Sefer Hekhalot §21

Text

אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים הדר מרום כל. שבעה הם שרים הגדולים נאים נוראים נפלאים נכבדים שהם ממונים בשבעה רקיעים ואלו הן. מיכאל גבריאל שתקיאל שחקיאל ברדיאל ברקיאל סדריאל וכולם שרי צבא רקיע הן ועם* כל אחד מהם ארבע מאות ותשעים וששם אלפים רבבות מלאכי השרת. 

מיכאל השר הגדול ממונה על רקיע שביעי של** עליון שבערבות. 

גבריאל שר הצבא ממונה על רקיע הששי שבמכון. 

שתקיאל שר הצבא ממונה על רקיע החמישי שבמעון. 

שחקיאל שר הצבא ממונה על הרקיע הרביעי שבזבול. 

ברדיאל שר הצבא ממונה על רקיע השלישי שבשחקים. 

ברקיאל שר הצבא ממונה על רקיע השני שברום רקיע.*** 

סדריאל**** שר הצבא ממונה על רקיע ראשון שבוילון שבשמים. 

Textual Notes: italics only found in V228; bold only in M40

*M40 has ועוד יש ל

**M40 has שהוא

*** M40 has שבווילון

****M40 has סרקיאל

Translation

R. Ishmael said, the angel Metatron, prince of the presence, splendor from on high in its entirety,  said to me, “There are seven great, beautiful, terrible, excellent, distinguished princes who are stewards of the seven expanses these these are them: Michael, Gabriel, Shataqiel, Shachaqiel, Baradiel, Baraqiel, Sidriel. And each is a prince of an army of an expanse and each one of them has four thousand, nine sixty thousand myriads of serving angels.  

Michael, the great prince, is steward over the seventh expanse on high that is in Arabot.

Gabriel, the prince of the army, is steward over the sixth expanse that is in Makon.

Shataqiel, prince of the army, is steward over the fifth expanse that is in Maon. 

Shachaqiel, prince of the army, is steward over the fourth expanse that is in Zebul.

Baradiel, prince of the army, is steward over the third expanse that is in Shachaqim.

Baraqiel, prince of the army, is steward over the second expanse that is on high in Raqia. 

Sidriel, prince of the army, is stewrd over the first expanse that is on high in the skies.

Translation Notes

Discussion 

Overall, from here on out we see a shift. Before this, Metatron reveals information about himself; from here on out, Metatron reveals information about other angels.  We have moved from intimate self-disclosure to other secrets of reality.  I think we have moved out of the realm of Sefer Hekhalot that would resonate with a queer or trans reading. And that is fine. But if other readers have any suggestions for further reading in other Hekhalot texts on the topics of: desire, angelic trans/anthropo/phobia, transformations, etc., please offer such suggestions.

Sefer Hekhalot §20: When Elisha Famously Catches Metatron off His Feet

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אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים הדר מרום כל בתכלה הייתי יושב על כסא {כבוד}* דדול בפתח** היכל שביעי*** ודנתי את הכל בני מרומים פמיליא של מקום מרשות ה׳ב׳ה׳ וחלקתי גדולה ומלכו(ת) רבות ושלטון**** הדר ושבח ועטרה***** וכתר וכבוד לכל שרי מלכיות כשאני יושב בישיבה על מעלה ושרי מלכיות עומדים  עלי****** מימיני ומשמאלי מרשות ה׳ב׳ה׳ וכיון שבא אלישע בן רוכזיה הוא אהר להסתכל בצפיית המרכבה ונתן עיניו בי והוא מתיירא ומזדעזע מלפני וגפשו מבוהלת לצאת ממנו מפני פחדי ואימתי ומוראי *כשראה אותי* שאני יושב על כסא כמלך ומלאכי השרת היו עומדים עלי כעבדים וכל שרי מלכיות קשורים** כתרים סובבים אצלי*** באותו שעה פתח את פיו ואמר **ודאי שתי רשויות** בשמים מיד יצאתה בת קול מלפני השכינה ואומרת שובו בנים**** שובבים חוץ מאחר דלא. באותו שעה בא ענפיאל יוי השר נכבד נהדר ***נחמד נפלא*** נורא נערץ משליחות והביא של ה׳ב׳ה׳ והכני ששים פולסאות של אור והעמידני אל רגלי.

Textual Notes

* Schäfer emends to add this to MS V228; it is completely omitted in M40.

