Legands of the Jews > Volume 1 >
THE ANGELS AND THE CREATION OF MAN
God in His wisdom hiving resolved to create man, He asked counsel of all around Him before He proceeded to execute His purpose--an example to man, be he never so great and distinguished, not to scorn the advice of the humble and lowly. First God called upon heaven and earth, then upon all other things He had created, and last upon the angels.
The angels were not all of one opinion. The Angel of Love favored the creation of man, because he would be affectionate and loving; but the Angel of Truth opposed it, because he would be full of lies. And while the Angel of Justice favored it, because he would practice justice, the Angel of Peace opposed it, because he would be quarrelsome.
To invalidate his protest, God cast the Angel of Truth down from heaven to earth, and when the others cried out against such contemptuous treatment of their companion, He said, "Truth will spring back out of the earth."
The objections of the angels would have been much stronger, had they known the whole truth about man. God had told them only about the pious, and had concealed from them that there would be reprobates among mankind, too. And yet, though they knew but half the truth, the angels were nevertheless prompted to cry out: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" God replied: "The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, what were they created for? Of what avail a larder full of appetizing dainties, and no guest to enjoy them?" And the angels could not but exclaim: "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Do as is pleasing in Thy sight."[12]
For not a few of the angels their opposition bore fatal consequences. When God summoned the band under the archangel Michael, and asked their opinion on the creation of man, they answered scornfully: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" God thereupon stretched forth His little finger, and all were consumed by fire except their chief Michael. And the same fate befell the band under the leadership of the archangel Gabriel; he alone of all was saved from destruction.
The third band consulted was commanded by the archangel Labbiel.
Taught by the horrible fate of his predecessors, he warned his
troop: "You have seen what misfortune overtook the angels who
said 'What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?' Let us have a
care not to do likewise, lest we suffer the same dire punishment.
For God will not refrain from doing in the end what He has
planned. Therefore it is advisable for us to yield to His
wishes." Thus warned, the angels spoke: "Lord of the world, it is
well that Thou hast thought of creating man. Do Thou create him
according to Thy will. And as for us, we will be his attendants
and his ministers, and reveal unto him all our secrets."
Thereupon God changed Labbiel's name to Raphael, the Rescuer,
because his host of angels had been rescued by his sage advice.
He was appointed the Angel of Healing, who has in his
safe-keeping all the celestial remedies, the types of the medical
remedies used on earth.[12]
