Vayera: Angelic Ambiguity
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ShareThe role and ambiguity of angels in Tanakh and later rabbinic literature, with a focus on their roles in Parshat Vayera.
Questions to consider:
-What are some of the roles angels fulfill throughout Tanakh?
-What are the roles fulfilled by angels in this week's parsha? Is there any ambiguity?
-Do angels take physical bodies? To whom are they visible? Do they have any measure of free will? Are they "good"?
(א) וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יהוה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ב) וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃ (ג) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אדני אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר מֵעַ֥ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (ד) יֻקַּֽח־נָ֣א מְעַט־מַ֔יִם וְרַחֲצ֖וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ תַּ֥חַת הָעֵֽץ׃ (ה) וְאֶקְחָ֨ה פַת־לֶ֜חֶם וְסַעֲד֤וּ לִבְּכֶם֙ אַחַ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֔רוּ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן עֲבַרְתֶּ֖ם עַֽל־עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֵּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃ (ו) וַיְמַהֵ֧ר אַבְרָהָ֛ם הָאֹ֖הֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת ל֖וּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂ֥י עֻגֽוֹת׃ (ז) וְאֶל־הַבָּקָ֖ר רָ֣ץ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקַּ֨ח בֶּן־בָּקָ֜ר רַ֤ךְ וָטוֹב֙ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וַיְמַהֵ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹתֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַיִּקַּ֨ח חֶמְאָ֜ה וְחָלָ֗ב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהֽוּא־עֹמֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תַּ֥חַת הָעֵ֖ץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ (ט) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׄלָ֔יׄוׄ אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה בָאֹֽהֶל׃ (י) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וֹב אָשׁ֤וּב אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּעֵ֣ת חַיָּ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־בֵ֖ן לְשָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וְשָׂרָ֥ה שֹׁמַ֛עַת פֶּ֥תַח הָאֹ֖הֶל וְה֥וּא אַחֲרָֽיו׃ (יא) וְאַבְרָהָ֤ם וְשָׂרָה֙ זְקֵנִ֔ים בָּאִ֖ים בַּיָּמִ֑ים חָדַל֙ לִהְי֣וֹת לְשָׂרָ֔ה אֹ֖רַח כַּנָּשִֽׁים׃ (יב) וַתִּצְחַ֥ק שָׂרָ֖ה בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אַחֲרֵ֤י בְלֹתִי֙ הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֣י עֶדְנָ֔ה וַֽאדֹנִ֖י זָקֵֽן׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּה֩ צָחֲקָ֨ה שָׂרָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הַאַ֥ף אֻמְנָ֛ם אֵלֵ֖ד וַאֲנִ֥י זָקַֽנְתִּי׃ (יד) הֲיִפָּלֵ֥א מֵיהוה דָּבָ֑ר לַמּוֹעֵ֞ד אָשׁ֥וּב אֵלֶ֛יךָ כָּעֵ֥ת חַיָּ֖ה וּלְשָׂרָ֥ה בֵֽן׃ (טו) וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ שָׂרָ֧ה ׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר לֹ֥א צָחַ֖קְתִּי כִּ֣י ׀ יָרֵ֑אָה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ׀ לֹ֖א כִּ֥י צָחָֽקְתְּ׃ (טז) וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הֹלֵ֥ךְ עִמָּ֖ם לְשַׁלְּחָֽם׃ (יז) וַֽיהוה אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יהוה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יהוה עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יהוה זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (כא) אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃ (כב) וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה׃ (כג) וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ (כד) אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (כה) חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ .... (א) וַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הַמַּלְאָכִ֤ים סְדֹ֙מָה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְל֖וֹט יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־סְדֹ֑ם וַיַּרְא־לוֹט֙ וַיָּ֣קׇם לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֜אמֶר הִנֶּ֣ה נָּא־אדני ס֣וּרוּ נָ֠א אֶל־בֵּ֨ית עַבְדְּכֶ֤ם וְלִ֙ינוּ֙ וְרַחֲצ֣וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֣ם לְדַרְכְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֹּ֔א כִּ֥י בָרְח֖וֹב נָלִֽין׃ (ג) וַיִּפְצַר־בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ ... (י) וַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם וַיָּבִ֧יאוּ אֶת־ל֛וֹט אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וְאֶת־הַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגָֽרוּ׃ (יא) וְֽאֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּ֗יִת הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּלְא֖וּ לִמְצֹ֥א הַפָּֽתַח׃ (יב) וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֶל־ל֗וֹט עֹ֚ד מִֽי־לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה חָתָן֙ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ בָּעִ֑יר הוֹצֵ֖א מִן־הַמָּקֽוֹם׃ (יג) כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִתִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־גָדְלָ֤ה צַעֲקָתָם֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יהוה וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥נוּ יהוה לְשַׁחֲתָֽהּ׃ (יד) וַיֵּצֵ֨א ל֜וֹט וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־חֲתָנָ֣יו ׀ לֹקְחֵ֣י בְנֹתָ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ק֤וּמוּ צְּאוּ֙ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִ֥ית יהוה אֶת־הָעִ֑יר וַיְהִ֥י כִמְצַחֵ֖ק בְּעֵינֵ֥י חֲתָנָֽיו׃ (טו) וּכְמוֹ֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר עָלָ֔ה וַיָּאִ֥יצוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים בְּל֣וֹט לֵאמֹ֑ר קוּם֩ קַ֨ח אֶֽת־אִשְׁתְּךָ֜ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ הַנִּמְצָאֹ֔ת פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶ֖ה בַּעֲוֺ֥ן הָעִֽיר׃ (טז) וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ ׀ וַיַּחֲזִ֨יקוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֣וֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת יהוה עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר׃ (יז) וַיְהִי֩ כְהוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכׇל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה׃ (יח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹט אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַל־נָ֖א אדני׃ (יט) הִנֵּה־נָ֠א מָצָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֣ חֵן֮ בְּעֵינֶ֒יךָ֒ וַתַּגְדֵּ֣ל חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ עִמָּדִ֔י לְהַחֲי֖וֹת אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֑י וְאָנֹכִ֗י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט הָהָ֔רָה פֶּן־תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי הָרָעָ֖ה וָמַֽתִּי׃ (כ) הִנֵּה־נָ֠א הָעִ֨יר הַזֹּ֧את קְרֹבָ֛ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וְהִ֣וא מִצְעָ֑ר אִמָּלְטָ֨ה נָּ֜א שָׁ֗מָּה הֲלֹ֥א מִצְעָ֛ר הִ֖וא וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (כא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּה֙ נָשָׂ֣אתִי פָנֶ֔יךָ גַּ֖ם לַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה לְבִלְתִּ֛י הׇפְכִּ֥י אֶת־הָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃ (כב) מַהֵר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט שָׁ֔מָּה כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת דָּבָ֔ר עַד־בֹּאֲךָ֖ שָׁ֑מָּה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר צֽוֹעַר׃ (כג) הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ יָצָ֣א עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְל֖וֹט בָּ֥א צֹֽעֲרָה׃ (כד) וַֽיהוה הִמְטִ֧יר עַל־סְדֹ֛ם וְעַל־עֲמֹרָ֖ה גׇּפְרִ֣ית וָאֵ֑שׁ מֵאֵ֥ת יהוה מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (כה) וַֽיַּהֲפֹךְ֙ אֶת־הֶעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת כׇּל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הֶעָרִ֔ים וְצֶ֖מַח הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
(1) יהוה appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. (2) Looking up, he saw three figures/men standing near him. Perceiving this, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground, (3) he said, “My lords! If it please you, do not go on past your servant. (4) Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree. (5) And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves; then go on—seeing that you have come your servant’s way.” They replied, “Do as you have said.” (6) Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, three seahs of choice flour! Knead and make cakes!” (7) Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant-boy, who hastened to prepare it. (8) He took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and set these before them; and he waited on them under the tree as they ate. (9) They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he replied, “There, in the tent.” (10) Then one said, “I will return to you next year, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him. (11) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; Sarah had stopped having her periods. (12) And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Now that I’ve lost the ability, am I to have enjoyment—with my husband so old?” (13) Then יהוה said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am?’ (14) Is anything too wondrous for יהוה ? I will return to you at the same season next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (15) Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened. Came the reply, “You did laugh.” (16) The agents set out from there and looked down toward Sodom, Abraham walking with them to see them off. (17) Now יהוה had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, (18) since Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? (19) For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of יהוה by doing what is just and right, in order that יהוה may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him.” (20) Then יהוה said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave! (21) I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.” (22) The agents went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before יהוה. (23) Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? (24) What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it? (25) Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”....
