Erelim (, ''ʾErʾellīm''; sing. אֶרְאֵל, ''ʾErʾēl''; “valiant ones”), is a class of angel whose existence is derived from a verse in the book of Isaiah
regarding the impending invasion of
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
by
Sennacherib during the reign of
King Hezekiah
Hezekiah (; hbo, , Ḥīzqīyyahū), or Ezekias); grc, Ἐζεκίας 'Ezekías; la, Ezechias; also transliterated as or ; meaning "Yah shall strengthen" (born , sole ruler ), was the son of Ahaz and the 13th king of Judah according to th ...
.
While the erelim are ascribed numerous functions in Jewish and
Kabbalistic
Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...
texts and literature, they most often appear to be associated with moments of death and national tragedy.
They appear in multiple angelic hierarchies, ranking first among the ten orders of angels in the
Berit Menuchah
''Berit Menuchah'' (Hebrew: ''ספר ברית מנוחה'') (also ''Berit Menuḥah'', ''Berith Menuḥa'', or ''Brit Menucha'') is a practical Kabbalah work written in the 14th century, by Rabbi Abraham ben Isaac of Granada. It consists of a syst ...
,
second in the
Zohar
The ''Zohar'' ( he, , ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five ...
,
third by
Maimonides
Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
,
[{{Cite web, last=Maimon, first=Salomon, title=Yesodei haTorah, url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/904962/jewish/Yesodei-haTorah-Chapter-Two.htm, website=Chabad] and tenth in the
Maseket Azilut.
See also
*
Angels in Judaism
In Judaism, angels ( he, ''mal’āḵ'', plural: ''mal’āḵīm'', literally "messenger") are supernatural beings that appear throughout the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), rabbinic literature, Jewish apocrypha, apocrypha and List of Old Testament p ...
*
Jewish angelic hierarchy
References
External links
Sefaria*
Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism'
Dictionary of Angels Angels in Judaism
Classes of angels