erelim (aralim, arelim, erellim)

Angels made of white fire who are 70,000 myriads strong and are equated with BENE ELOHIM , ISSIM , and THRONES . Erelim means “valiant ones” (though some sources say it is uncertain) and comes from Isaiah 33:7: “Behold, the valiant ones cry without; the envoys of peace weep bitterly.” The erelim are said to live in either the third, fourth, or fifth HEAVEN , from whence they govern grass, trees, fruit, and grain. They were involved in the capture of the sacred ark. Their chiefs are said to be either Michael or Raziel. The Maseket Aziluth names them 10th (last) in rank in the CELESTIAL HIERARCHY . In 3 ENOCH 14:1–3, the PRINCES of the erelim, along with the princes of the ELIM and TAPSARIM , pay homage to Metatron. The erelim are the angelic order of Binah (Intelli- gence), the third sephirah of the Kabbalistic TREE OF LIFE . They are under the rule of the archangel Tzaphkiel.