(1) The two messengers arrived in Sodom in the evening, as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to greet them and, bowing low with his face to the ground, (2) he said, “Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant’s house to spend the night, and bathe your feet; then you may be on your way early.” But they said, “No, we will spend the night in the square.” (3) But he urged them strongly, so they turned his way and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate....(10) But the agents stretched out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. (11) And the people who were at the entrance of the house, low and high alike, they struck with blinding light, so that they were helpless to find the entrance. (12) Then the agents said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? Sons-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else that you have in the city—bring them out of the place. (13) For we are about to destroy this place; because the outcry against them before יהוה has become so great that יהוה has sent us to destroy it.” (14) So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for יהוה is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law as one who jests. (15) As dawn broke, the messengers urged Lot on, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two remaining daughters, lest you be swept away because of the iniquity of the city.” (16) Still he delayed. So the agents seized his hand, and the hands of his wife and his two daughters—in יהוה’s mercy on him—and brought him out and left him outside the city. (17) When they had brought them outside, one said, “Flee for your life! Do not look behind you, nor stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, lest you be swept away.” (18) But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lord! (19) You have been so gracious to your servant, and have already shown me so much kindness in order to save my life; but I cannot flee to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. (20) Look, that town there is near enough to flee to; it is such a little place! Let me flee there—it is such a little place—and let my life be saved.” (21) He replied, “Very well, I will grant you this favor too, and I will not annihilate the town of which you have spoken. (22) Hurry, flee there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Hence the town came to be called Zoar. (23) As the sun rose upon the earth and Lot entered Zoar, (24) יהוה rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from יהוה out of heaven— (25) annihilating those cities and the entire Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation of the ground.
והנה שלשה אנשים. אֶחָד לְבַשֵּׂר אֶת שָׂרָה וְאֶחָד לַהֲפֹךְ אֶת סְדוֹם וְאֶחָד לְרַפְּאוֹת אֶת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁאֵין מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד עוֹשֶׂה שְׁתֵּי שְׁלִיחֻיּוֹת (בראשית רבה). תֵּדַע לְךָ, שֶׁכֵּן כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה הוּא מַזְכִּירָן בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים וַיֹּאכֵלוּ, וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו, וּבַבְּשׂוֹרָה נֶאֱמַר וַיֹּאמֶר שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ, וּבַהֲפִיכַת סְדוֹם הוּא אוֹמֵר כִּי לֹא אוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר לְבִלְתִּי הָפְכִּי, וּרְפָאֵל שֶׁרִפֵּא אֶת אַבְרָהָם הָלַךְ מִשָּׁם לְהַצִּיל אֶת לוֹט; הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי כְהוֹצִיאָם אֹתָם הַחוּצָה וַיֹּאמֶר הִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשֶׁךָ, לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהָאֶחָד הָיָה מַצִּיל (בראשית רבה):
והנה שלשה אנשים AND BEHOLD THREE MEN — one to announce to Sarah the birth of a son, one to overthrow Sodom, and one to cure Abraham, for one angel does not carry out two commissions (Genesis Rabbah 50:2). You may know that this is so because throughout this section it (Scripture) mentions them in the plural — “and they ate” (Genesis 18:8), “and they said unto him” (Genesis 18:9) — whilst in the case of the announcement it states, (Genesis 18:10) “And he said, I will certainly return unto thee”, and with regard to the overthrow of Sodom it says (Genesis 19:22) “For “I” cannot do anything” and (Genesis 19:21) “that “I” will not overthrow [the city]”. Raphael who healed Abraham went thence to rescue Lot; that explains what is stated (Genesis 19:17) “And it came to pass when they had brought them forth, that he said, Escape for thy life”, for you learn from this that only one of these acted as Deliverer
והנה שלשה אנשים פרש״י ורפאל שריפא את אברהם הלך משם להציל את לוט. חז״ק מה ששנינו בהשוכר את הפועלים ויבואו שני המלאכים סדומה בערב דאזל מיכאל לשיזביה ללוט ועוד מי איתא דמיכאל הוה, אם כן עשה הוא שתי שליחות בשורת שרה והצלת לוט. ונראה דלא גרסינן התם מיכאל אלא רפאל.
