Cassiel

Illustration of Cassiel from The Magus by Francis Barrett (1801)

Cassiel (Hebrew קפציאל Qafsiel Kaziel) meaning "Speed of God" is the Latin name of an archangel in post-biblical Judeo-Christian religion, particularly that of the Kabbalah. Unlike many other angels, Cassiel is known for simply watching the events of the cosmos unfold with little interference. He is the angel of solitude and tears, and is said to preside over the deaths of kings. [1]

He is often included in lists as being one of the seven archangels and often associated with the Seventh Heaven.

Qafsiel amulet from the 15th century

In mythology

In Jewish mysticism and Mesopotamian mythology, Cassiel is associated with the planet Saturn and the direction north. He is the controller of the moon.[2]

In the magical text Berit Menuchah, Cassiel is associated with Kefitzat Haderech, the ability to travel quickly through space. Magic spells using his name are cast to create destruction, to scatter crowds, to cause a person to wander aimlessly, or to fall from a position of power.[3]

Ancient Hebrew amulets bearing his name are used to drive away one's enemies. The words on the charm are written with the blood of a bird and then tied to the foot of a dove. The dove is then set to flight, taking one's enemy with it. Should the bird refuse to fly, it is a sign that one's enemies won't depart either.

Archangel Cassiel can also be called: Casiel, Cassel, Castiel, Cas, Cass, Casitiel, Castael, Mocoton, Kaziel, kafkiel, Qafsiel, Qaphsiel, Qaspiel, Quaphsiel. He is also known as the angel of temperance.

In the Jewish Kabbalah

In rabbinic literature, the Kabbalah is the only text to relate the identity of angels with souls. Tradition differs as to how many classes of angels exist although all relate the number of angel classes to the heavens in a one-to-one ratio. One of the older and most common views, divides angels into seven classes. Another tradition states that there are only three true archangels and only three heavens. And then there is a third tradition, combining the two aforementioned for a total of ten classes of angels. Yet another theory relates the names of the archangels to the planets.[4] Archangels are also referred to as the "chief angels" and called the "angels of the presence."[5]

Archangels are connected to a level of sephiroth; the Kabbalah contains 10 levels of sephiroth each holding different meanings and responsibilities. Each sephirah is assigned a name and number and becomes associated with an archangel, a name of God, an angelic order, and a planetary force. These levels are sometimes referred to as Vessels of Light because they are representative of the progression of the realms in which they are connected. The sephiroth are God's means of interacting with the physical world.[6]

In popular culture

References

  1. ↑ Briggs, Constance Victoria (1997). The Encyclopedia of Angels: An A-to-Z Guide with Nearly 4,000 Entries. Plume. ISBN 0-452-27921-6.
  2. ↑ Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Free Press.
  3. ↑ name=Gaster, (1998), The Wisdom of the Chaldeans,pp. 17-18,Holmes Pub Grou Llc, ISBN 1-55818-399-X
  4. ↑ Ginzberg, Louis (1968). The Legends of the Jews. The Jewish Publication Society of America. p. 23.
  5. ↑ "archangel, in religion." The Columbia Encyclopedia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. Credo Reference. Web. 26 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "sephiroth." Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained. London: Chambers Harrap, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 30 September 2012.
  7. ↑ Caine, Rachel. "The Outcast Season Series". The Outcast Season Series. ROC. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2015.

Further reading

External links

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