Editing Seraph (section)

==In Judaism==
{{further|Merkabah mysticism}}

The 12th-century scholar [[Maimonides]] placed the seraphim in the fifth of ten ranks of angels in his exposition of the [[Jewish angelic hierarchy]]. In [[Kabbalah]], the seraphim are the higher angels of the World of [[Beri'ah|Beriah]] ("Creation", first created realm, divine understanding),<ref>[http://www.kabbalaonline.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380697/jewish/Angels-2-Wings-on-Fire.htm Angels 2: Wings on Fire], kabbalaonline.org: "These creatures of the world of Beriya, are the higher angels, called serafim, from the Hebrew word for burn, saraf."</ref> whose understanding of their distance from the absolute divinity of [[Atziluth]] causes their continual "burning up" in [[Ayin and Yesh|self-nullification]]. Through this they ascend to God, and return to their place. Below them in the World of [[Yetzirah]] ("Formation", archetypal creation, divine emotions) are the [[Hayot]] angels of [[Ezekiel_1#The_Vision_of_the_Throne-Chariot_(1:4-28)|Ezekiel's vision]], who serve God with self-aware instinctive emotions ("face of a lion, ox, eagle"). Seraphim are part of the angelarchy of modern [[Orthodox Judaism]]. Isaiah's vision is repeated several times in daily [[Jewish services]], including at [[Kedushah (prayer)|Kedushah]] prayer as part of the repetition of the [[Amidah]], and in several other prayers as well. [[Conservative Judaism]] retains the traditional doctrines regarding angels and includes references to them in the liturgy, although a literal belief in angels is by no means universal among adherents.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} Adherents of [[Reform Judaism]] and [[Reconstructionist Judaism]] generally take images of angels as symbolic.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

A Judean seal from the 8th century BCE depicts them as flying [[asp (snake)]], yet having human characteristics, as encountered by Isaiah in his commissioning as a prophet.<ref>Berlin, Adele; Brettler, Marc Zvi; and Jewish Publication Society. (2014).The Jewish Study Bible Jewish Publication Society Tanakh translation. New York, New York : Oxford University Press. p. 779. {{ISBN|9780199978465}}.</ref>