Editing Metatron (section)

== Origins ==
In the [[Hellenistic period]], mention of a second divine figure, either beside [[Yahweh]] or beneath him, occurs in several Jewish texts, mostly [[apocryphal]]. These Jewish traditions implying a divine dualism were most frequently associated with Enoch. In the rabbinic period, they center on 'Metatron', often in the context of debates over the heretical doctrine of 'two powers in heaven' ({{transliteration|hbo|shtei rashuyot ba-shamayim}}).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Segal |first=Alan F. |year=2002 |chapter=Chapter Three. Aher, Metatron, Merkabah and the Angel of YHWH |title=Two Powers in Heaven - Early Rabbinic Reports about Christianity and Gnosticism |chapter-url={{GBurl|LRzCB9xSRFsC|pg=PA60}} |page=60 |publisher=E.J. Brill |isbn=978-0-391-04172-1}}</ref><ref name=Stroumsa /> Ultimately, these ideas appear to go back to differing interpretations of the heavenly enthronement passages at [https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.24.10 Exodus 24:10], [https://www.sefaria.org/Daniel.7.9 Daniel 7:9]. and perhaps even [https://www.sefaria.org/Ezekiel.1.26 Ezekiel 1:26].<ref>Segal ibid. p.60</ref> These different interpretations later came to distinguish what was orthodox from what was heretical in Judaism.

Among the [[List of Old Testament pseudepigrapha|pseudepigrapha]] [[Book of Enoch#Book of Parables|1 Enoch: Book of Parables]] presents two figures: the [[son of man]] and Enoch. At first, these two characters seem to be separate entities. Enoch views the son of man enthroned in Heaven. Later, however, they prove to be the same. Many scholars believe that the final chapters in the Book of Parables are a later addition. Others think they are not and that the son of man is Enoch's heavenly double, similar to the ''[[Prayer of Joseph]]'', where [[Jacob]] is depicted as an angel.<ref name=Orlov>{{Cite book |last=Orlov |first=Andrei A. |year=2005 |title=The Enoch-Metatron Tradition |chapter=Evolution of the Roles and Titles in Early Enochic Booklets |series=Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism |chapter-url={{GBurl|foqSvRbR3vIC|pg=PA44}} |pages=83–86, 140–142 |publisher=[[Mohr Siebeck]] |volume=107 |isbn=978-3-161-48544-2 |doi=10.1628/978-3-16-158687-3| s2cid=198676033|url=https://www.mohrsiebeck.com/10.1628/978-3-16-158687-3 }}</ref> The [[Book of Daniel]] displays two similar characters: the [[Ancient of Days]] and the [[son of man (Judaism)#Daniel|one like a man]]. Parts of the text in Daniel are [[Aramaic]] and may have been changed in translation. The [[Septuagint]] reads that the son of man came as the Ancient of Days. All other translations say the son of man gained access to the Ancient of Days and was brought before that one.<ref name=Deutsch>{{Cite book |last=Deutsch |first=Nathaniel |year=1999 |title=Guardians of the Gate - Angelic Vice Regency in Late Antiquity |url={{GBurl|yhfMea8gTu4C|pg=PA45}} |pages=45–47 |publisher=E.J. Brill |isbn=978-9-004-10909-4}}</ref>

The identification of Enoch with Metatron in 3 Enoch, where the name first appears, is not explicitly made in the [[Talmud]], although it does refer to a Prince of the World who was young but now is old. However, some of the earliest [[kabbalah|kabbalists]] assumed the connection. There also seem to be two Metatrons, one spelled with six letters ({{lang|hbo|מטטרון}}), and one spelled with seven ({{lang|hbo|מיטטרון}}). The former may be the transformed Enoch, Prince of the Countenance within the [[Hekhalot literature|divine palace]]; the latter, the Primordial Metatron, a [[sefiroth|sephira]] "persona" of the "Cause of Causes", specifically the tenth and last persona, identified with the earthly [[Shekhina]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=von Nettesheim |first=Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa |editor1-last=Tyson |editor1-first=Donald |editor2-last=Freake |editor2-first=James |year=1993 |title=Three Books of Occult Philosophy |url={{GBurl|5YjXnoAaYowC}} |page=473 |publisher=Llewellyn Worldwide |isbn=978-0-875-42832-1}}</ref> Furthermore, the [[Merkabah mysticism|Merkabah]] text {{transliteration|hbo|Re'uyot Yehezkel}} identifies the [[Ancient of Days]] from the [[Book of Daniel]] as Metatron.<ref name=Deutsch />

