On my right Michael, on my left Gabriel : angels in ancient Jewish culture / Mika Ahuvia.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ahuvia, Mika, 1983- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Angels--Judaism.

Angels.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (270 p.)

Place of Publication:

Oakland, California : University of California Press, [2021]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Angelic beings can be found throughout the Hebrew Bible, and, by late antiquity, the archangels Michael and Gabriel were as familiar as the patriarchs and matriarchs; guardian angels were as present as one’s shadow; and praise of the seraphim was as sacred as the Shema prayer. Mika Ahuvia recovers once-commonplace beliefs about the divine realm and demonstrates that angels were foundational to ancient Judaism. Ancient Jewish practice centered on humans' relationships with invisible beings who acted as their intermediaries, role models, and guardians. Drawing on non-canonical sources—incantation bowls, amulets, mystical texts, and liturgical poetry—Ahuvia shows that when ancient men and women sought access to divine aid, they turned not only to their rabbis nor to God alone but often also to the angels. On My Right Michael, On My Left Gabriel spotlights these overlooked stories, interactions, and rituals, offering a new entry point to the history of Judaism and the wider ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern world in which it flourished.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Angelic Greetings or Shalom Aleichem

1. At Home with the Angels: Babylonian Ritual Sources

2. Out and About with the Angels: Palestinian Ritual Sources

3. No Angels? Early Rabbinic Sources

4. In the Image of God, Not Angels: Rabbinic Sources

5. In the Image of the Angels: Liturgical Responses

6. Israel among the Angels: Late Rabbinic Sources

7. Jewish Mystics and the Angelic Realms: Early Mystical Sources

Conclusion: Angels in Judaism and the Religions of Late Antiquity

Appendix: Table of Incantation Bowls

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780520380127

0520380126

OCLC:

1226799900