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Midot Hayom: Day 35: Malchut in Hod



Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: If you sit still, how can you make peace between people? Actively strive for peace in Israel, as it says, “Seek peace and pursue it.” Start by making peace in your hometown, and when you have settled all local quarrels, pursue peace elsewhere. The Holy One, Blessed is He, made peace in heaven. How did He do that? He did not name ten angels Gabriel, ten angels Michael, ten angels Oriel, and ten angels Rafael, the way people do. There are at least ten people named Reuben, or Simon, or Levi, or Judah. If God named angels the way people name people, when He summoned one angel, all angels with that name would come running, and when one angel was sent on a mission the others would be envious of him. Instead He named one Gabriel, one Michael: Therefore when He calls one of them, only the one He calls comes before Him, and He sends him on whatever mission He desires. How do we know that angels respect and honor each other and are more humble than man? When they begin to sing, one says to the other: “You begin, you are greater than I,” while the other responds: “No, you begin; you are greater than I.”This is unlike men, where one says to the other: “I am greater than you,” and the other retorts, “No, I am greater than you.” Avot of Rabbi Nathan 12:6

Each Angel is identified by his individual name, mission and glory. This allows the them all to recognize the greatness of the other and therefore connect into a whole unity when they praise God. The more we can recognize our own individual glory, we will have enough humility to acknowledge the glory of others and join with the in service of God.

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