והנה שלשה אנשים, according to Rashi, these “three men,” were in fact three angels with different tasks to perform. One was Rafael, whose task it was to heal Avraham from the wounds of the circumcision. (this is based on Talmud Baba Metzia 86. He then went on to save Lot.) Of the two angels who proceeded on to Sodom, one was Michael. If it had been so this would contradict the statement of our sages that an angel is assigned only one task at a time. Some Rabbis consider saving Lot as similar in principle to healing Avraham, so that there would be no contradiction.
ואומרו נצבים לומר כי אברהם להכרתו במשרתי עליון הכיר בהם שהיו ממונים על דבר פי' הכיר בהם שהיו שלוחים אל אברהם לצורכו כמו שכן היה א' לרפאותו וא' לבשר כעת חיה וגו', וא' הגם שהיה הולך להפוך את סדום אף על פי כן לחיבת אברהם היה עומד מעוכב מלכת עד אשר דבר יהוה אליו והיה מה שהיה ואז פנה והלך לו הרי כי כל העמדתו היתה עליו:
One of these "men" had been charged with the task of healing him. A second one had been sent to inform him that by that time in the following year Sarah would have a son. The third one, whose task appeared to be the destruction of Sodom, nevertheless had detoured in order to afford Abraham an oppportunity to intercede on behalf of the people of Sodom before G'd would carry out His judgment on that city. In other words, his whole presence there was "עליו, on account of him (Abraham)."
וישא עיניו וירא.... והמלאכים האלה היו מיכאל רפאל גבריאל, מיכאל בא לבשר את שרה ולהציל את לוט שהם שתי שליחות חסד ורחמים, רפאל לרפאות את אברהם, גבריאל להפוך את סדום, וזהו שכתוב ויבאו שני המלאכים סדומה בערב, והוא מיכאל וגבריאל, מיכאל להציל את לוט, גבריאל להפוך את סדום, וזהו שכתוב ויהפך את הערים ולא אמר ויהפכו. ומה שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל אין מלאך אחד עושה שתי שליחות, לא אמרו אלא כשהם זה הפך זה, שהרי המלאך הממונה על הרחמים לא יתכן שיעשה דין שהוא הפכו, והמלאך הממונה על הדין לא יבא על הרחמים, אבל כשהם שתי שליחות של דין או של רחמים עושה ואפי' כמה שליחות, ועל כן תמצא שעשה מיכאל שתי שליחות של חסד בשורת התולדה לשאינה ראויה להוליד, והצלת לוט שלא היה ראוי להצלה. ואם תאמר שימסר בידו גם השלישית והיא הרפואה כי הכל בכלל חסד הוא, הא לאו דידיה הוא, והיה מסיג בזה גבולו של רפאל,
וישא עיניו וירא, “He raised his eyes and saw, etc.” ...The angels were Michael, Raphael, and Gavriel. Michael had been assigned the task of announcing that Sarah would have a child and to save Lot. Both of these assignments were expressions of G’d’s love or mercy respectively, and could therefore be described as being of the same category. Raphael had the task of healing Avraham. Gavriel’s task was to turn Sodom upside down. This is why the Torah writes (19,1) “the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening.” This is a reference to Michael and Gavriel. Since it was Michael’s task to save Lot we find that when describing the destruction of Sodom the Torah uses the singular when it writes (19,25) ויהפוך את הערים האלה, “he” turned these cities upside down,” instead of writing “they” turned these cities upside down.” We learn from this that whereas one angel may not carry out two tasks of different categories, such as one that emanates from G’d’s attribute of Justice and another emanating from the attribute of Mercy, he may carry out two assignments when both originate from the same attribute, in this instance the attribute of Mercy. This is why we find Michael performing what appear to be two separate tasks. He gave Sarah, who had previously been unable to conceive, a message of love and hope, and he saved Lot who did not have a valid claim to be saved. Should you ask, if so, why was a special angel needed to heal Avraham? Is not healing another aspect of G’d’s attribute of Mercy? Could not Michael have performed this task also? The fact is that healing, especially people who deserve to be healed, is not part of the heading of performing an act of loving kindness.