=== Scholem's scholastic analysis ===
Many scholars see a discontinuity between how Enoch is portrayed in the early Enoch literature and how Metatron is portrayed. Scholars commonly see the character of Metatron as being based on an amalgam of Jewish literature; in addition to Enoch, [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], [[Melchizedek]], and [[Yahoel]] among others are seen as influences.<ref name=Orlov />

Scholem argues two streams of thought influenced Metatron's character: One linking Metatron with Enoch, and one fusing different obscure entities and mythic motifs.<ref name=Reeves>{{cite book |last=Reeves |first=John C. |year=2005 |title=Trajectories in Near Eastern Apocalyptic: A Postrabbinic Jewish Apocalypse Reader |url={{GBurl|TO6q6Je0r24C}} |pages=55, 180–185 |publisher=Society of Biblical Literature Atlanta |isbn=978-1-589-83102-5}}</ref> Scholem argues that this second tradition was originally separate but later fused with the Enoch tradition.<ref name=Orlov /> He points to texts where this second Metatron is a primordial angel and referred to as Metatron Rabbah.<ref name=Orlov /> Scholem theorizes that the two Hebrew spellings of Metatron's name represent these two separate traditions.<ref name=Orlov /> In his view, the second Metatron is linked to Yahoel. Scholem also links Yahoel with Michael.<ref name=Orlov /> In the [[Apocalypse of Abraham]], Yahoel is assigned duties normally reserved for Michael. Yahoel's name is commonly seen as a substitute for the Ineffable Name.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Ginzberg |first=Louis |year=1906 |title=Abraham, Apocalypse of |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/361-abraham-apocalypse-of |encyclopedia=Jewish Encyclopedia}}</ref>

In [[2 Enoch]], Enoch is assigned titles commonly used by Metatron such as "the Youth, the Prince of the Presence and the Prince of the World."<ref name=Orlov /> Enoch is not called the Lesser Yahweh.<ref name=Orlov /> In 3 Enoch, Metatron is called the Lesser Yahweh. This raises a problem since the name Metatron does not seem to be directly related to the name of God, Yahweh.<ref name=Orlov /> Scholem proposes that this is because the Lesser Yahweh is a reference to Yahoel.<ref name=Orlov /> In [[Maaseh Merkabah]], the text reasons that Metatron is called the Lesser YHWH because in Hebrew gematria, Metatron is numerically equivalent to another name of God {{transliteration|hbo|[[El Shaddai|Shaddai]]}}.<ref name ="Speculum">{{Cite book |last=Wolfson |first=Elliot R. |year=1994 |title=Through a Speculum That Shines - Vision and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Mysticism |url={{GBurl|FqKT7ML2re8C|pg=PA259}} |page=259 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-01722-8}}</ref> Scholem does not find this convincing.<ref name=Orlov /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Charlesworth |first=James H. |year=1983 |title=The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha |url={{GBurl|Z8cyt_SM7voC}} |page=227 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |isbn=978-1-598-56491-4}}</ref> Scholem points to the fact that both Yahoel and Metatron were known as the Lesser YHWH. In 3 Enoch 48D1, Metatron is called both Yahoel Yah and Yahoel.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Deutsch |first=Nathaniel |year=1999 |title=Guardians of the Gate - Angelic Vice Regency in Late Antiquity |url={{GBurl|yhfMea8gTu4C|pg=PA34}} |pages=36–37 |publisher=E.J. Brill |isbn=978-9-004-10909-4}}</ref> In addition to being one of the seventy names of Metatron from 3 Enoch 48D, Yahoel and Metatron are also linked in Aramaic [[incantation bowl]] inscriptions.<ref name=Orlov /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Charlesworth |first=James H. |year=2006 |title=The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumran Community |url={{GBurl|rwod-AUjaWQC|pg=PA369}} |page=369 |publisher=Baylor University Press |isbn=978-1-932-79220-1}}</ref>