**M40 has על פתח rather than בפתח

***M40 has השביעי 

****M40 has ושולתן

*****M40 has וענוה

******M40 has לפניי

*…* M40 has שראני 

**M40 has השורים

***M40 has אותו

**…** M40 has סוור׳ ב׳ רשויותיהם

****M40 has בגוים

***…*** M40 changes the order of words: ונורא נפלא נחמד 

Translation

R. Ishmael said, the angel Metatron, prince of the presence, splendor on high in its entirety said to me, “I would sit upon the great throne at the entrance of the seventh palace, and I judged all those begotten from the heights, the familia on high, from the authorization of the Holy One Blessed Be He. And I distributed greatness, royalty, rank, authority, splendor, praise, diadem, tiara, and glory to all of the princes of the kingdoms when I would sit in the court (lit. yeshiva) above. And the princes of the kingdoms stood before me on my right and on my left by the authority of the Holy One Blessed Be He. And afterwards, Elisha b. Ruchzia* who is Aher, to gaze at the vision of the chariot, he cast his eyes on me, being afraid and horrified before me. And his soul was so frightened as to flee from him** because of fear, terror, and fright when he saw me that I was sitting on a throne and the ministering angels were standing beside me as servants and all the princes of the kingdoms bound with crowns surrounding me. At that moment, he opened his mouth and said, ‘There are certainly two powers in the heavens.’ Immediately, a bat qol went forth from before the Sh’khinah saying ‘Return to me my errant children, except for Aher may not!’ At that moment, Anafiel YHWH, a prince honored, glorified, cherished, wonderful, terrible, and revered came as the embassy of the Holy One Blessed Be He and he beat me with sixty pulses*** of light and he stood me upon my feet.”

Translation Notes

*This is obviously Elisha b. Abuye, but M40 has רוכזיה here. 

**there has to be a more interesting way to phrase this.  

***this appears to be a the Latin loanword pulsa – where we get the word “pulse” – and often translated here as “lashes.”  I like keeping the foreignness of the term in play and call it “pulses.”  

Discussion 

While one can see a fairly consistent story structure here – due perhaps to its fame – the actual wording varies quite a bit between the two mss used in Schaefer’s Synopse.  It is quite messy, perhaps since this was one piece of Metatron lore that was retold in many contexts, other manuscripts may be correcting based upon other known retellings.  

The scene opens with Metatron doing his daily duties of judging those born of the heights and the princes of the kingdoms.  He’s greater than all except God now.  He gets his own throne and basically has become YHWH, Jr.  When Elisha b. Abuye ascends the heights he is horrified to see Metatron’s station: he has his own throne area – here called a yeshiva – complete with ministering angels serving him just like God’s throne room.  His is simply at the entrance of the seventh palace, whereas God’s is within the seventh palace.  Elisha freaks out to the point his soul wants to jump out of his body in the sheer terror of what he sees.  He says something that is unforgivable to God: “Certainly there are two powers in heaven!” Nevermind that his confusion upon seeing Metatron enthroned is completely understandable.  Only two figures are seated on thrones in heaven: God and Metatron. The rest of Sefer Hekhalot seems to revel in this connection of Metatron rising to the level of YHWH, Jr., the crowned prince(ss) of heaven.  But Aher’s mistake – but in the context of Sefer Hekhalot, is it really a mistake? – will lead to Metatron’s humiliation instead as he is whipped with pulses of light and forced to stand and is, therefore, effectively dethroned.  

Note the temporal pacing: at first it is the daily grind of judging that seems timeless.  Then Elisha/Aher punctures this.  Temporal phrases of “when” and “at that moment” and “immediately” swiften the narrative pace.  

This passage departs from the general tone of Sefer Hekhalot. The rest of the text goes out of its way to celebrate the elevation of Metatron as YHWH, Jr.  This passage is more of a humiliation of Metatron, since his fancy throne that’s all matchy matchy with God’s throne confused Elisha and caused him to err.  Yet it is such a famous piece of Metatron lore that one can find throughout late ancient Jewish lore, especially b. Hag. 15a,  how could one leave it out?

Sefer Hekhalot §18: Names of the Angels Who Run the World

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ואלו שמותם של שרים שמנהיגין את העולם. 

גבריאל מלאך האש. 

ברדיאל מלאך הברד. 

רוחיאל מלאך שהוא ממונה על הרוח. 

ברקיאל שהוא ממונה על הברקים. 

זעמיאל שהוא ממונה על הזעם. 

זיקיאל שהוא ממונה על הזיקים.

זיעיאל שהוא ממונה על הזועות. 

זעפיאל שהוא ממונה על הזעף. 

רעמיאל שהוא ממנח על הרעמים. 

רעשיאל שהוא ממונה על הרעש. 

שלגיאל שהוא ממונה על השלג. 

מטריאל שהוא ממונה על המטר. 

שמשיאל שהוא ממונה על היום. 

ליליאל שהוא ממונה על הלילה. 

גלגליאל שהוא ממונה גלגל חמה. 

אופניאל שהוא ממונה על אופני הלבנה. 

כוכביאל שהוא ממונה על כוכבים. 

רהטיאל שהוא ממונה על המזלות. 

וכולם נופלים על פניהם כשרואים אותי. ואינים כולים להסתכל בי מפני הוד והדר יופי תאר נגה אור כתר כבוש שעל ראשי. 

Textual Notes: only found in M40 in bold; only found in V228 in italics. 

Translation 

ָAnd these are the names of the princes that lead the world: 

Gabriel, angel of fire. 

Hailiel, angel of hail. 

Windiel, angel who is steward of the wind.  

Lightningiel, who is steward of the lightning. 

Furiel, who is steward of the fury. 

Sparkiel, who is steward of the sparks. 