ד"ה וירא אליו יהוה: ...ובספר מורה הנבוכים (ב מב) נאמר כי הפרשה כלל ופרט. אמר הכתוב תחילה כי נראה אליו השם במראות הנבואה, ואיך היתה המראה הזאת, כי נשא עיניו במראה "והנה שלושה אנשים ניצבים עליו", "ויאמר אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך" - זה סיפור מה שאמר במראה הנבואה לאחד מהם הגדול שבהם. ואם במראה, לא נראו אליו רק אנשים אוכלים בשר, איך אמר "וירא אליו יהוה"? כי הנה לא נראה לו יהוה לא במראה ולא במחשבה, וככה לא נמצא בכל הנבואות, והנה לדבריו (= של הרמב"ם) לא לשה שרה עוגות, ולא עשה אברהם בן בקר, וגם לא צחקה שרה, רק הכל במראה! (=במראה הנבואה). ואם כן, בא החלום הזה ברוב עניין (=המליצה שאולה מקהלת יהוה ב') כחלומות השקר, כי מה תועלת להראות בו כל זה?והנה לפי דעתו זאת יצטרך (הרמב"ם) לומר כן בעניין לוט, כי לא באו המלאכים אל ביתו, ולא אפה להם מצות ויאכלו, אבל הכל היה מראה. ואם יעלה את לוט למעלת מראה הנבואה - איך יהיו אנשי סדום הרעים והחטאים נביאים?! או מי הגיד להם שבאו אנשים אל ביתו. ואם הכל מראות נבואתו של לוט, יהיה גם "ויאיצו המלאכים", "קום קח את אשתך", "ויאמר הימלט על נפשך" וכל הפרשה כולה מראה, ויישאר לוט בסדום!ואלה דברים סותרים הכתוב, אסור לשומעם אף כי להאמין בהם!
And He appeared to him: ....And in the book, Guide for the Perplexed 2:4, it is said that the section is [presented in the style of] the general [followed] by the details: the verse first states that God appeared to him in prophetic visions and [then] how this prophetic vision was - that he lifted up his eyes in a vision and behold, three men were standing upon him. "And he said, 'If I have found favor in your eyes'" - this is the recounting of what he said in a prophetic vision to one of them, to the greatest one of them. And if in the vision the only thing that appeared was just three men eating meat, how could it state, "And God appeared to him?" As behold, God did not appear to him, not in a vision and not in thought. And it is not found like this in all of the prophecies. And behold, according to his words, Sarah did not knead cakes and Avraham did not fix the young cow, and also Sarah did not laugh. [Rather,] everything was a vision. And, if so, this dream came 'with much detail' like the false dreams, as what is the point in showing him all of this? And [the Guide there] also said about the matter of "and a man wrestled with him" (Genesis 32:25), that it was all a prophetic vision. And [if so,] I don't know why he limped on his thigh when he woke up, and why he said (Genesis 32:31), "For I have seen God face to face and He saved my soul"; as the prophets did not fear that they would die because of prophetic visions. And he already saw a greater and more glorious vision than this - as he even saw the glorious God many times in a prophetic vision (see further Genesis 28:13 and 31:3). And behold, according to his opinion, this would require [us] to say this in the matter of Lot - that the angels did not come to his house and he did not bake for them matsot and [that] they ate, but [rather] the whole thing was a vision. [But] how were the evil and sinful people of Sedom prophets? As [otherwise], who told them that people came to his house? And if it was all prophetic visions of Lot, [then] "and the angels pressed, etc. 'Get up, take your wife'" (Genesis 19:15), "and he said, 'escape for your life'"(Genesis 19:17), and "Behold, I have lifted up your face" (Genesis 19:21) and the whole section would be a vision. And Lot would have stayed in Sedom and [Rambam] would think that the acts would have been done on their own, and the statements in each and every thing were a vision. And these things contradict Scripture - it is forbidden to hear them, and even to believe them. And in truth, in all places in Scripture where the seeing of an angel or the word of an angel is mentioned, it is in a vision or in a dream - as the senses cannot perceive angels - but not prophetic visions. As one who [merely] perceives to see an angel or his word is not a prophet; as the matter is not as the teacher defines.....The sages saw fit to inform us [here] that the seeing of the angel is not prophecy and that those that see angels and speak with them are not in the category of prophets, as I mentioned with Daniel. [Rather], it is a vision called uncovering of the eyes, as in "And the Lord uncovered the eyes of Bilaam and he saw the angel of the Lord" (Numbers 22:31), and "And Elisha prayed and said, 'O Lord, uncover his eyes and he shall see" (II Kings 6:17). But in a place where it mentions the angels with the name, 'people,' like the matter of this section and in the section with Lot, and so [too], "and a man wrestled with him" (Genesis 32:25), and so [too], "And a man found him" (Genesis 37:15) - according to the opinion of our rabbis (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 2), it is the glory that is created with the angels - that is called by those who know, 'a garment - that is perceived by eyes of flesh, by those of pure souls; like the pious ones and the students of the prophets. And I cannot explain [it].
