Conservative Judaism/Angels

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Expert: - 4/4/2005


Question
Some years ago I saw a program on the history channel about Angels and it said that Jewish families say a prayer over their children at night for Angels to protect them. Do you know the prayer or where I can find it?

Answer
Dear Sydney,

Thanks for writing.

It took a little bit of research if only because when I put my children to bed - many years ago - we didn't use any of the texts I have found with the several days of searching.

After Psalm 91 older prayerbooks - and probably some of the new ones - include formulas that do indeed call upon Angels for protection through their presence:

"In the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, may Michael be at my right hand; Gabriel at my left; before me Uriel; behind me Raphael and above me the presence of God.

For myself, I don't believe that the unity of God can become part of this world. "Angel" is a translation of the Greek for "angelos" meaning mesenger because ancient man tried to understand how God "out there" could communicate with humanity "down here."  For me, revelation is closer to inspiration than verbal or actual preence.

I also don't accept any notion of any being between God and me, and hence I pray only to and with God.

I do hope that this helps. Check out "angel" in jewishencyclopedia.com on-line and you'll have a classic
article.

You'll find these sorts of prayers in prayerbooks under the title "prayers for retiring at night."

Best wishes

Rabbi Dov

Conservative Judaism

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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

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Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.

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I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)

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