Horiel, who is steward of the horrors.

Angriel, who is steward of anger. 

Thunderiel, who is steward of thunder. 

Tumultiel, who is steward of tumult. 

Snowiel, who is steward of snow. 

Rainiel, who is steward of rain.

Sunniel, who is steward of the day.

Nightiel, who is steward of the night.

Orbiel, who is steward of the orb of the sun.

Wheeliel, who is steward of the wheel of the moon.

Stariel, who is steward of the stars.

Runiel, who is steward of the constellations. 

All of these fell upon their faces when they saw me. And none of them could gaze upon me because of the majesty, splendor, beauty, appearance, radiance, light of the crown settled upon my head.” 

Translation Notes

Traditionally translators transliterate the names from Hebrew. But in this case, the names of most of the angels are integral to their function in the created world, so I have tried to retain some resemblance to their name and what they do to make this clear.  The exception is the first name: Gabriel, which I have left since it is not etymologically or functionally related to what follows and it is a well-known angel.  

Discussion 

This section is really a continuation of the last one.  New sense units typically begin with “R. Ishmael said…” The absence of the opening phrase – in addition ot the content – indicates a continuation.  In this section we learn that each element of the created world has its own attending angel.  The angel’s name is integral to its function, which is why I translated the names rather than transliterated them, except for Gabriel. We learn that even the angels who are in charge of celestial objects – like the sun, moon, stars, and constellations – cannot bear to look upon Metatron because his crown is too intensely bright. 

Sefer Hekhalot §17: The Double-Take of the Princes

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אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים כשקשר לי ה׳ב׳ה׳ כתר זה בראשי זעו ממני כל שרי מלכיות שברום ערבות רקיע וכל חיילי רקיע ורקיע ואפי׳ שרי אלים ושרי אראלים ושרי טפשרים ושרי אראלם שגדולים מכל מלאכי השרת המשמשים לפני כסא הכבוד זעים ונרתעים ממני כשרואים* אותי ואלה שמותן של שרים ואפילו סמאל שר** המשטינים שהוא גדול מכל שרי מלכיות שברום ירא נזדעזע ממני ואפי׳ מלאך האש ומלאך הברד ומלאך הרוח ומלאך הברק ומלאך הזעם ומלאך הזעף ומלאך הרעם ומלאך השלג. ומלאך המטר. ומלאך היום. ומלאך הלילה. ומלאך החמה. ומלאך הלבנה. ומלאך הכוכבים. ומלאך המזלות שמנהיגין את העולם מתחת ידיהן זייעין ונרתעים ונבהלים מלפני כשרואים אותי.

Textual Notes: italics only in V228; bold only in M40

M40 has כפי רואין

M40 has הרשע שלכל

Translation

R. Ishmael said, the angel Metatron, Prince of the Presence said, “When the Holy One Blessed Be He tied this tiara on my head all of the princes of the kingdom who are in the height of the expanse of Arabot and all the legions of each and every expanse trembled at me. Even the princes of elim and the princes of erellim and the princes of tafsarim and the princes of erelam who are greater than all of the ministering angels who attend before the throne of glory trembled and flinched at me when they saw me. These are the names of the princes. Even Samael prince of the Mastinim who are greater than all of the princes of the kingdom on high feared and was startled by me. Even the angel of fire and the angel of hail and the angel of wind and the angel of lightning and the angel of fury and the angel of anger and the angel of thunder and the angel of snow and the angel of rain and the angel of day and the angel of night and the angel of the sun and the angel of the moon and the angel of the stars and the angel of the constellations that lead the world from below their hands, fluttered, flinched, and panicked when they saw me.”

Translation Notes

A few months after I started HRT, I stopped being misgendered in public by people who didn’t know me. My facial and body fat had started shifting to a feminine shape. I went to a wedding about four months into HRT and visited with my in-laws and others who had not seen me since before I started my transition.  I had started them off slowly – just wearing hiking pants and a t-shirt around them at first that hid my burgeoning figure.  But wedding time came.  I put on a new black dress that hugged my curves. Jaws dropped. I did a turn so they could see from every angle. They couldn’t believe their eyes.  They were not ready for that; they perhaps did not think transitions like that were really possible or would happen for someone that quickly – and it is true, transition is different for everyone.  It is an experience of many trans folks who run into someone they haven’t seen in a long time.

God transforms Metatron in many ways, increasing his size, giving him wings and several eyes. He gives him a fancy throne and a new robe and a fancy tiara with the words of creation written all over it.  

When the angels and princes among the angels see Metatron, they do a double-take; they falter, flinch, flutter, even tremble and panic. They fear but that fear also shades into awe.   

They fear him, on the one hand, because he has become so much more powerful than them – even more powerful than the most powerful angels.  They fear his power.  What makes his power even more awesome is his starting point: he was once a mere human.  

This is different than, yet intersects with, the trans/anthropo/phobia we have seen in other passages where angels try to keep transitioners out of their spaces. Metatron has become awesome – beautiful according to angelic standards.  Now their jaws hang metaphorically agape as they behold the transformation.

