Editing Metatron (section)

== Merkabah, Zohar and other mystical writings ==
Metatron also appears in the [[Pseudepigrapha]] including {{transliteration|hbo|[[Shi'ur Qomah]]}}, and most prominently in the [[Merkabah literature]] of the  [[3 Enoch]], also called the "Book of Enoch" or "Book of [the Heavenly] Palaces." The book describes the link between [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enoch]], son of [[Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]] (great-grandfather of [[Noah]]) and his transformation into the angel Metatron.

Metatron says, "He [the Holy One] called me, 'The lesser [[Yahweh|YHWH]]' in the presence of his whole household in the height, as it is written, 'my name is in him{{'"}} (12:5, Alexander's translation). The narrator of this book, supposedly [[Rabbi Ishmael]], tells how Metatron guided him through Heaven and explained its wonders. 3 Enoch presents Metatron in two ways: as a primordial angel (9:2–13:2) and as the transformation of Enoch after he was assumed into Heaven.<ref>{{cite journal |editor-last=Weimer |editor-first=Christopher M. |year=2002 |orig-year=1893 |title=Hebrew Visions of Hell and Paradise |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/1893-15.htm |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102111156/http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/1893-15.htm |archive-date=2 January 2007}}</ref><ref name=Alexander>{{Cite book |last=Alexander |first=P.|editor-last=Charlesworth |editor-first=James H. |year=1983 |chapter=3 (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch  |title=The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha |chapter-url={{GBurl|TNdeolWctsQC|pg=PA223}} |page=223 |location=New York |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=978-0-385-19491-4}}</ref>

{{blockquote|And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.|Genesis 5:24, [[King James Version]]<ref>{{bibleverse|Genesis|5:24|KJV}}</ref>}}

{{blockquote|This Enoch, whose flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire, his eye-lashes to flashes of lightning, his eye-balls to flaming torches, and whom God placed on a throne next to the throne of glory, received after this heavenly transformation the name Metatron.<ref>{{cite book |last=Scholem |first=Gershom G. |year=2011 |orig-year=1941 |title=Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism |url={{GBurl|9mv10jdWKswC|pg=PA67}} |page=67 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday |isbn=978-0-307-79148-1}}</ref>}}

Metatron "the Youth", a title previously used in 3 Enoch, where it appears to mean "servant".<ref name=Alexander /> It identifies him as the angel that led the people of [[Israel]] through the wilderness after their exodus from [[Egypt]] (again referring to [https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.23.21 Exodus 23:21]), and describes him as a heavenly priest.

In the later Ecstatic Kabbalah, Metatron is a messianic figure.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Koslowski |editor-first=P. |year=2002 |title=Progress, Apocalypse, and Completion of History and Life after Death of the Human Person in the World Religions |url={{GBurl|veaWegpB22oC|pg=PA58}} |page=58 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-402-00647-0}}</ref>

The ''[[Zohar]]'' describes Metatron as the "King of the angels".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 3|page=293a}}</ref> and associates the concept of Metatron with that of the divine name {{transliteration|hbo|Shaddai}}.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar Chadash|at=Sifra Tanina 11}}</ref> Zohar commentaries such as the {{transliteration|he|Ohr Yakar}} by [[Moses ben Jacob Cordovero]] explain the Zohar as meaning that Metatron as the head of [[Yetzirah|Yetzira]]<ref>{{Cite book|title=Matok Midvash on Zohar 2|page=149a}}</ref> This corresponds closely with [[Maimonides]]' description of the Talmudic "Prince of the World",<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Yevamot 16b:6 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Yevamot.16b.6 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref> traditionally associated with Metatron,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Tosaphoth on Babylonian Talmud|page=16b}}</ref> as the core "[[Active intellect|Active Intellect]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guide for the Perplexed, Part 2 6:4 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Guide_for_the_Perplexed,_Part_2.6.4 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Guide for the Perplexed, Part 2 4:3 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Guide_for_the_Perplexed,_Part_2.4.3 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref>

The ''Zohar'' describes several biblical figures as metaphors for Metatron. Examples are Enoch,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 3|page=189a}}</ref><ref name="Zohar 1">{{Cite book|title=Zohar 1|page=27a}}</ref> Joseph,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 1|page=47a}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 2|page=43a}}</ref> Eliezer,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 1|page=130b}}</ref> Joshua,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 2|page=65b}}</ref> and others. The ''Zohar'' uses "youth" to describe Joseph and Joshua, a hint that the figures are a metaphor to Metatron, and also the concept of ''servant'' by Eliezer as a reference to Metatron.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 2|page=94a}}</ref> The [[Staff of Moses]] is also described by the Zohar<ref name="Zohar 1" /> as a reference to Metatron. The Zohar also states that the two [[Tet (letter)|tets]] in the word ''totafot'' ({{langx|hbo|טוטפת||"[[tefillin]]"}}) are a reference to Metatron.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zohar 3|page=226b}}</ref> The ''Zohar'' distinguishes Metatron and [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]].<ref name="Zohar 2">{{Cite book|title=Zohar 2|page=159a}}</ref> While Michael is described repeatedly in the ''Zohar'' as the figure represented by the [[High Priest of Israel|High Priest]], Metatron is represented by the structure of the [[tabernacle]] itself.<ref name="Zohar 2" />