View source for Hashmal

{{Short description|Angelic entity in Judaism}}
[[Image:Ezekiel's vision.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Ezekiel's "chariot vision", by [[Matthaeus Merian]] (1593–1650)]]
{{italic title}}
The '''''Hashmallim''''' ({{Langx|he|חַשְׁמַלִּים}} {{Transliteration|he|Ḥašmallīm}}; sing. '''Hashmal''', {{Lang|he|חַשְׁמַל}} {{Transliteration|he|Ḥašmal}}; rendered '''amber''' by the [[Authorized Version]])<ref>{{Cite Jewish Encyclopedia|title=AMBER|url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1373-amber|author=Gerson B. Levi|volume=1|page=487}}</ref> are angelic entities in [[Judaism]].<ref>[[Rashi]] to [http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16099 Ezekiel] 1:4</ref>

The word ''hashmal'' appears in the [[Hebrew Bible]] in [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]] 1:4-5:
{{quote|And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire flashing up, so that a brightness was round about it; and out of the midst thereof as the colour of electrum, out of the midst of the fire. And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.<ref>{{bibleverse|Ezekiel|1:4-5|HE}}</ref>}}

Hashmallim occupy the fourth rank of ten in [[Maimonides]]' exposition of the [[Jewish angelic hierarchy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/904962/jewish/Yesodei-haTorah-Chapter-Two.htm|title=Yesodei haTorah 2:7|website=Chabad.org}}</ref>

The [[Septuagint]] translates ''hashmal'' to ηλεκτρον (''elektron''), which means "[[amber]]" in English. Later, ''hashmal'' became the [[Modern Hebrew]] word that translates to the English word "[[electricity]]". Jewish poet [[Judah Leib Gordon]] coined the modern Hebrew word, in his 1878 collection ''Gabashta''.<ref>Gilad, Elon.  [http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/word-of-the-day/word-of-the-day-hashmal.premium-1.517080 "Word of the Day / Hashmal."] ''Haaretz''.  24 April 2013.  24 June 2013.</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of angels in theology]]
* [[Merkabah mysticism]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Angels in Judaism]]
[[Category:Classes of angels]]
{{Angels in Abrahamic religions}}

{{Hebrew-Bible-stub}}