ויקומו משם האנשים וגו' עד צעקת סדום ועמורה כי רבה. אפשר לפרש שכאשר קמו האנשים משלחנם השקיפו על פני סדום ר"ל שנתנו עיניהם בו ודברו ביניהם כדת מה לעשות כפי שליחותם ואברהם לא ידע שהיה מטריח אליהם ומונע אותם מלדבר לפניו כי היה מתהלך בתומו צדיק ואז אמר הקב"ה למלאכים ההם המכסה אני מאברהם וגומר כאומר אין ראוי לחדול מלדבר בענין סדום בפני אברהם כי ראוי הוא שידע סודי מפני הסבות שיזכור ואז בפני אברהם אמר למלאכים ההם זעקת סדום ועמורה כי רבה.
And the men/agents got up from there etc. until "the cry of Sodom and Amorah for it is great." It's possible to explain that when the the men got up from their table they looked upon Sodom, which is to say they set their eyes upon it and discussed between them what to do in accordance with their sending/agency, and Avraham didn't realize that he was bothering them and preventing them from speaking in front of him, for he was innocently and righteously walking along with them. Then Hashem said to the angels, "Should I hide from Avraham?" etc., that is to say, it isn't fitting to desist from speaking about this matter of Sodom in front of him, for it is fitting that he know my secrets.
בערב. וְכִי כָל כָּךְ שָׁהוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים מֵחֶבְרוֹן לִסְדוֹם? אֶלָּא מַלְאֲכֵי רַחֲמִים הָיוּ וּמַמְתִּינִים שֶׁמָּא יוּכַל אַבְרָהָם לְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם סַנֵּגוֹרְיָא:
בערב AT EVENTIDE — Did it, however, take the angels such a long time to travel from Hebron to Sodom? But they were angels of mercy and so they tarried — perhaps Abraham would succeed in his advocacy for them (Genesis Rabbah 50:1).
ויהוה המטיר. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיהוה – הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ:
ויהוה המטיר AND THE LORD CAUSED TO RAIN — Wherever it is said 'וה “And the Lord”, it means Them and Their Celestial Court (Genesis Rabbah 51:2).
מאת יהוה נמצא בב״ר ובתנחומא, הראשון הוא גבריאל דהכי קים לן דההוא שר של אש, והשני הוא הקב״ה.
מאת ה, according to Bereshit Rabbah 51,3, this is to be understood as the angel Gavriel and Hashem dividing the labour; the former set these harmful substances in motion, the region it emanated from was provided by the Lord Themself. According to an early version of Tanchuma on this verse, the first time the name Hashem is used in this verse it refers to the angel Gavriel, whereas the second time it refers to Hashem.
מאת ה' מן השמים. הוא השם הגדול, כמו שאמר ואתה תשמע השמים, כי מאתו בא העונש, על כן נזכר בו לשון ארדה נא ואראה, כענין דור הפלגה שכתוב שם (שם יא) וירד ה', והבן זה.
מאת ה' מן השמים, “from G’d from heaven.” This is a reference to the “great” name of G’d. We find something similar in Kings I 8,32 when Solomon offered a prayer to G’d on the occasion of dedicating the Temple he had built. He appealed to the G’d in heaven to listen to his prayer by saying ואתה תשמע השמים, “You, the heaven, will hear,” instead of saying ואתה תשמע בשמים, “You will hear in heaven.” Clearly, Solomon did not pray to “heaven,” he prayed to G’d. The wording of Solomon’s prayer indicates that he expected an agent of G’d whom he referred to as “heaven,” to hear his prayer. The reason the Torah referred to the agent of G’d who carries out G’d’s judgment as G’d is because for the moment he acts in lieu of G’d Himself. We have encountered the expression “I will go down,” or “we will descend,” both in Genesis 18,21 and Genesis 11,4 prior to such judgment being carried out. In each such instance the reference is to the agent of G’d carrying out the punishment.
