Friday, November 12, 2021

Angels run the world

 Ohr HaChaim (Devarim 10:17): Because the L‑rd your G‑d is G‑d of gods and L‑rd of lords. The explanation of this verse is that G‑d is the master of the angels which are also referred to as god (Job 1:6). The expression L‑rd of lords is referring to His ruling over the world…and in particular that the lords of the world do not have free will to do as they chose and wish. Rather G‑d controls them to direct them as He wishes. This principle is expressed in Mishlei (21:1) that “The heart of the king is in G‑d’s hand.” 

 Ramban Bereishis (28:12) AND BEHOLD A LADDER SET UP ON THE EARTH AND THE TOP OF IT REACHED TO HEAVEN; AND BEHOLD THE ANGELS OF G-D ASCENDING AND DESCENDING ON IT. In a prophetic dream, He showed Jacob that whatever is done on earth is effected by means of the angels, and everything is by decree given to them by the Supreme One. The angels of G-d, whom the Eternal hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth,Zechariah 1:10. would not do anything minor or major until they return to present themselves before the Master of the whole earth, saying before Him, “We have traversed the earth,See ibid., Verse 11. and behold it dwells in peace, or is steeped in war and blood,” and He commands them to return, to descend to the earth and fulfill His charge. And He further showed him [Jacob] that He, blessed be He, stands above the ladder, and promises Jacob with supreme assurance to inform him that he will not be under the power of the angels, but he will be G-d’s portion,Deuteronomy 32:9. and that He will be with him always, as He said, And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee wherever thou goest4Verse 15 here. for his [Jacob’s] excellence is superior to that of the other righteous ones of whom it is said, For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.Psalms 91:11And in the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer the Great6Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, 35. this vision was akin to the one seen by Abram at the time of the covenant “between the parts”7Above, 15:9-18. for He also showed Jacob the dominion of the Four Kingdoms,See Ramban above, 14:1 and 15:12. The Four Kingdoms represent the great world powers seen in a vision by Daniel (Chapter 7), who in succession will subject Israel until such time when Israel’s final and complete deliverance will be effected by the Messiah. The power of the fourth kingdom, that of Rome, is still in sway. See Ramban further at the beginning of Seder Vayechi. Jacob, like Abraham, was thus shown the events that will happen to his descendants during all the generations of their exiles. their ascent and descent. This is the meaning of angels of G-d (mentioned here), just as it is said in the visions of Daniel: the prince of the kingdom of Greece,9Daniel 10:20. and the prince of the kingdom of Persia.10Ibid., Verse 13. Similarly, the angels mentioned in the verse before us are to be understood as the representatives of the various nations. And He promised him that He, exalted be He, will be with him wherever he will go among the nations, and He will guard him and rescue him from them. Thus the Rabbis have said: Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, 35. “The Holy One, blessed be He, showed him the Four Kingdoms, their dominion and their destruction.

2 comments :

  1. Can we cut to the bottom line? God runs the world. He runs everything. Stuff like this veers dangerously into the same territory folks in the generation of Enosh wandered into.

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  2. Back in 1960..


    Leaders of the Habad Chassidic movement in Israel declared today that their world leader, the Lubavitcher Rebbe in New York, has given his support to Chief Chaplain Shlomo Goren of the Israel Army for the post of Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi in Israel.

    https://www.jta.org/archive/lubavitcher-rebbe-backs-chaplain-of-israel-army-for-chief-rabbi

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