The Archangels: A Biblical Perspective of Raphael, the Healer

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5abdMACg4ac/VHC0D3JD_AI/AAAAAAAACLQ/9G8GXfjN99M/s1600/archangel_raphael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5abdMACg4ac/VHC0D3JD_AI/AAAAAAAACLQ/9G8GXfjN99M/s1600/archangel_raphael.jpg" width="186" /></a></div> <iframe align="left" class="oxwevzcjquuhjglqwelv" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mystictea-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1591795184&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>The early books of the Hebrew bible speak of angels as <i>malach</i> (<span lang="he">מלאך</span>) which means messenger but do not identify them directly by name.<br /> <br /> It is not until the book of  Daniel that the  archangels Michael and Gabriel are  mentioned by their individual names. Michael and Gabriel are the two archangels said to be stationed on the right and left of God's heavenly throne.  The angels stationed before and behind God, Uriel and Raphael, are not named anywhere in the Hebrew bible.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The angel Raphael, however, is mentioned in the Jewish apocryphal, The Book of Enoch.  He is also believed to have taken an active role in biblical events, first as the angel who healed Abraham after his circumcision and later as the angel who healed Jacob of the injury sustained while wrestling with another angel (also unnamed in this part of the text but believed to be the archangel Michael).   </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to Rabbi David Cooper, in his wonderful book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invoking-Angels-Blessings-Protection-Healing/dp/1591795184?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Invoking Angels</a>, it was Raphael who healed Miriam after she was afflicted with leprosy. When Moses (Miriam's brother) prays that his sister be healed, he says:  'Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.' (Numbers 12:13):  <i>El nah refah nah lah</i> (אֵל, נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ).   <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invoking-Angels-Blessings-Protection-Healing/dp/1591795184?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystictea-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1591795184" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Rabbi Cooper maintains that the name of Raphael can be found in this passage by combining the two words <i>refah</i> (heal) and <i>El</i> (God) - refah-el: (אֵל) + (רְפָא).</div> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It is Raphael who may be invoked in healing meditations. My meditation today is to become aware of Raphael as he stands behind me - a being of light and compassion whose awareness I hope to direct to someone in need.  <span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i></i></span> </div>

The Archangels: A Biblical Perspective of Raphael, the Healer

The early books of the Hebrew bible speak of angels as malach ( מלאך ) which means messenger but do not identify them directly by name...

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