Angels in Jewish Teachings & Traditions

A Source Sheet for Jewish Witches and Witchy Jews providing an overview of angels as understood in Judaism, with a few references to specific angels.

Ofanaim Angel Street Art - Photo by Ketzirah

There are many different types of angels in Jewish teachings and angels. Everything from the malakh (מלאך), which often appears as a human, to the fiery serpent angels called seraphim (שרפים) and the ofanaim (אופנים), which are the many-eyed flaming wheel “biblical” angels so popular online these days.

Malʾakh (מַלְאַךְ), the word most often used, means “messenger” (cf. Ugaritic lak “to send”). … Elsewhere angels are called ʾelohim (usually “god” or “gods”; Gen. 6:2; Job 1:6), more often bene ʾelohim or bene ʾelim (lit. “sons of gods”) – in the general sense of “divine beings.” They are also known as kedoshim (qedoshim; “holy beings”; Ps. 89:8; Job 5:1). Often the angel is called simply “man.”

(Jewish Virtual Library)

This source sheet focuses on angels in general, with a few sources for specific angels.
Future source sheets on angels will dive into types/classes of angels (archangels, elementals, cherubim, seraphim, ḥayyot , ofanim, arelim, etc. ) as well as specific angels such as The Angel of Death, Lailah, and more.