Sefer Hekhalot §16: God’s Intense Love for Metatron and God Decorates Metatron’s Tiara

Text

אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים הדר מרום כל מתוך אהבה רבה וחמלה גדולה שאהבני וחבבני* ה׳ב׳ה׳ יותר מכל בני מרומים כתב באצבעו בעט שלהבת על כתר שבראשי אותיות שנבראו בהן שמים ובארץ. אותיות שנבראו בהן ימים ונהרות. אותיות שנבראו בהן הרים וגבעות. אותיות שנבראו בהן כוכבים ומזלות ברקים רוחות ורעמים קולות שלג וברד סופה וסערה. אותיות שנבראו בהן כל צרכי עולם וכל סדרי** בראשית כולם וכל אות ואות מפריחות פעם בפעם כמראה ברקים. פעם בפעם מראה לפידים.  פעם בפעם כמראה להבת אש. פעם בפעם כמראה צאת השמש ולבנה וכוכבים.

Textual Notes: italics indicate only in V228; bold only in M40

*M40 has וחכמני

**M40 has סתרי

Translation

R. Ismael said, Metatron, angel of the prince of the presence, the majesty on all-high, said to me, “From the midst of great love and abundant compassion that the Holy One Blessed Be He loved me and embraced me* more than all of the children of the heights. He wrote with his finger as with a flaming pen upon the tiara on my head letters by which heavens and earth were created, letters by which the seas and rivers were created, letters by which mountains and hills were created, letters by which stars and constellations, lightening, winds, and thunder claps, snow and hail, storm and tempest were created. The letters by which the needs of the world and all the orders of all of creation.**  And each and every letter blooms instant by instant of the appearance of lightnings, instant by instant of the appearance of torches, instant by instant of the appearance of flaming fire, instant by instant of the appearance of the sun going forth and the moon and the stars. 

Translation Notes

* Both words translated here as “love” and “embrace” mean “love.” The first is a generic word meaning love. The second is more intense or a deeper love, so could be translated as cherish, embrace, even kindled with love.  

**literally this is the first word of Genesis, usually translated as “in the beginning,” but more likely “when began.”  ‘

Discussion 

Two things are emphasized in this passage: God’s uniquely intense love for Metatron and the additional decorations of Metatron’s tiara.  Firstly, various words for love are repeated in the first couple lines.  God has “great love” and “abundant compassion.”  The words are the generic word for “love” (אהבה) and the more specific word “compassion.” Both are “great” using words רבה and גדולה. One could translate one as “abundant,” and their doubling suggests to me something of great intensity.  This intense love comes out in verb form when God generically “loved” (אהב) and, more intensely, cherished, embraced, or even was kindled for (חבב) Metatron.  

Secondly, we learn more about Metatron’s tiara.  It is already pretty fancy from the previous descriptions of it Sefer Hekhalot §15, but now it has inscribed in it the letters God spoke at creation to create the cosmic and meteorological elements – the things of the created realm that elicit fear and awe. 

Sefer Hekhalot §13: Metatron’s Enthronement

Text

אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים כל זאת עשה לי ה׳ב׳ה׳ עשה לי כסא מעין כסא הכבוד ופרש  עלי פרש של זיו ושל זוהר ותואר וכבוד ויופי וחן וחסד מעין פרש של כסא הכבוד שכל מיני זיו מאורות שבעולם קבועין בו ושמו על פתח היכל שביעי. והושיבני עליו והכרוז יצוא יצא עלי בכל רקיע ורקיע לאמר מטטרון עבדי שמתיו* לשר ולנגיד על כל שרי מלכותי. ועל כל בני מרומים חוץ משמנה שרים הגדולה הנכבדים והנוראים שנקראים יוי בשמו של מלכם.** וכל מלאך ומלאך וכל שר ושר שיש לו דבר לדבר לפני ילך לפניו וידבר אליו וכל דבר ודבר שהוא מדבר בשמי עליכם תנטרון ותפעלון מפני ששר** החכמה ושר הבינה מסרתים לו ללמדו חכמת עליונים ותחתונים וחכמת העולם הזה וחכמת*** העולם הבא. וגם אני מניתיו על כל גנזי היכל ערבות ועל כל אוצרות חיים שיש לי בשמי מרום.

Textual Variants: Only in V228 in italics; only in M40 in bold. 

*M40 has שמתון

**M40 has עולם, which is also added in V228 (by editor)

**M40 has שטר

***M40 has ושר

Translation

R. Ishmael said, Angel Metatron, Prince of the Presence, said to me, “All of these the Holy One, Blessed Be He, made me: he made me a throne kind of like the throne of glory and he covered over me* a covering of brilliance and of splendor and appearance and glory and beauty and charm and lovingkindness kind of like the covering of the throne of glory, in which all kinds of brilliance of the luminaries that are in the world are set, and he set it up at the entrance of the seventh palace. And he sat me upon it and the announcer went out concerning me in each and every expanse, saying: ‘Metatron, my servant, I have set up as prince and as rule over all the princes of my kingdom and over all the children of the heights, except the eight great, awe-provoking princes, who are called YHWH by the name of their king. Each and every angel and each and every prince who has a word to speak before me will go before him and will speak to him. Each and every word that he speaks in my name to you you will observe and you will do because the Prince of Wisdom and the Prince of Understanding are serving him to teach him wisdom of those above and those below and the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of the coming world.  And again I have appointed him over all the hoards of the palace of Arabot and over all the treasuries of life that are in the heavenly heights.’”

