Angelic Findings

Ever since I heard that the Seraphim are a higher order of Angels than the Cherubim, I've always wanted to explore the other choirs or orders of angels. According to wikipedia each religion has its own system, so I'm going to break down the Jewish angelic hierarchy first, then I might get to some other systems later.

Judaism has 10 orders of Angels, according to Maimonides:

10. The lowest order is the Ishim, one of whom appears to Daniel in chapter 10. The angel has a face of lightning and hands of firebrands, and a body and legs of bronze. The Ish (sp?) delivers an enlightening vision of the future by touching Daniel. I suppose this is the lower-order messenger of god, just there to bestow some karma-clearage on the prophet. Ishim probably lack a direct conduit to God, and are just enlightened beings.

9. Next is the Cherubim, of whom everyone is familiar. They appear to have some degree of autonomy, and are led by Kerubiel according to the Zohar. I also found a mention of the "Kerubim", those angels that follow Kerubiel.

8. Eighth from the top is the Bene Elohim, or sons of God, or sons of the Voices. This is typically depicted as a half god/half human, and are synonymous with the Nephilim.

7. Next are the Elohim, the first of the choirs to be truely divine. Many texts seem to say that Elohim and higher orders angels are so close to God as being indivisible. This is a human low-resonance perspective. Looking from earth, the light of God indeed subsumes the light of any angels close by, but from heaven they are separate. This order spreads not just enlightenment, but true divine love.

6. Malakhim, the messenger choir are next. While Ishim are guided by God to deliver informative enlightenment, the Malakhim are emanated from God directly to deliver power interventions of divine love.

5. The Seraphim are next. They typically appear in human form because their emanating glory causes any observer to see the holiest image their imagination can conjure.

4. Hashmallim are fourth, but there's also not much to find here.

3. Third are the Erelim, singular Arel. I couldn't find much on these guys, must be too divine for the internet.

2. Ophalim are second to top, and are probably are the wheels mentioned accompanying the Chayot. The Ophalim are firey wheels beneath God's throne.

1. At the top are the Chayot Ha Kadesh, the living beings of holiness, I think. They appear to Ezekiel as four-faced (man, lion, ox and eagle) and four-winged creatures, and join together with one pair of their wings, wrapping the other wings around their bodies. They would then walk as one, without turning because one being was facing in the direction to walk. (I'm not sure why it goes into so much detail about how they walk.) They also had wheels, apparently, that would move of their own will, while the Chayot faded in and out like flames. The Chayot projected an image of a man in a throne into the heavens, who speaks to Ezekiel as God.

So that's some guy from the 1100s interpretation of the Angelic hierarchy in Judaism.