Behold, I Send an Angel Before Thee

"Behold, I send an angel" (Exodus 23:20). This is what Scripture says: "For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Psalms 91:11). If a person performs one commandment, one angel is given over to him. If he performs two commandments, two angels are given over to him. If he performs all the commandments, many angels are given over to him, as it is said, "For he will command his angels concerning you." And who are the angels? These are they who guard him from the harmful spirits, as it is said, "A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand" (Psalms 91:7). And what is "will fall"? That they make up the full number for him. As in the matter that is said in Chronicles: "And from Manasseh some fell away to David" (1 Chronicles 12:20); and it is written: "As he went to Ziklag, some fell away to him from Manasseh" (1 Chronicles 12:21). "And ten thousand at your right hand." Why a thousand from the left and ten thousand from the right? Because the left does not need many angels, for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is written in the phylacteries, and the phylacteries are placed on the left, as it is said, "And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand" (Deuteronomy 6:8). Rabbi Hanina said to him: It is not written here "will be at your side," but rather "will fall." The left, which is not extended in commandments, brings down only a thousand harmful spirits; but the right, which is extended in commandments, brings down ten thousand harmful spirits. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is "a thousand will fall at your side"? The Holy One, blessed be He, gives over to each and every one of Israel ten thousand and a thousand angels to guard him and make a way for him, and one of them proclaims before him and says: Give honor to the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, for the whole world is full of spirits and harmful beings. Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalum said in the name of Rabbi Levi: There is not a quarter-kav of space in the hollow of the world that does not contain nine kavs of harmful spirits. And how are they fashioned? Rabbi Levi said: A muzzle is upon their faces, like the donkeys of millers. And when the iniquities cause it, the muzzle is uncovered and the person is made foolish. And when the angel proclaims, the person is at peace. If it is silent, immediately he is harmed, and the angel says: So-and-so is finished, as it is said, "And his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to those who bring death" (Job 33:22). It does not say here "to the dead," but rather "to those who bring death," to those angels of destruction to whom he is handed over. And from where do we know that the angel proclaims before him? As it is said: "If there is for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand" (Job 33:23). If he is among those thousand, it proclaims before him, "to declare to a person his uprightness" (Job 33:23). At that hour, "and he is gracious to him and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom" (Job 33:24). Thus, if he has increased in commandments, ten thousand and a thousand angels guard him. And if he is whole in Torah and good deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, guards him, as it is said, "The LORD is your keeper, the LORD is your shade at your right hand" (Psalms 121:5). And so you find concerning Jacob, of whom it is written: "A wholesome man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27). "A wholesome man" in good deeds; "dwelling in tents," occupying himself with Torah and increasing in commandments, camps of angels were given over to him to guard him, as it is said, "And Jacob went on his way, and angels of God met him; and Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's camp; and he called the name of that place Mahanaim" (Genesis 32:2-3). And it says: "And behold, angels of God ascending and descending upon it; and behold, the LORD stood above it and said, And behold, I am with you and will keep you in all that you go" (Genesis 28:12-15). Rabbi Hoshaya said: Happy is the one born of woman who saw the King of the kings of kings and his retinue guarding him and sending angels on his mission, as it is said, "And Jacob sent angels before him to Esau" (Genesis 32:4). And likewise it says: "The angel who redeems me from all evil" (Genesis 48:16). Scripture says: "The righteous walks in his integrity; happy are his children after him" (Proverbs 20:7).