Translation Notes

* both manuscripts I am using say “me” here, but “it” would make more sense given what follows.

Discussion 

We’ve seen Metatron transition from lowly human to angel by shifting to angelic spaces, growing to angelic size, and angelic-affirming surgeries. He also has attained angelic characteristics more than any other angel.  This section continues in this spirit of Metatron becoming more angelic than other angels.  Here he gets a throne at the entrance of the seventh palace.  God’s throne is inside.  He is the only other figure who gets a heavenly throne. His throne and God’s throne are also matchy matchy.  Part of the super bright decor of the heavenly throne room.  As with his naming ceremony, part of his transition, Metatron continues to become “YHWH junior.”  With this enthronement, he is now greater than all other angels except the eight that have God’s name in them – an exclusive club in which Metatron is now a member.  Now all the other angels have to speak to him instead of speaking directly to God.  They are to obey him as they would obey God.  

Sefer Hekhalot §11: Becoming More Angelic Than the Angels

Text

אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים קודם שיעמידני* לשמש את כיסא הכבוד פתח לי ה׳ב׳ה׳ אלף שלש מאות אלפים שערי חכמה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי בינה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי ערמה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי היים. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי שלום. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי שכינה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי גבורה וחייל. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי כח. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי חן וחסד. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי אהבה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי תורה.  ושלש מאות אלפים שערי פרנסה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי רחמים. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי ענוה. ושלש מאות אלפים שערי יראת שמים.**  באותה שעה חוסיף לי ה׳ב׳ה׳ חכמה על חכמה. בינה על בינה. ערמה על ערמה. דעת על דעת. רחמים על רחמים. תורה על תורה. אהבה על אהבה. חסד על דסד. חמדה על חמדה. ענוה על ענוה. גבורה על גבורה. כח על כח. חיל על חיל. זוהר על זוהר. יופי על יופי. תאר על תאר. ונכבדתי ונתפארתי בכל מדות טובות ומשובחות הללו יותר מכל בני מרומים. 

Textual Notes: Material only in V228 is in italics; only in M40 in bold. 

* M40 has שהעמידני

**M40 has יראת חטא

Translation

R. Ishmael said, the angel Metatron, prince of the presence, said to me: “Before he stood me to serve the throne of glory, the Holy One Blessed Be He opened to me one thousand three hundred thousand gates of wisdom, and three hundred thousand gates of understanding, and three hundred thousand gates of shrewdness, and three hundred thousand gates of life, and three hundred thousand gates of peace, and three hundred thousand gates of the Sh’khinah, and three hundred thousand gates of courage and valor, and three hundred thousand gates of strength, and three hundred thousand gates of grace and kindness, and three hundred thousand gates of love, and three hundred thousand gates of instruction (torah), and three hundred thousand gates of provision, and three hundred thousand gates of compassion, and three hundred thousand gates of humility, and three hundred thousand gates of fear of heaven.* At that hour, the Holy One Blessed Be He, added to me wisdom upon wisdom, understanding upon understanding, shrewdness upon shrewdness, knowledge upon knowledge, compassion upon compassion, instruction upon instruction (torah), love upon love, kindness upon kindness, delight upon delight, humility upon humility, courage upon courage, strength upon strength, valor upon valor, splendor upon splendor, beauty upon beauty, comeliness upon comeliness, and I was honored and beautified with all these good and fine attributes more than all the children of the heights.  

Translation Notes

*M40 has “fear of sin”

Discussion

Here Metatron takes a step back: before he was set to serve daily before the glorious throne, God opens up the various heavenly treasuries. Heavenly treasure is not gold, silver, or precious gems, they are qualities.  These qualities are then piled onto Metatron.  Many of them are intellectual, such as wisdom, understanding, and instruction; many are moral qualities, such as compassion, humility; and some are aesthetic qualities, such as beauty and splendor.  

All this, however, is part of the engagement and relation of Metatron to the (other) angels. The angels, in their trans/anthropo/phobia, challenged Metatron’s presence in the heights; here, God endows Metatron – who was assigned human at birth – with greater qualities than all of those assigned angels at creation.  Metatron becomes more angelic than the angels. 

Sefer Hekhalot §10: Metatron Gets a Job

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אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים כשלקהני ה׳ב׳ה׳ מן בני דור המבול העלני בכנפי רוח שכינה לרקיע העליון והכניסני לתוך פלטרין גדולים שברום ערבות רקיע ששם כסא הכבוד של שכינה ומרכבה. גדודים של זעם. וחיילים של זעף. ושנאנים של אש. וכרובים של לפיד. ואופנים של גחל ומשרתים של להט. וחשמלים של בזק. ושרפים של ברק. והעמידני לשמש בכל יום ויום את כסא הכבוד.

