The Three Angels of Beresheet 18:2

From the beginning of Parashat Vayara, who are the three beings who appeared to Abraham?

"He lifted his eyes and saw: And behold! three men were standing over him.  He perceived, so he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and bowed toward the ground."

-- Beresheet 18:2


"Who were these 'three men'?  They were the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.  Michael, who came to relay good tidings to Sarah that she would bear a son; Raphael, who came to heal Abraham; and Gabriel, who went to overturn Sodom."

-- Talmud Bavli, Bava Metzia 86b


והנה שלשה = "and behold! three men (=701)"
אלו מיכאל גבריאל ורפאל = "these are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (=701)"

-- Ba'al HaTurim, Commentary on Beresheet 18:2

Sefer haZohar on the Mishkan as the Vessel of Shekhinah

"Mystery of mysteries for those who know Wisdom: When an impulse arose in the will of Secret of Secrets to form glory for Its glory, It blew a spirit from a supernal point extending from above to below, and placed Its array to settle in this world. Why? Because without an essential root of this world, there would be no vessel to pour to this world at all. And without pouring to this world, it would immediately perish, unable to exist for even one moment. But since its arrayal stems from this world, it is filled ─ from one side to pour to this world, and from another side to pour to supernal angels. All are nourished by it as one."

-- Sefer haZohar, 2:146a (transl. Matt)


The "array" is the Mishkan. It is the "vessel" into which the "spirit" from above can be poured. There is a Mishkan in this world, and a Mishkan in the angelic world.  There is a correspondence between the lower Mishkan and the upper Mishkan. When human beings build their lower Mishkan, it motivates the angels to become active at their level, and a conduit of communication is opened between human beings below and the angels above.

Hekhalot Rabbati on Who is Like Our King, YHVH Our God

"Who is like our King among all the majestic ones who hold kingship? Who is like our Former? Who is like YHVH our God? Who is like Him among those who fasten on the fastenings of crowns? For with six voices the beings who are bearers of the throne of His glory sing before Him, the cherubim and the ophannim and the holy living creatures, with voice after voice that his made to ascend over its companion and is modulated before Him.

"Who is like our King? Who is like our Former? Who is like YHVH our God? The sun and the moon rule and lead forth the crown of His head. The Pleiades, Orion, and the morning star, groups of stars, and stars and constellations drip and go forth from the robe of Him who is garlanded and He is enthroned in it upon the throne of His glory and it emits a great light between His eyes, for He is a King of miracles, a King of mighty acts, a King of holy wonders, and a King of explications, according to the word that is said, 'Holy, Holy, Holy' (Isaiah 6:3)."

-- Hekhalot Rabbati, Synopse §§103, 105 (transl. J. Davila)

Sefer haZohar on the Prayers of the Righteous and Angels Appointed Over Prayers of Israel

"Rabbi Abba said: [...] The blessed Holy One constantly desires the prayers of the righteous and crowns Himself with their prayers, as they have said: That angel appointed over the prayers of Israel takes all those prayers, fashions them into a crown, and places it on the head of Vitality of the Worlds, as they have established. All the more so with prayers of the righteous, desired by the blessed Holy One, fashioned into a crown with which He is crowned. [...]

"Come and see what Rabbi Shim'on said: 'The prayer of a congregation ascends before the blessed Holy One, who crowns Himself with that prayer because it ascends in many colors, encompassing many facets. Interweaving many colors, it is made into a crown and placed on the head of the Righteous One, Vitality of the Worlds; wheras the prayer of an individual is not interwoven but monochromatic and so not as readily received as the prayer of a congregation.'"

-- Sefer haZohar 1:167b (transl. D. Matt)