert of Dunaydin ("east of Eden").
[10]
When the Jewish
midrash (explanations of the Tanakh) were being composed, it was held that God originally produced a male and a female leviathan, but lest in multiplying the species should destroy the world, he slew the female, reserving her flesh for the banquet that will be given to the righteous on the advent of the
Messiah.
[20][21]
Does this conflict between Jehuel and Leviathan carry a meaning of past global cataclysms? Conflicts between objects in the sky and the sea?
The next one could also be understood to be related to destruction.
C.
Samael
Samael (
Hebrew: סַמָּאֵל,
Sammāʾēl, 'Venom of God, Poison of God'
[1] or 'Blindness of God';
Arabic: سمسمائيل,
Samsama'il or سمائل,
Samail; alternatively
Smil,
Samil, or
Samiel)
[2][3][4] is an
archangel in
Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore; a figure who is the accuser (Ha-Satan),
seducer, and
destroyer (
Mashhit).
Interestingly one also finds:
He is considered in Talmudic texts to be a member of the heavenly host with often grim and destructive duties. One of Samael's greatest roles in Jewish lore is that of the main
angel of death and the head of
satans. Although he condones the sins of man, he remains one of God's servants. He appears frequently in the story of
Garden of Eden and engineered the
fall of Adam and Eve with a snake in writings during the
Second Temple period.
[5] However, the serpent is not a form of Samael, but a beast he rode like a
camel.
[8] In a single account he is also believed to be the father of
Cain,
[6][9] as well as the partner of
Lilith.
As
guardian angel and prince of
Rome,
he is the archenemy of Israel. By the beginning of
Jewish culture in Europe, Samael had been established as a representative of
Christianity, due to his identification with Rome.
[10][7]:263
Samael is related to
Azazel a goat demon.
The very last one is different and more for the sake of curiosity and to show that angels associated with Judaism, at least in some interpretations, can take many forms:
D.
Lailah:
The name
Lailah is the same as the Hebrew word for "night"
laylah לילה. The
identification of the word "night" as the name of an angel originates with the interpretation of "Rabbi Yochanan" (possibly
Yochanan ben Zakkai c. 30 - 90 CE) who read "At night [Abraham] and his servants deployed against them and defeated them” (JPS Genesis 14.14) as "by [an angel called] night" (Sanhedrin 96a).
The noun for "night" in the
Semitic languages is derived from the
tri-consonantal root:
L-
Y-
L, also found in Arabic
laylah "
night" (
Arabic: ليلى). The root is also shared with the
Hebrew noun
liliyt, "night creature", one origin of the
Lilith myth.
[1]
The ending
lah is a feminine.
Lailah is the only angel with a feminine name and distinctly feminine characteristics.[2]
Being only an angel, Lailah is not on the
Wiki list of night deities, and one would then remind oneself that the storm angels are not storm gods.
Summary of the search results inspired by "It began as a widespread cult of comet/storm god worship"
Storm gods were common among the people in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean in which the early Jews lived. The description of several angels indicate a relation with storm, fire and destruction. Here are some candidates:
2. Ophanim:
"spheres", "wheels", "whirlwinds"[..]
These "wheels" have been associated with
Daniel 7:9 (mentioned as
galgal, traditionally "the wheels of galgallin", in
"fiery flame" and "burning fire")"
3. Erelim: "are ascribed numerous functions in Jewish and
Kabbalistic texts and literature, they most
often appear to be associated with moments of death and national tragedy.[3][2]"
4. Hashmallim: "
a stormy wind coming from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and a brilliance surrounding it; and from its midst, like the color of the Hashmal [often translated electrum] from the midst of the fire, and in its midst there was the likeness of four Chayot חיות (living creatures)."
5. Seraphim: A
seraph (
/ˈsɛrəf/,
"the burning one";
10. Ishim:
"fires", "flames", "sparks", "conflagrations"
A. Nuriel: "
Nuriel, an
angel in
Jewish mythology, translates as
"Fire of the Lord" and is the angel
responsible for hailstorms.[1]"
B. Jahuel: "
Yahoel is the angel over fire."
C. Samael: -
destroyer
One could always do more work on these topics, but for now, I feel confident to say about Judaism that: "
It began as a widespread cult of comet/storm god worship. It was reformulated to meet the needs of a dispossessed people and encourage solidarity among them." In fact, the huge number of storm gods and fire/sky gods in the larger geographical area indicate that it was only a part of the descendants of all the storm/comet god worshippers that having become dispossessed later responded to the reformulated storm/comet god movement. In many ways, it is not so different from what happens today, where people also respond differently to the various religious, economic and political pressures and opportunities.
And I am glad, the release and the walk helped you.