Textual Notes: No major variations.

Translation

R. Ishmael said the angel Metatron, prince of the presence, said to me: “When the Holy One Blessed Be He took me from the children of the generation of the flood and lifted me up on the windy wings of the Sh’khinah to the expanse on high and he brought me in the midst of the great palaces* in the height of the expanse, Arabot, where there is placed the throne of glory of the Sh’khinah, and the chariot, regiments of fury, and armies of anger, fiery shinanim**, and cherubim of torches, and smoldering ofanim, and flaming servants, and flashing hashmallim, and serafim of lightning. And he stood me there to serve each and every day the throne of glory. 

Translation Notes

*using Latin loanword paltorin from Latin praetorium (or mixed with the Latin palatium).  

**no known referent.  

Discussion 

Now we learn that God didn’t just sneak Metatron into heaven at the same time as the Sh’khinah, but rode on the wings of the Sh’khinah, which contrasts the previous section in which he rode a fiery chariot.  He is placed in a fairly frightening position among fiery, smoldering, angry, furious, flaming, flashing entities in the midst of the throne, the chariot, and the Sh’khinah.  God gives Metatron a job: he is to serve the throne of glory each and every day.  

Sefer Hekhalot §9: What Is This Smell? What Is This Taste? Angelic Expressions of Trans/Anthropo/Phobia

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אמר ר׳ ישמעאל אמר לי מטטרון מלאך שר הפנים כשבקש ה׳ב׳ה׳ להעלות אותי למרום בתחלה שיגר לי ענפיאל יוי השר ונטלני מביניהם לעיניהם בהרכיבני בכבוד גדול על רכב אש וסוסי אש ומשרתי כבוד והעלני עמ השכינה לשמי מרום. וכיון שהגעתי לשמי מרום והיו חיות הקודש ואופנים ושרפים וכרובים וגלגלי המרכבה ומשרתי אש אוכלה מריחין את ריחי בריחוק *שלש מאות וששים וחמשת עלפים רבבות פרסאות* ואומרים מה ריח** ילוד אשה ומה טעם טיפת לבן*** שהיא עולה לשמי מרום וישמש בין חוצבי שלהבת. משיב ה׳ב׳ה׳ ואומר להם משרתיי צבאיי כרוביי ואפניי ושרפיי אל ירע לכם**** בדבר זה שכל בני האדם כפרו בי ובמלכותי הגדולה והלכו ועבדו ע׳ז׳ וסלקתי שכינתי מביניהם והעליתיה למרום וזה שנטלתי מביניהם מובחר שבכולם הוא וזה שקול כנגד כולם באמונה ובצדקה ובכשרון מעש וזה שנטלתי שכרי בעולמי תחת כל השמים.

Textual Notes: Italics indicates only found in V228; bold only found in M40.

*…* M40 reads ששי׳ והמשת עלפי׳ רבבות ושלש מאות פרסה

** throughout V228 uses ריח and M40 רוח, flipping “smell” and “soul” – oh those smelly souls!  

*** M40 has לכן

****M40 has לבבכם

Translation

R. Ishmael said that Metatron, angel of the prince of the presence said to me, “When the Holy One Blessed Be He desired* to raise me up to the height he at first sent to me, Prince Anafiel YHWH and he took me up from their midst before their eyes, and he conveyed me with great glory** in fiery chariot and fiery horses and glorious attendants with the Sh’khinah to the heavenly heights.  

When I arrived in the heavenly heights, the holy living ones, the ofanim, the serafim, and the cherubim, and the wheels of the chariot and the ministers of consuming fire were smelling my odor*** from a distance of 365,000 myriads of parasangs away. And they said, ‘What is the odor*** of one born of woman? What is the taste of a white drop that she**** ascends to the heavenly heights and ministers among the flame masons.’*****. 

The Holy One Blessed Be He replied, saying to them, ‘My ministers, my hosts, my cherubim, and my ofanim, and my serafim, don’t break yourself up concerning this thing. For all the human offspring have denied me and my great kingdom and have gone and practiced foreign worship, and I have brought up my Sh’khinah from among them and brought her****** to the height. And this one I lifted up from among them, he is the choicest of all of them, and this one is comparable against them all in faith, in righteousness, and in competent action and this one that I have lifted up is my recompense from my whole world under the heavens.

Translation Notes

*or sought

** literally glory but can mean honor – but same word used for God’s “glory” and term is regularly repeated so I will try to largely be consistent translating as “glory.”

***M40 has soul where V228 has “odor,” so one tradition is “smell by odor” and the other “smell my soul.”  See more in discussion. 

**** I am translating literally – the manuscripts agree on the use of the feminine pronoun here, even though it disagrees with most of the antecedents, except “drop” or if one reads with M40 “soul.” Everyone else translates in such a way to avoid the pronoun.

***** literally, “cleavers of flame.” cf. Ps. 29:7.

******Seriously, previous translators (Odeburg; Alexander) substitute a neuter pronoun “it” for the feminine “Sh’khinah” erasing her femininity

. 

