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Metatron

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Not to be confused with Megatron, Magnetron, or Mettaton.

For other uses, see Metatron (disambiguation).

Islamic portrayal of the angel Metatron (Arabic: ‫ )ميططرون‬depicted in the Daqa’iq al-Haqa’iq ( ‫دقائق الحقایق‬
"Degrees of Truths") by Nasir ad-Din Rammal in the 14th century CE.

Metatron (Hebrew: ‫ ֶמ ָטטְרֹון‬Meṭāṭrōn, ‫ מְ ַטטְרֹון‬Məṭaṭrōn, ‫ מֵי ַטטְרֹון‬Mēṭaṭrōn, ‫ מִי ַטטְרֹון‬Mīṭaṭrōn) or Mattatron (

‫ ַמ ַּטטְרֹון‬Maṭṭaṭrōn)[1] is an angel in Judeo-Islamic and Christian mysticist mythology mentioned in a few
brief passages in the Aggadah and in mystical Kabbalistic texts within the Rabbinic literature. The name
Metatron is not mentioned in the Torah and how the name originated is a matter of debate. In Islamic
tradition, he is also known as Mīṭaṭrūsh (Arabic: ‫)ميططروش‬, the angel of the veil.[2][3] In folkloristic
tradition, he is the highest of the angels and serves as the celestial scribe or "recording angel".[4]

In Jewish apocrypha and early kabbalah, "Metatron" is the name that Enoch received after his
transformation into an angel.

Origins Edit
Among the pseudepigrapha 1 Enoch: Book of Parables presents two figures: the son of man and Enoch.
At first, these two characters seem to be separate entities. Enoch views the son of man enthroned in
Heaven. Later, however, they prove to be one and the same. Many scholars believe that the final
chapters in the Book of Parables are a later addition. Others think they are not and that the son of man
is Enoch's heavenly double similarly to the Prayer of Joseph where Jacob is depicted as an angel.[5]:83–
84 The Book of Daniel displays two similar characters: the Ancient of Days and the one like a man. Parts
of the text in Daniel are Aramaic and may have been changed in translation. The Septuagint reads that
the son of man came as the Ancient of Days. All other translations say the son of man gained access to
the Ancient of Days and was brought before that one.[6]

The identification of Metatron with the gnostic 3 Enoch, where the name first appears, is not explicitly
made in the Talmud although it does refer to a Prince of the World who was young but now is old.
However, some of the earliest kabbalists assumed the connection. There also seems to be two
Metatrons, one spelled with six letters (‫)מטטרון‬, and one spelled with seven (‫)מיטטרון‬. The former may be
the transformed Enoch, Prince of the Countenance within the divine palace; the latter, the Primordial
Metatron, an emanation of the "Cause of Causes", specifically the tenth and last emanation, identified
with the earthly Divine Presence.[7] Furthermore, the Merkabah text Re' uyot Yehezkel identifies the
Ancient of Days from the Book of Daniel as Metatron.[6]

Scholem's scholastic analysis Edit

Many scholars see a discontinuity between how Enoch is portrayed in the early Enoch literature and
how Metatron is portrayed. Scholars commonly see the character of Metatron as being based on an
amalgam of Jewish literature, in addition to Enoch, Michael, Melchizedek, and Yahoel among others are
seen as influences.[5]:86

Gershom Scholem argues Metatron's character was influenced by two streams of thought. One of which
linked Metatron with Enoch, while the second was a fusing of different obscure entities and mythic
motifs.[8]:180 Scholem argues that this second tradition was originally separate but later became fused
with the Enoch tradition.[5]:141–142 He points to texts where this second Metatron is a primordial
angel and referred to as Metatron Rabbah.[5]:141 Scholem theorizes that the two Hebrew spellings of
Metatron's name are representative of these two separate traditions.[5]:142 In his view the second
Metatron is linked to Yahoel. Scholem also links Yahoel with Michael.[5]:141 In the Apocalypse of
Abraham Yahoel is assigned duties normally reserved for Michael. Yahoel's name is commonly seen as a
substitute for the Ineffable Name.[9]
In 2 Enoch, Enoch is assigned titles commonly used by Metatron such as "the Youth, the Prince of the
Presence and the Prince of the World."[5]:141 However we do not see Enoch referred to as the Lesser
YHWH.[5]:141 In 3 Enoch, Metatron is called the lesser YHWH. This raises a problem since the name
Metatron does not seem to be directly related to the name of God YHWH.[5]:140 Scholem proposes this
is because the lesser YHWH is a reference to Yahoel.[5]:140 In Maaseh Merkabah the text reasons that
Metatron is called the lesser YHWH because in Hebrew gematria Metatron is numerically equivalent to
another name of God Shaddai.[10] Scholem does not find this convincing.[5]: 140[11] Scholem point to
the fact that both Yahoel and Metatron were known as the lesser YHWH. In 3 Enoch 48D1 Metatron is
called both Yahoel Yah and Yahoel.[12] In addition to being one of the seventy names of Metatron from
3 Enoch 48D. Yahoel and Metatron are also linked in Aramaic incantation bowl inscriptions.[5]:86[13]

Talmud Edit

The Babylonian Talmud mentions Metatron by name in three places: Hagigah 15a, Sanhedrin 38b and
Avodah Zarah 3b.

