The story of Enoch offers us a glimpse into just such an extraordinary experience.
Now, Enoch wasn't just any man. The Torah tells us simply that he "walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him" (Genesis 5:24). But this brief verse sparked a wealth of legend and lore. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, this wasn't even Enoch's first celestial visit! Before his final ascension, he was granted a vision of all that exists on Earth and in the heavens.
Imagine this: Enoch is asleep, and a deep sorrow grips his heart. He doesn't know why, doesn't understand the source of his grief. Suddenly, two towering figures appear. Their faces radiate like the sun, their eyes blaze like lamps, and flames dance from their lips. Their wings shimmer brighter than gold, and their hands gleam whiter than snow. Talk about an awakening!
They tell Enoch not to fear, that the everlasting God has sent them to escort him to heaven. He's instructed to bid farewell to his family and servants, warning them not to seek him until the Lord returns him.
Can you imagine the scene? Enoch, imparting wisdom to his sons, urging them to remain steadfast in their faith. Then, these celestial beings sweep him up on their wings, carrying him through the clouds, higher and higher, until they reach the first heaven.
What does Enoch see there? He's shown the 200 angels who govern the stars, performing their celestial duties. He beholds the treasuries of snow and ice, clouds and dew – the very building blocks of our world.
Next, they ascend to the second heaven. Here, a starkly different sight awaits: the fallen angels, imprisoned for their disobedience. They plead with Enoch, "O man of God! Pray for us to the Lord!" But Enoch, ever humble, replies, "Who am I, a mortal man, that I should pray for angels? Who knows whither I go, or what awaits me?"
The journey continues to the third heaven, and a breathtaking panorama unfolds. Enoch is shown Paradise itself, resplendent with trees of vibrant colors, laden with ripe, delicious fruit, and filled with intoxicating fragrance. And in the heart of it all stands the Tree of Life, radiating beauty beyond description. Ginzberg describes it as more beautiful than any created thing, shimmering with gold and crimson, transparent like fire, and utterly encompassing. Four rivers flow from its roots, pouring forth honey, milk, oil, and wine, nourishing the Paradise of Eden that lies between the mortal and immortal realms. Three hundred angels guard this sacred garden, their voices raised in constant praise of the Lord.
The angels explain that this wondrous place is prepared for the righteous, while a terrifying realm awaits sinners in the northern regions of the third heaven. Enoch witnesses scenes of unimaginable torment: impenetrable darkness, a fire that burns yet freezes, and merciless angels wielding savage weapons.
The heavenly tour continues through the fourth heaven, where Enoch observes the movements of the sun and moon, escorted by legions of angels and fantastical creatures like phoenixes and chalkidri. He sees the gates through which they enter and exit, and a vast, armed host serving the Lord with music and unceasing praise.
In the fifth heaven, he encounters the Grigori, angels who rebelled against God. They are depicted as being like men, but larger than giants, with withered countenances and silent lips. Enoch rebukes them, urging them to return to their service. To his surprise, they listen and join in the celestial chorus, their voices filled with sadness and tenderness.
Finally, they reach the seventh heaven, the highest realm. Here, Enoch beholds the seven bands of archangels who govern the cosmos, studying the movements of the stars, the phases of the moon, and the cycles of the sun. They oversee the world's fortunes and orchestrate teachings, instructions, and glorious praise. Amidst them are seven phoenixes, seven cherubim, and seven six-winged creatures, all singing in unison.
Overwhelmed by the fiery hosts and incorporeal powers, Enoch is seized by fear. But his guides reassure him, leading him before the Lord, enthroned in majesty. The heavenly hosts, arranged in ten classes, stand on ten steps, each according to their rank, and offer their obeisance. They serve Him in joy and boundless light, their songs filling the heavens.
At the edge of the seventh heaven, Enoch is left alone, consumed by terror. But then, Gabriel appears, urging him to stand before the Lord forever. Enoch, still trembling, hesitates, but Gabriel swiftly carries him before the Divine Presence.
Enoch prostrates himself, and the Lord commands him to rise and stand before Him eternally. Michael removes Enoch's earthly garments, anoints him with holy oil, and clothes him in celestial raiment. Transformed, Enoch now resembles one of God's glorious beings, and his fear vanishes.
God then calls upon a wise archangel to instruct Enoch, revealing the secrets of creation, the history of angels and humankind, and the destiny of souls. For thirty days and nights, Enoch writes, recording all that he learns, filling 366 books. He learns of the fall of Satan, the creation and sin of Adam, and the future of the world. He is told that the world's duration will be seven thousand years, followed by an eighth millennium beyond reckoning.
Finally, God sends Enoch back to Earth to instruct his sons, entrusting his writings to them to be passed down through generations. He foretells the coming deluge and promises to preserve a righteous lineage through Noah.
Before his return, an angel transforms Enoch, making him bearable for mortal eyes. He spends thirty days teaching his family, imparting his wisdom and entrusting them with his books. Then, darkness descends, and angels carry Enoch to the highest heaven, where he is received by the Lord.
