Enoch, as we find in Legends of the Jews, wasn't just any guy. He lived in a time when, according to Rabbi Ishmael (as told by Enoch himself!), humanity had really messed things up. They were so wicked, they told God, "Depart from us, for we do not desire to know Thy ways." Harsh, right? According to Ginzberg, the Legends of the Jews author, this sinfulness is what prompted God to take Enoch up to heaven.
But why? What was the point?
The Midrash tells us that Enoch was taken as a witness. A witness that even when destruction is decreed, God isn't cruel. He's acting with justice, even if it's hard to understand.
Imagine Enoch's journey. Guided by the angel 'Anpiel, he ascends from earth to heaven. The holy beings – the ofanim, the seraphim, the cherubim – all those beings who move God’s throne, they notice him from a distance of... get this... six hundred and fifty million and three hundred parasangs! (A parasang is an ancient unit of distance). They’re basically saying, "Wait, what’s that human smell? How did someone born of woman get here?"
But God steps in. "O My servants and hosts," He says, "Don't be offended. All the children of men denied Me and paid homage to idols. I transferred the Shekinah (the Divine Presence) from earth to heaven because of it. But Enoch? Enoch is the elect of men. He has more faith, justice, and righteousness than all the rest, and he is the only reward I have derived from the terrestrial world."
Before Enoch could start his heavenly service, he had to be prepared. Think of it as divine onboarding. The gates of wisdom were opened to him – wisdom, understanding, discernment, life, peace, the Shekinah itself, strength, power, might, loveliness, grace, humility, and even fear of sin. He was given qualities beyond any celestial being. He also received thousands of blessings from God!
And get this – his size changed! According to Legends of the Jews, Enoch’s height and breadth became equal to the height and breadth of the world. He sprouted thirty-six wings and three hundred and sixty-five thousand eyes, each as brilliant as the sun!
Then, a throne was erected for him near the gates of the seventh celestial palace. A herald announced that Enoch would now be known as Metatron. That’s right, Enoch became Metatron, a powerful angel.
God declared, "I have appointed My servant Metatron as prince and chief over all the princes in My realm, except for the eight august and exalted princes that bear My name." Any angel with a request had to go through Metatron. He was made guardian of the treasures of heaven, including the treasures of life in the highest heaven, 'Arabot.
Out of love, God dressed Metatron in a magnificent garment covered in every kind of luminary. He placed a crown upon his head, gleaming with forty-nine jewels. This crown held the very letters by which heaven and earth were created, the mysteries of creation itself! God called him "the little Lord."
Even the most powerful angels trembled before Metatron: Samael, Gabriel, and all the angels in charge of the elements – fire, hail, wind, lightning, and more. All were in awe of his magnificence.
The transformation was complete. Enoch's body was transformed into celestial fire. His flesh became flame, his veins fire, his bones glimmering coals, his eyes torches, his hair a blazing inferno. He was surrounded by storm and whirlwind, hurricane and thunder.
So, what does this story tell us? It speaks of transformation, of reward for righteousness, and of hope even in the darkest of times. Even when humanity seems lost, there's a path to elevation, to becoming something greater than ourselves. Enoch's journey to becoming Metatron is a reminder that even human beings can achieve incredible spiritual heights. And maybe, just maybe, that potential lies within each of us.