Malochim – Angels

Dear Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin, thank you for your comment regarding Rabbi Schapiro's elavoration on the composition of Angels. However, the composition of your letter smacks to me of loshon hare. or something like that. aren't we supposed to look with most of the right eye and only a little of the left? You may be technically correct in your comments--i am only an ignorant jew who does not even know all of the Hebrew letters-- but your letter, to me, sounded snarky. Knowledge is meant to lift others up, not to put them down. I think you owe Rabbi Schapiro teshuvah. when i am informed as to what that teshuvah is, i will inform you. if you are interested. if you are not interested, then i can not help you. (i do not open email) Reply

The Composition of Angels In the lecture, Rabbi Schapiro elaborates on the composition of Angels. He cites what Maimonides writes in Hil. Yesodei Hatorah 2:3 regarding Angels, that they are “creations which have a form but no shape.” And that they do not posses a “body.”

While this is indeed the opinion of Maimonides, Rabbi Schapiro fails to even cite the view of the Kabalist (see the Sefer HaPardes from Rabbi Moshe Cordevero -Shaar 24 chapter 15), which is also the view of Chassidic Philosophy including that of the Baal Hatanya’s (see for example the Sefer “Torah Or” -Parshas Breishis page Daled column 2 ) that Angels DO indeed have some sort of Body (albeit is made up of only the two more refined elements, fire and air).

I understand that this was only meant as a brief overview about angels in general. However, I would think that he himself would follow or at least cite the view of the Kabalist and the Baal Hatanya. Reply