Enoch’s story, as recounted in Legends of the Jews and other sources, is a powerful testament to the potential for human connection with the Divine. It speaks of transformation, of revelation, and of the enduring power of wisdom to guide us through the ages. It makes you wonder: What secrets are waiting to be revealed, and what role do we play in preserving and sharing them with future generations?
This was not the first time Enoch had been in heaven. Once before, while he sojourned among men, he had been permitted to see all there is on earth and in the heavens. On a time when he was sleeping, a great grief came upon his heart, and he wept in his dream, not knowing what the grief meant, nor what would happen to him. And there appeared to him two men, very tall. Their faces shone like the sun, and their eyes were like burning lamps, and fire came forth from their lips; their wings were brighter than gold, their hands whiter than snow. They stood at the head of Enoch's bed, and called him by his name. He awoke from his sleep, and hastened and made obeisance to them, and was terrified. And these men said to him: "Be of good cheer, Enoch, be not afraid; the everlasting God hath sent us to thee, and lo! to-day thou shalt ascend with us into heaven. And tell thy sons and thy servants, and let none seek thee, till the Lord bring thee back to them." Enoch did as he was told, and after he had spoken to his sons, and instructed them not to turn aside from God, and to keep His judgment, these two men summoned him, and took him on their wings, and placed him on the clouds, which moved higher and higher, till they set him down in the first heaven. Here they showed him the two hundred angels who rule the stars, and their heavenly service. Here he saw also the treasuries of snow and ice, of clouds and dew. From there they took him to the second heaven, where he saw the fallen angels imprisoned, they who obeyed not the commandments of God, and took counsel of their own will. The fallen angels said to Enoch, "O man of God! Pray for us to the Lord," and he answered: "Who am I, a mortal man, that I should pray for angels? Who knows whither I go, or what awaits me?" They took him from thence to the third heaven, where they showed him Paradise, with all the trees of beautiful colors, and their fruits, ripe and luscious, and all kinds of food which they produced, springing up with delightful fragrance. In the midst of Paradise he saw the tree of life, in that place in which God rests when He comes into Paradise. This tree cannot be described for its excellence and sweet fragrance, and it is beautiful, more than any created thing, and on all its sides it is like gold and crimson in appearance, and transparent as fire, and it covers everything. From its root in the garden there go forth four streams, which pour out honey, milk, oil, and wine, and they go down to the Paradise of Eden, that lies on the confines between the earthly region of corruptibility and the heavenly region of incorruptibility, and thence they go along the earth. He also saw the three hundred angels who keep the garden, and with never-ceasing voices and blessed singing they serve the Lord every day. The angels leading Enoch explained to him that this place is prepared for the righteous, while the terrible place prepared for the sinners is in the northern regions of the third heaven. He saw there all sorts of tortures, and impenetrable gloom, and there is no light there, but a gloomy fire is always burning. And all that place has fire on all sides, and on all sides cold and ice, thus it burns and freezes. And the angels, terrible and without pity, carry savage weapons, and their torture is unmerciful. The angels took him then to the fourth heaven, and showed him all the comings in and goings forth, and all the rays of the light of the sun and the moon. He saw the fifteen myriads of angels who go out with the sun, and attend him during the day, and the thousand angels who attend him by night. Each angel has six wings, and they go before the chariot of the sun, while one hundred angels keep the sun warm, and light it up. He saw also the wonderful and strange creatures named phoenixes and chalkidri, who attend the chariot of the sun, and go with him, bringing heat and dew. They showed him also the six gates in the east of the fourth heaven, by which the sun goes forth, and the six gates in the west where he sets, and also the gates by which the moon goes out, and those by which she enters. In the middle of the fourth heaven he saw an armed host, serving the Lord with cymbals and organs and unceasing voices. In the fifth heaven he saw many hosts of the angels called Grigori. Their appearance was like men, and their size was greater than the size of the giants, their countenances were withered, and their lips silent. On his question who they were, the angels leading him answered, "These are the Grigori, who with their prince Salamiel rejected the holy Lord." Enoch then said to the Grigori, "Why wait ye, brethren, and serve ye not before the face of the Lord, and why perform ye not your duties before the face of the Lord, and anger not your Lord to the end?" The Grigori listened to the rebuke, and when the trumpets resounded together with a loud call, they also began to sing with one voice, and their voices went forth before the Lord with sadness and tenderness. In the seventh heaven he saw the seven bands of archangels who arrange and study the revolutions of the stars and the changes of the moon and the revolution of the sun, and superintend the good or evil conditions of the world. And they arrange teachings and instructions and sweet speaking and singing and all kinds of glorious praise. They hold in subjection all living things, both in heaven and on earth. In the midst of them are seven phoenixes, and seven cherubim, and seven six-winged creatures, singing with one voice. When Enoch reached the seventh heaven, and saw all the fiery hosts of great archangels and incorporeal powers and lordships and principalities and powers, he was afraid and trembled with a great terror. Those leading him took hold of him, and brought him into the midst of them, and said to him, "Be of good cheer, Enoch, be not afraid," and they showed him the Lord from afar, sitting