Discussion 

This passage has three parts: the ascent, the angelic reaction, and the divine response.  In the ascent, the passage begins like Elijah’s ascent in a fiery chariot with fiery horses.  Metatron’s guide in this ascent is Prince Anafiel YHWH.  There are some parallels between Metatron (after Metatron’s transformation) and Anafiel. They are both guides for humans and they both have God’s name in them (It is explicitly states that Metatron is given God’s name in him; Anafiel has YHWH as part of his name).  Throughout it seems like God sneaks Metatron in when God raises the Sh’khinah.  They come up at the same time.  This means there was never a time when Metatron has not been in the presence of the radiance of the Sh’khinah.  

The angelic response is a clear case of trans/anthropo/phobia.  The angels object to a human being coming into their angelic-only space.  They express this in a very interesting manner. They say they can smell the odor of one born of woman and they can taste the white drop.  Why should “she” ascend?  So there are a few translation choices here where I diverge from previous translators.  Firstly, Alexander drops “taste” even though Odeburg before him retains it.  I see now reason why one should drop it. “Taste” provides a nice follow up to “smell.”  These are intimate senses, which, ironically, the angels can experience from thousands of parasangs away – they’re so sensitive!  Perhaps it is the discomfort in realizing the angels know what a “white drop” tastes like, and the text is referencing having semen on one’s tongue.  The second translation choice is the pronoun “she.” It is clearly in the manuscripts, but it is largely avoided. Oldenburg switches to a gender-neutral relative pronoun (which), whereas Alexander translates in such a way to avoid using the pronoun. These are possible ways to translate, but it is curious that “she” is in all the manuscripts here.  It could be the pronoun with an antecedent to “drop” which is feminine. But both the “odor” and the “drop” ultimately refer to Metatron, who is usually gendered “he” throughout. In fact, Munchen 40 (or M40) will put an unnecessary “he” later perhaps to balance this out?  Did the angels misgender Metatron?  Do they consider him a “she” compared to them?  Ultimately, the angelic objectors are referring to one caught in the web of sexual reproduction: Metatron was born (of a woman) and came from the white drop (of a man): things those socialized as angels never experienced.  

God ultimately tells the trans/anthropo/phobic angels to stop their whining, because Metatron is a unique human; he’s special; he’s the bestest human ever (so far).  And so he brought him up when God brought the Sh’khinah up.  There is a postpositional pronoun – “she” – here that refers back to the Sh’khinah, a feminine word.  Both Odeburg and Alexander substitute the feminine “she” from the text with a neutral “it.”  They could argue, perhaps, that divine entities transcend gender, so why put “she”? I would ask the same of why they would keep gendering God in the masculine.  So unless you are going to substitute “it” for “he” elsewhere, don’t substitute “it” for “she” here and remove the divine feminine from the heavenly heights.   

Sefer Hekhalot §8: The True Fall of Humanity

Text:

עד שבאו בני דורו של אנוש לעולם שהיה ראש לכל עובדי ע׳ז׳ שבעולם ומה היו בני דורו עושין היו הולכים מסוף העולם  ועד סופו ומביאין כל אחד ואחד מהם כסף וזהב ואבנים טובים ומרגליות בהרים הרים וגבעות גבעות ועושין אותן עבודה זרות בערבה רוחות העולם והיו מעמידין אותן בכל רוח ורוח בעולם ע׳ז׳ בעולם כשיעור אלף פרסה ומורידין חמה ולבנה כוכבים ומזלות ומעמידין לפניהם מימינם ומשמאלם לשמש בהן כדרך שהיו משמשין לפני לה׳ב׳ה׳ שנאמ׳ וכל צבה השמים עומדים עליו מימיני ומשמאלו והיאך היה בהם כח שיהו מורידין אותן ומשתמשין בהם אלא עוזא עזא ועזאל היו מלמדים להם כשפים שיהו* מורידין אותם ומשת– משין בהם שאלמלא כן לא היו יכולין להורידן. באותה שעה קשרו** מלאכי השרת קטיגור לפני ה׳ב׳ה׳ ואמרו לפניו רבונו של עולם מה לך אצל בני אדם שנא׳ מה אנוש כי תזכרנו מה אדם לא נאמר כאן אלא מה אנוש שהוא ראש לע׳ז׳ מפני מה הנחת את שמי שמים העליונים מלון כבוד שמך וכסא רם ונשא שברום ערבות ובאת ולנת עם*** בני אדם שעובדים ע׳ז׳ והשוו אותך בע׳ז׳ עכשיו אתה בארץ וע׳ז׳ בארץ מה טיבך בין דרי**** הארץ עובדי ע׳ז׳ מיד סילק ה׳ב׳ה׳ שכינתו מין הארץ מביניהם. באותו שעה באו מלאכי השרת וגדודי זבאות וחיילי ערבות אלף מחנות וריבי צבאות ונטלו את חצוצורות ותפשו בידם את השופרות והקיפו את השכינה בשירים ובשירים ועלה לשמי מרום שנאמ׳ עלה אלהים בתרועה יוי בקול שופר.

Textual Notes: 

Material only in V228 in italics; material only in M40 in bold. 

