Monday: Angel Profile (The Memitim)

Today’s angel post is shorter than usual. I’ll probably start profiling angels from other works-in-progress starting next Monday.

During my research on the various angels of death, I came across an interesting term: “memitim.” According to http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/ghosts/SaintDeath.php “The memitim are a type of angel from biblical lore associated with the mediation over the lives of the dying. The name is derived from the ancient Hebrew word, ‘memitim,’ and refers to angels that brought about the destruction of those whom the guardian angels no longer protected. While there may be some debate among religious scholars regarding the exact nature of the memitim, it is generally accepted that, as described in the Book of Job 33:22, they are killers of some sort.”

JewishEncyclopedia.com mentions memitim as “identified with ‘destroying angels’ (‘mal'ake ḥabbalah’) (Bacher, "Ag. Pal. Amor." iii. 279, note 9), and Prov. xvi. 14 uses the term the ‘angels of death’ (‘mal'ake ha-mawet’).”

These angels are said to be Gabriel, Malak Almawt (Malaku ‘l-Maut?), an Islamic angel of death, Michael, Samael, and Sariel.

When I created my Angels of Death series I had no idea about the memitim and  found it rather ironic three of my angels – Xariel (Sariel), Samael, and Gabriel – should be the three listed along with Michael, a psychopomp. For a time, I debated calling the series The Memitim, but realized my story did not revolve around that particular theme of angelic assassination and decided to forego the idea.

Nevertheless, I find the concept intriguing and still plan to write a story about the memitim. Just what it’ll be about I’m not quite sure.