on His lofty throne, while all the heavenly hosts, divided in ten classes, having approached, stood on the ten steps according to their rank, and made obeisance to the Lord. And so they proceeded to their places in joy and mirth and boundless light, singing songs with low and gentle voices, and gloriously serving Him. They leave not nor depart day or night, standing before the face of the Lord, working His will, cherubim and seraphim, standing around His throne. And the six-winged creatures overshadow all His throne, singing with a soft voice before the face of the Lord, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; heaven and earth are full of His glory." When he had seen all these, the angels leading him said to him, "Enoch, up to this time we were ordered to accompany thee." They departed, and he saw them no more. Enoch remained at the extremity of the seventh heaven, in great terror, saying to himself, "Woe is me! What has come upon me!" But then Gabriel came and said unto him, "Enoch, be not afraid, stand up and come with me, and stand up before the face of the Lord forever." And Enoch answered: "O my lord, my spirit has departed from me with fear and trembling. Call the men to me who have brought me to the place! Upon them I have relied, and with them I would go before the face of the Lord." And Gabriel hurried him away like a leaf carried off by the wind, and set him before the face of the Lord. Enoch fell down and worshipped the Lord, who said to him: "Enoch, be not afraid! Rise up and stand before My face forever." And Michael lifted him up, and at the command of the Lord took his earthly robe from him, and anointed him with the holy oil, and clothed him, and when he gazed upon himself, he looked like one of God's glorious ones, and fear and trembling departed from him. God called then one of His archangels who was more wise than all the others, and wrote down all the doings of the Lord, and He said to him, "Bring forth the books from My store-place, and give a reed to Enoch, and interpret the books to him." The angel did as he was commanded, and he instructed Enoch thirty days and thirty nights, and his lips never ceased speaking, while Enoch was writing down all the things about heaven and earth, angels and men, and all that is suitable to be instructed in. He also wrote down all about the souls of men, those of them which are not born, and the places prepared for them forever. He copied all accurately, and he wrote three hundred and sixty-six books. After he had received all the instructions from the archangel, God revealed unto him great secrets, which even the angels do not know. He told him how, out of the lowest darkness, the visible and the invisible were created, how He formed heaven, light, water, and earth, and also the fall of Satan and the creation and sin of Adam He narrated to him, and further revealed to him that the duration of the world will be seven thousand years, and the eighth millennium will be a time when there is no computation, no end, neither years, nor months, nor weeks, nor days, nor hours. The Lord finished this revelation to Enoch with the words: "And now I give thee Samuil and Raguil, who brought thee to Me. Go with them upon the earth, and tell thy sons what things I have said to thee, and what thou hast seen from the lowest heaven up to My throne. Give them the works written out by thee, and they shall read them, and shall distribute the books to their children's children and from generation to generation and from nation to nation. And I will give thee My messenger Michael for thy writings and for the writings of thy fathers, Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, and Jared thy father. And I shall not require them till the last age, for I have instructed My two angels, Ariuk and Mariuk, whom I have put upon the earth as their guardians, and I have ordered them in time to guard them, that the account of what I shall do in thy family may not be lost in the deluge to come. For on account of the wickedness and iniquity of men, I will bring a deluge upon the earth, and I will destroy all, but I will leave a righteous man of thy race with all his house, who shall act according to My will. From their seed will be raised up a numerous generation, and on the extinction of that family, I will show them the books of thy writings and of thy father, and the guardians of them on earth will show them to the men who are true and please Me. And they shall tell to another generation, and they, having read them, shall be glorified at last more than before." Enoch was then sent to earth to remain there for thirty days to instruct his sons, but before he left heaven, God sent an angel to him whose appearance was like snow, and his hands were like ice. Enoch looked at him, and his face was chilled, that men might be able to endure the sight of him. The angels who took him to heaven put him upon his bed, in the place where his son Methuselah was expecting him by day and by night. Enoch assembled his sons and all his household, and instructed them faithfully about all things he had seen, heard, and written down, and he gave his books to his sons, to keep them and read them, admonishing them not to conceal the books, but tell them to all desiring to know. When the thirty days had been completed, the Lord sent darkness upon the earth, and there was gloom, and it hid the men standing with Enoch. And the angels hasted and took Enoch, and carried him to the highest heaven, where the Lord received him and set him before His face, and the darkness departed from the earth, and there was light. And the people saw, and did not understand how Enoch was taken, and they glorified God. Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month of Siwan, and he was taken to heaven in the same month, Siwan, on the same day and in the same hour when he was born. And Methuselah hasted and all his brethren, the sons of Enoch, and built an altar in the place called Achuzan, whence Enoch was taken up to heaven. The elders and all the people came to the festivity and brought their gifts to the sons of Enoch, and made a great festivity, rejoicing and being merry for three days, praising God, who had given such a sign by means of Enoch, who had found favor with them.