מלאך אלהים מן השמים. המלאכים הנראים אל בני אדם בארץ בדמות בני אדם לא נודע שהם מלאכים לפי שאין דרך הק' להגלות כן ואותו שמדבר מן השמים נודע שהוא מלאך שאמר כי שמע אלהים אל קול הנער ולא אמר שמעתי:
An angel of God from heaven: Angels that appear to people on the earth are in the image of people; it is not known that they are angels, as it is not the way of the Holy Blessed One, to reveal [them]. But it is known that the one that is speaking from the heaven is an angel [and not God], since he said, "because God has heard the voice of the youth"; and he did not say, "I heard."
ויקרא אליו מלאך אלקים מן השמים. ואע"פ שהיה מדבר בלשון שכינה שאמר ולא חשכת את בנך ממני ששלוחו של מקום היה מדבר כאילו הק' מדבר בכל מקום וסוף הוכיח שהיה המלאך מדקאמר בפעם השנית בי נשבעתי נאם ה':
And an angel of God called to him from the Heavens: And even though he was speaking in the [manner] of the Divine Presence - as he said, "and you have not withheld your son [...] from Me" (Genesis 22:12), it is since in every place when the messenger of the Omnipresent would speak, it is as if the Holy One would speak. And the end shows that it was an angel - as the second time, he said (Genesis 22:16), "'I have sworn by Myself,' declares the Lord."
עתה ידעתי. ידעתי אני המלאך שבדין יגדילך האל על מלאכיו כאמר' ז"ל גדולים צדיקים יותר ממלאכי השרת:
Now I know. These were the words of the angel — “Now I know why God elevated you above us.”
ממני. שאתה ירא אלהים יותר ממני שאני מלאך וראוי למעלה יותר ממני כאמרם ז"ל גדולים צדיקים וכו'. שאתה בפעל ירא אלהים כמו שהיה האל יודע קודם לכן שהיית ירא אלהים בכח ותפול ידיעתו הפועלת על הנמצא בפעל:
From Me (or, “than I am”). These are also the words of the angel. The verse should be inverted and read: “You are more God-fearing than I am because you did not withhold your son”.
The angels of the Bible--terrifying, violent, and so widely known for killing that they sometimes start by reassuring people when they're not there to kill them--are fully a part of the divine company of monsters.
And yet: gloria! Angels announce, angels call from heaven, angels save! How do we make sense of their profound moral ambiguity? They have the capacity for such good and for such harm.
Among the many monstrous creatures in the biblical heavens, angels are the msot like us. They ar ethe most human of monsters, not just in their sometimes-anthropomorphic appearances, but in their characters.. They're the best of it all and the worst, the most benevolent and the most brutal....
This could begin to explain our Stockholm syndrome. On some level, we identify with angels; we register that they're like us. And maybe we seek to domesticate them in art and song and seasonal decor in order to avoid the mirror image of our own monstrosity.
...There's understandable temptation to spin their moral ambiguity into a framework of good angels working for God versus bad angels working for the dark side--but that isn't the picture the Bible shows....Clear good guys and bad guys are appealing, but that isn't what we get with biblical angels. Angels aren't good or bad. What they are is obedient. Angels are fierce, powerful divine soldiers, and they fight for whoever leads them. Their interest is in dutiful service, no matter what it entails.
...There's no reason to believe that some angels are harmless while others go around killing people.. Like at the end of Revelation, where the angel showing John visions of hope also hurls plague upon the earth, the angel saving in one sory could be the same angel slaughtering folks in another. The writers generally didn't specify, because it didn't matter to them. They weren't concerned with making sure we'd still have some nice benign angels to feel comfy with while we mentally bracket the rest. They understood angels simply to be powerful and obedient, and didn't draw a distinction between angels who announce and angels who kill. There's no Angel of Death in the Bible--because every angel who shows up might have come as an angel of death.
-Esther Hamori, "God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible"
