By Rabbi Barney Kasdan

A popular movie a few years ago was the entertaining "Angels In The Outfield" which portrayed a rather pathetic baseball team in much need of divine intervention.  The Anaheim Angels were soon doing great exploits with the help of some angelic assistants.  The world at-large and the Jewish community in particular have often had a fascination with the mere idea of divine messengers sent from God.  Yet, according to the Torah, it is not just a good Hollywood plot but a supernatural reality.

As we continue the spiritual journey through the weekly parasha, we come to one such astonishing encounter.  Parashat Vayera opens with the phrase "And HaShem appeared to him (Avraham)" as he was camped in Mamre.  A personal encounter with the Living G-d would be astonishing enough for anyone, but there is a most peculiar aspect to Avraham's experience in Genesis 18.  In verses 2-3, it is noted that he saw "three men" whom Avraham considers representatives of G-d Himself.  In fact, he addresses them with the title "Adonai" variously translated as "sirs", "my lords" or even "Lord" if he is speaking to one as a divine revelation of God himself.  The mystery of this passage is heightened as we note the grammatical variations between the singular and plural words.  Because of this, Maimonides speculated that this was all merely a vision.  Others have reconciled the incongruities as they believe Avraham was reflecting his uncertainty as to whether these messengers were "mere men or represented God" (W.G. Plaut, The Torah, A Modern Commentary).  While there may be arguments for any of these interpretations, many rabbinic commentators have acknowledged that, as strange as it may seem, Avraham's encounter seems to emphasize a divine angel of special significance.  For example, two of the angels remain to dialogue with Avraham concerning the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah (19:1).  Meanwhile, the third angel is called by the special designation "malach Adonai" (the angel of the Lord) who is also the representative for God at the binding of Isaac (22:11).

It is this third angel who appears at several other key junctures of God's revelation to Israel.  The malach Adonai appeared to Moshe at the burning bush.  Later, God promises to send this special agent who will not only guard our people but also be given authority to pardon sin "since my Name is in him" (Exodus 23:20-21).  Because of his special office, there was further speculation about the angel of the Lord.  In some rabbinic teachings, he is given the name "Metatron" which literally means (in Greek) "in the midst of the Throne".  He is seen as God's right-hand man at the very throne of HaShem!  So important is this angel as an intermediary, that one rabbi even suggested that it is appropriate to lift prayers to this angel (Tractate Sanhedrin 38b).  While this view was rejected by the majority, it goes to show the unique place which the malach Adonai/Metatron held in the angelology of historic Judaism.

All this is quite interesting for those of us who embrace Messianic Judaism.  We who believe that the Tenach is the divine word of God also hold to the reality of God's supernatural agents called angels.  We also have come to believe that the God of our fathers revealed himself uniquely in the manifestation of Yeshua of Nazareth.  It seems Yeshua even made a dramatic connection between himself and the historic revelation of the malach Adonai.  One day as he was dialoguing with some of the leaders, Yeshua made a most outrageous statement: "Your father Avraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad" (Yochanan/John 8:56).  So outrageous was this claim that many picked up stones.  Frankly, this is a logical response if one considers the statements of Yeshua as blasphemous.  But what if, in some miraculous way, Yeshua is speaking the truth to us concerning his pre-existence?  What if Yeshua is in fact the one called Metatron who came from the very Throne of the Father?  The angel that appeared to Avraham has captivated much attention for those who contemplate this parasha.  Maybe we are all like those mythical baseball players who are need of some divine intervention.  You might want to take a closer look at this malach Adonai.

Shabbat Shalom!