Hagigah 15a describes Elisha ben Abuyah in Paradise seeing Metatron sitting down (an action that is not
done in the presence of God). Elishah ben Abuyah therefore looks to Metatron as a deity and says
heretically: "There are indeed two powers in Heaven!"[14] The rabbis explain that Metatron had
permission to sit because of his function as the Heavenly Scribe, writing down the deeds of Israel.[15]
The Talmud states, it was proved to Elisha that Metatron could not be a second deity by the fact that
Metatron received 60 "strokes with fiery rods" to demonstrate that Metatron was not a god, but an
angel, and could be punished.[16]

In Sanhedrin 38b one of the minim tells Rabbi Idith that Metatron should be worshiped because he has a
name like his master. Rabbi Idith uses the same passage Exodus 23:21 to show that Metatron was an
angel and not a deity and thus should not be worshiped. Furthermore, as an angel Metatron has no
power to pardon transgressions nor was he to be received even as a messenger of forgiveness.[16][17]
[18]

In Avodah Zarah 3b, the Talmud hypothesizes as to how God spends His day. It is suggested that in the
fourth quarter of the day God sits and instructs the school children, while in the preceding three
quarters Metatron may take God's place or God may do this among other tasks.[19]
Yevamot 16b records an utterance, "I have been young; also I have been old" found in Psalm 37:25. The
Talmud here attributes this utterance to the Czar of the World/Eternity, whom the rabbinic tradition
identifies as Metatron.[20]

Kirkisani Edit

The tenth century Karaite scholar Jacob Qirqisani believed that rabbinic Judaism was the heresy of
Jeroboam of the Kingdom of Israel.[21] He quoted a version of Sanhedrin 38b,[22] which he claimed
contained a reference to the "lesser YHVH." Gershom Scholem suggests that the name was deliberately
omitted from later copies of the Talmud.[23] However, Qirqisani may have misrepresented the Talmud
in order to embarrass his Rabbanite opponents with evidence of polytheism. Extra-talmudic mystical
texts such as Sefer Hekhalot do speak of a "lesser YHWH", apparently deriving the concept from Exodus
23:21, which mentions an angel of whom God says "my name [understood as YHVH, the usual divine
Proper Name] is in him".

Merkabah, Zohar and other mystical writings Edit

Metatron also appears in the Pseudepigrapha including Shi'ur Qomah, and most prominently in the
Hebrew Merkabah Book of Enoch, also called 3 Enoch or Sefer Hekhalot (Book of [the Heavenly]
Palaces). The book describes the link between Enoch, son of Jared (great grandfather of Noah) and his
transformation into the angel Metatron. His grand title "the lesser YHVH" resurfaces here. The word
Metatron is numerically equivalent to Shaddai (God) in Hebrew gematria; therefore, he is said to have a
"Name like his Master".

Metatron says, "He [the Holy One]... called me, 'The lesser YHVH' in the presence of his whole
household in the height, as it is written, 'my name is in him.'" (12:5, Alexander's translation.) The
narrator of this book, supposedly Rabbi Ishmael, tells how Metatron guided him through Heaven and
explained its wonders. 3 Enoch presents Metatron in two ways: as a primordial angel (9:2–13:2) and as
the transformation of Enoch after he was assumed into Heaven.[24][25]

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. [Genesis 5:24 KJV.]

This Enoch, whose flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire, his eye-lashes to flashes of lightning, his
eye-balls to flaming torches, and whom God placed on a throne next to the throne of glory, received
after this heavenly transformation the name Metatron.[26]
Metatron "the Youth", a title previously used in 3 Enoch, where it appears to mean "servant".[25] It
identifies him as the angel that led the people of Israel through the wilderness after their exodus from
Egypt (again referring to Exodus 23:21, see above), and describes him as a heavenly priest.

In the later Ecstatic Kabbalah, Metatron is a messianic figure.[27]

The Zohar describes Metatron as the "King of the angels."[28] and associates the concept of Metatron
with that of the divine name Shadday.[29] Zohar commentaries such as the "Ohr Yakar" by Moses ben
Jacob Cordovero explain the Zohar as meaning that Metaron as the head of Yetzira[30] This corresponds
closely with Maimonides' description of the Talmudic "Prince of the World"[31], traditionally associated
with Metatron[32], as the core "Active Intellect."[33] [34]

The Zohar describes several biblical figures as metaphors for Metatron. Examples are Enoch[35][36],
Joseph[37][38], Eliezer[39], Joshua[40], and others. The Zohar finds the word "youth" used to describe
Joseph and Joshua a hint that the figures are a metaphor to Metatron, and also the concept of "servant"
by Eliezer as a reference to Metatron.[41] The Staff of Moses is also described by the Zohar[42] as a
reference to Metatron. The Zohar also states that the two tets in "totaphot" of the phylacteries are a
reference to Metatron.[43] The Zohar draws distinction between Metatron and Michael.[44] While
Michael is described repeatedly in the Zohar as the figure represented by the High Priest, Metatron is
represented by the structure of the tabernacle itself.[44]

Apocalyptic texts Edit

In the Apocalypse of Zerubbabel Metatron is not identified as Enoch. Instead he is identified as the
archangel Michael.[5]: 86[8]: 183–185 The text also records that Metatron in gematria is the equivalent
of Shadday.[8]: 55, 184 While he also appears in other apocalyptic writings he is most prominent in the
Apocalypse of Zerubbabel.[8]: 183–184 In these writings he plays the role of heavenly interlocutor
delivering knowledge about the coming messianic age.[8]: 184

Islam

Etymology
See also

References

External links

Last edited 25 days ago by DannyS712

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