Andrei Orlov, «Moses’ Heavenly Counterpart in the Book of Jubilees and the
Exagoge of Ezekiel the Tragedian», Vol. 88 (2007) 153-173
The paper provides conceptual background for the idea of the angel of the presence as the heavenly counterpart of Moses in the Book of Jubilees and the Exagoge of Ezekiel the Tragedian. The identity of the celestial scribe in the form
of the angel of the presence found in the Book of Jubilees and some other Second Temple materials might further our understanding of the enigmatic process of
mystical and literary emulation of the exemplary figure, the cryptic mechanics of which often remains beyond the grasp of our post/modern sensibilities. It is possible that in the traditions of heavenly counterparts where the two characters
of the story, one of which is represented by a biblical exemplar, become eventually unified and acquire a single identity, we are able to draw nearer to the very heart of the pseudepigraphical enterprise. In this respect, it does not appear to be coincidental that these transformational accounts dealing with the heavenly doubles of their adepts are permeated with the aesthetics of penmanship and the
imagery of the literary enterprise. In the course of these mystical and literary metamorphoses, the heavenly figure surrenders his scribal seat, the library of the celestial books and even personal writing tools to the other, earthly identity who now becomes the new guardian of the literary tradition.
162 Andrei Orlov
The title “Phanuel†is reminiscent of the terminology found in
various Jacob accounts. In Gen 32,31, Jacob names the place (µwqmh) of
his wrestling with God as Peniel (laynp) - the Face of God. Scholars
believe that the angelic name Phanuel and the place Peniel are
etymologically connected (35).
This reference to Uriel/Sariel/Phanuel as the angel who
instructs/wrestles with Jacob and announces to him his new angelic
status and name is documented in several other sources, including Tg.
Neof. and PrJos. In the Prayer of Joseph, Jacob-Israel reveals that
“Uriel, the angel of God, came forth and said that ‘I [Jacob-Israel] had
descended to earth and I had tabernacled among men and that I had
been called by the name of Jacob.’ He envied me and fought with me
and wrestled with me†(36).
In the Slavonic Ladder of Jacob, an another important text attesting
to the idea of the heavenly counterpart, Jacob’s identification with his
heavenly counterpart, the angel Israel, again involves the initiatory
encounter with the angel Sariel, the angel of the Divine presence or the
Face (37). The same state of events is observable in Enochic materials
where Uriel serves as a principal heavenly guide to another prominent
visionary who has also acquired knowledge about his own heavenly
counterpart, namely, Enoch/Metatron. The aforementioned traditions
pertaining to the angels of the presence are important for our ongoing
investigation of the angelic figure in the Jubilees in view of their role
in accession to the upper identity of the seer.
——————
MUTIUS, Synopse zur Hekhaloth-Literatur (TSAJ 2; Tübingen 1981) 52. On
VON
the identification of Sariel with the Prince of the presence see: ODEBERG, 3 Enoch,
99-100; SMITH, “Prayer of Josephâ€, II, 709.
(35) G. Vermes suggests that the angelic name Phanuel “is dependent on the
Peniel/Penuel of Genesis 32â€. See, VERMES, “The Impact of the Dead Sea Scrolls
on Jewish Studiesâ€, 13. J. Smith supports Vermes’ position. In his opinion, “it is
most likely that the name Phanuel is to be derived from the place name
Peniel/Penuel (the face of God) in Genesis 32:30, and therefore may be related to
the title ‘a man seeing God’â€. SMITH, “Prayer of Josephâ€, II, 709. See also S.
Olyan, who argues that “the angel Penuel was either derived from texts such
Exod. 13:14-15 and Deut. 4:37, where the divine presence is given figurative
treatment, or it emerged from the exegesis of Gen. 32:25-33â€. OLYAN, A
Thousand Thousands Served Him, 108-109
(36) SMITH, “Prayer of Josephâ€, II, 713.
(37) On the idea of the heavenly counterpart of Jacob in the Ladder of Jacob
see, “The Face as the Heavenly Counterpart of the Visionary in the Slavonic
Ladder of Jacobâ€, A. ORLOV, From Apocalypticism to Merkabah Mysticism.
Studies in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha (JSJS 114; Leiden 2007) 399-419.
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