Genesis 3:24

Being separated from the state of purity and fulfillment symbolized by the Garden of Eden, and being expelled as a consequence of our disobedience, we came to rely on our free will—the human capacity to make decisions—which, curiously, has historically distanced us from the Creator.

However, we were not entirely disconnected from the spiritual world, which is a whole, and thus even in our realm, there is talk of the influence of angels, demons, and other celestial beings, who play a role within the spiritual structure of the universe.

Angels (malachim in Hebrew) are considered messengers of the Creator, tasked with carrying out His will in the material world. Being beings of pure light, created by Him, they perform specific tasks, whether in the heavens or on earth, through particular functions that depend solely on divine will.

There are hierarchies among them according to their proximity to the divine, and although they are described within ten orders corresponding to the ten sefirot of the Tree of Life, the truth is that the highest angels, or the seraphim, who interact more directly with the physical world, fulfill a role given by the Creator's plan.

It is believed that each sefira has associated angels that carry out its specific function in the universe. For example, the archangel Michael (Micha'el) is associated with the sefira of Chesed (mercy), while the archangel Gabriel is associated with Gevurah (rigor).

On the other hand, there are demons (shedim), who are considered forces of destruction and chaos, as they emanate from the negative forces that exist in the universe. Often, they are associated with the "shell" (kelipah), which is the covering or impurity that clings to the holy.

Although they may be deemed negative, demons have a role in the cosmic balance, allowing free will and justice to exist in the world. They are said to have been created as a result of man's fall, the product of certain unbalanced energies in the universe within the contracted space. Therefore, they inhabit the lower planes of reality, and although they can influence the physical world, causing temptations, diseases, and other forms of suffering, they always remain under the universal order and divine will.

Samael is an angel with an interesting duality, as he is described as a fallen angel or demon, while others consider him an angel who acts as an accuser in the heavenly court, fulfilling the role of tempter and executor of divine punishment.

Lilith is also mentioned, represented by some as the first wife of Adam who rebelled against him. However, this personification of darkness and seduction, like Satan himself, is simply associated with the sphere of the kelipah, representing temptation and the danger that lurks for humanity when it strays from the spiritual path.

All celestial beings, including those known as Metatron, the highest angel and the celestial scribe who records all of man's deeds, play a role. This one acts as a mediator between the Creator and humanity and is known as the "Prince of the Presence." Some confuse him with our Lord Jesus Christ, who, for believers, forms the Trinity through which the Creator is manifested to us.

Finally, the angel Raziel, known as the angel of mysteries and secrets, gave Adam a book full of divine wisdom, known as the "Sefer Raziel HaMalach," which contains deep secrets about the creation and functioning of the universe.

So if there are cherubim with a flaming sword guarding the way to the tree of life, all of them speak to us of the importance of divine protection, to which direct access is denied due to the deepest secrets of divine knowledge when humanity is not prepared for them.

That is why the flaming sword, which turns constantly, symbolizes the ongoing dynamics of divine judgment and the need for perfect balance between love (Chesed) and rigor (Gevurah). Being the tree of life, our Lord Jesus Christ is the direct connection to divinity and the source of eternal life.

The word "כְרוּבִ ים " (keruvim, "cherubim") has a numerical value of 278 (Kaf = 20, Resh = 200, Vav = 6, Bet = 2, Yod = 10, Mem = 40), so this protective energy is, at the same time, a responsibility, one that implies access to sacred knowledge. Therefore, the word "לַהַ ט" (lahat, "flaming sword"), with its numerical value of 438 (Lamed = 30, Hei = 5, Tet = 9), reinforces the idea of an intense and purifying energy necessary to protect the way to immortality and eternal life.

It is we humans who have created barriers on our path to spiritual fulfillment through disobedience, and we must recover the state of grace that was lost by confronting all those obstacles on our spiritual journey, which are overcome through faith in our savior and guide, the tree of life, who calls us to internal transformation in order to be redeemed.