*M40 has שהיו

**M40 has קראו

***M40 has אצל

****M40 has דאיירי

Translation:

Until the generation of the sons of Enosh came into the world, who was the leader of all those who practiced foreign worship in the world. What did the sons of his generation do? They wandered from one end of the world, and each and every one brought for themselves silver and gold, fine stones, and pearls in mountains of mountains and hills of hills, and they practiced foreign worship in the four winds of the world and the set up for themselves in each and every wind of the world foreign worship in the world measuring 1000 parasangs. And they drew down the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations and and set them up before them to their right and to their left to serve them in the way that they had served before the Holy One Blessed Be He, as it is said, “and every army of heaven stood by him on his right and on his left.”  How did they have in them the strength to draw them down and serve them? These, Uzzah, Azzah, and Azael were teaching them sorceries that drew them down and used them; without them* they would not be able to draw them down. At that hour, the ministering angels conspired to prosecute** [them] before the Holy One Blessed Be He. They said to him, “Master of the World, “What are to you the children of Adam? As it is said, what is a human (Enosh) that you remember him?’ ‘What is Adam’ is not stated here; rather, ‘What is Enosh.’ For he is the leader of foreign worship.  Why did you abandon the heaven of heavens on high from the lodging place of the glory of your name, your high and uplifted throne which is in the height of Arabot, and come and lodged with humans [“sons of Adam”] who practice foreign worship and equate you with foreign worship?  Now you are on the earth and the foreign worship is on the earth.” Why is one of your quality among earthlings who practice foreign worship?  Immediately, the Holy One Blessed Be He removed his Sh’khinah from the earth, from among them. At that hour, the ministering angels came and the regiments of hosts and armies of Arabot, 1000 companies, a myriad of hosts. They took up their trumpets and grabbed their horns in their hands and encircled the Sh’khinah with songs and with songs. And he ascended to the heavenly heights, as it is said, “God has ascended with a shout, YHWH with the sound of a horn.”

Translation Notes:

* This is translating an Arabic loanword, אלמלא, meaning “were it not for.” This likely points to a late antique / early medieval Arabic-speaking milieu for at least this section of Sefer Hekhalot.

**Using Greek loanword κατἠγορος.

Overall, I am translating the terminology of avodah zarah very literally. Usually, it is translated as idolatry and idols; I am translating throughout as “foreign worship.” 

Discussion:

This section directly continues the previous without the usual intervening intro of “R Ishmael said that Metatron said.”  The text concerns the true “fall” of humanity; it is not with Adam, but with Enosh.  In fact, the angelic prosecutors emphasize that it is truly about Enosh and not Adam.  While Adam was driven from Eden, the light of God’s Sh’khinah, brighter than the sun, still resided upon the earth and her light extended from end to end.  

What was the fall really about? The passage emphasizes two major sins: the generation of Enosh wander the extent of the earth – the same extent of the light of the Sh’khinah.  First, they hoard wealth (silver, gold, precious stones, and pearls – all super valuable). Second, they engage in sorcery. I translated the phrase more technically than I have noticed other translators (e.g., Alexander) as “drawing down.” This is ancient magical language. The charge of magic was regularly to “draw down the moon” (see the amazing book by Radcliffe G. Edmonds III, Drawing Down the Moon: Magic in the Ancient Greco-Roman World [Princeton University Press, 2019]).  Here, the generation of Enosh do something more impressive: they draw down the sun, the moon, the stars, and constellations.  All of the heavenly bodies are drawn down to earth. 

But they had help; heavenly beings named Uzzah, Azzah, and Azael helped them. We have met them before. They had challenged Metatron’s ascent to the heavenly heights. Their trans/anthropo/phobia is a cover for their own malicious activities. They accuse a human of transgressing the heavenly height, while they themselves are the true transgressors. They take out their trans/anthropo/phobia by causing the true fall of humanity. Every accusation is a confession. 

We have other complainers now: the ministering angels who remain in heaven ask God why God has abandoned the heavenly heights for earth. Why has God gone down to these people who equate the true God of heaven with foreign worship (i.e., idols)?  So God removes the healing light of the Sh’khinah and brings her up to heaven.  We see a pattern of divine descent and ascent. 

Once the Sh’khinah returns, all of heaven breaks out into a military-like party with regiments, trumpets, and horns. Literally they “grabbed their horns with their hands” as they surround God’s feminine presence, the Sh’khinah.  

I find this passage makes me a bit uneasy.  The denouement might be a huge heavenly rejoicing, but the angels’ regimented yet excessive phallocentric jouissance as they encircle a feminine divine entity stopped me in my translation tracks.  As Elliot Wolfson writes about Kabbalah, “jouissance is the surplus-enjoyment of the feminine” and “jouissance is an expression of the phallic impulse” (Language, Eros, Being, 279). The hyper-masculinized angels blowing their phallic horns around the feminine Sh’khinah seems to me to be a perfect example of this jouissance.  What is more, their excessive joy is because humans will no longer have the comfort of the Sh’khinah on earth. They revel in their schadenfreude.