The Ishim (
Heb. אִישִׁים, ''ʾĪšīm;'' lit. ''Men'' by an unusual plural via Prov. 8:4, cf. אנשים) are the lowest tier of
angels in the
cosmology of
Maimonides. "These", writes Maimonides, "are the angels which speak with the
prophets and appear to them in visions. They are called Men because their tier is almost within reach of the human mind". The Ishim later appear 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 ...
, which copied this term from Maimonides.
Samuel ibn Tibbon speculated that the term "ishim" has a lost Talmudic origin. Reuven Rappaport suggested
Midrash Proverbs to 8:4, which contrasts two terms for men, ''ishim'' and ''bene adam'', understanding ''ishim'' as more complementary, and writes "O men
'ishim''I call to you -- If you are good and follow the Law, you are called men
'ishim''like the attending angels." This reflects several Biblical references to angels in human guise (according to Rabbinic tradition) always as ''ish'' or ''anashim'' and never as ''bene adam'': Dan. 9:21, "And while I was praying the man
'ish''Gabriel . . .", Gen. 18:2ff., "And he raised his eyes and saw three men
'anashim''standing . . .", Gen. 32:25, "And the man
'ish''wrestled with him until dawn came", and Gen. 37:15, "And a man
'ish''found him wandering in the field . . ."
[RSHI ad loc.]
References
Angels in Islam
Angels in Judaism
Classes of angels
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