The Ishim ( Heb. אִישִׁים, ''ʾĪšīm;'' lit. ''Men'' by an unusual plural via Prov. 8:4, cf. אנשים) are the lowest tier of

angels An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

in the

cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe, the cosmos. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', with the meaning of "a speaking of the wo ...

Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...

. "These", writes Maimonides, "are the angels which speak with the prophets and appear to them in visions. They are called Men because their tier is almost within reach of the human mind". The Ishim later appear in the

Zohar The ''Zohar'' (, ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work of Kabbalistic literature. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material o ...

, which copied this term from Maimonides.

Samuel ibn Tibbon Samuel ben Judah ibn Tibbon ( – ), more commonly known as Samuel ibn Tibbon (, ), was a Jewish philosopher and doctor who lived and worked in Provence, later part of France. He was born about 1150 in Lunel, Hérault, Lunel (Languedoc), and die ...

speculated that the term "ishim" has a lost Talmudic origin. Reuven Rappaport suggested

Midrash Proverbs Midrash Proverbs (Hebrew: מדרש משלי, Midrash Mishlei) is the aggadic midrash to the Book of Proverbs. Names It is first mentioned under the title "Midrash Mishlei" by R. Hananeel b. Ḥushiel. Nathan of Rome called it "Aggadat Mishlei". ...

to 8:4, which contrasts two terms for men, ''ishim'' and ''bene adam'', understanding ''ishim'' as more complementary, and writes "O men 'ishim''I call to you -- If you are good and follow the Law, you are called men 'ishim''like the attending angels." This reflects several Biblical references to angels in human guise (according to Rabbinic tradition) always as ''ish'' or ''anashim'' and never as ''bene adam'': Dan. 9:21, "And while I was praying the man 'ish''Gabriel . . .", Gen. 18:2ff., "And he raised his eyes and saw three men 'anashim''standing . . .", Gen. 32:25, "And the man 'ish''wrestled with him until dawn came", and Gen. 37:15, "And a man 'ish''found him wandering in the field . . ."RSHI ad loc.

References

Angels in Judaism Classes of angels {{Kabbalah-stub

See also

References