Archangel Raziel: meaning, role, and origin
Raziel is the archangel of secrets: the keeper of hidden knowledge, which a legend says was passed to Adam in a book.
- mystery
- knowledge
- transmission
Raziel at a glance
For you, he evokes a taste for knowledge that takes time: some answers are discovered page after page.
- Name
- “God is my mystery” (also read as “secret of God”)
- Named by
- Later sources
- Texts
- Sefer Raziel HaMalakh
Archangels are not calculated; Lenain’s 72 angels, however, can be read in your date of birth.
Who is the archangel Raziel?
Raziel belongs to Jewish mysticism. A legend tells that he gave Adam and Eve a book containing all secret knowledge; angels are said to have thrown it into the sea, God had it returned, and the book then passed to Enoch, Noah, and Solomon. A collection of mysticism and magic, the Sefer Raziel HaMalakh, bears his name; another text, the Sefer HaRazim, dated to the 4th century, claims to have been given to Noah by Raziel.
The Kabbalah links him to Chokhmah, wisdom. He appears in no book of the Bible.
Texts that name this archangel
| Text | Role in the text |
|---|---|
| Sefer Raziel HaMalakh | A book of Jewish magic and mysticism that bears his name, “containing all secret knowledge” |
| Legend of the Book of Adam | Raziel is said to have given a book to Adam and Eve, then passed down to Enoch, Noah, and Solomon |
| Sefer HaRazim (4th century) | Given to Noah by Raziel, according to the text |
According to the traditions
Jewish tradition
The Sefer Raziel HaMalakh, which bears his name, presents itself as the book of all secret knowledge, somewhere between mysticism and magic.
Kabbalah
The Kabbalah associates him with Chokhmah, wisdom, alongside Jophiel.
The name
Raziel is read as “God is my mystery,” or “secret of God.” Some sources also call him Gallizur.
How the archangel is depicted
No set ancient iconography.
Good to know
- Absent from the Bible; associated with the sefirah Chokhmah (wisdom) in the Kabbalah.
The powers attributed to him on angelology sites go far beyond what the texts say: a legend and a book that bears his name.
Archangel Raziel: your questions
What is the Book of Raziel?
The Sefer Raziel HaMalakh, “the book of the angel Raziel,” is a collection of Jewish mysticism and magic that presents itself as containing all secret knowledge. A legend makes it the book Raziel is said to have given to Adam and Eve.
Is Raziel in the Bible?
No. He belongs to Jewish mysticism and the Kabbalah, where he is linked to Chokhmah, wisdom. The stories about him come from the legend of Adam’s book and from texts such as the Sefer HaRazim.
What does the name Raziel mean?
“God is my mystery,” or “secret of God.” The name expresses his role in the legend: the one who holds and passes on hidden knowledge. He is also found under the name Gallizur.
And what about your own angels?
Raziel keeps secrets. Your birth date points to some of Lenain’s 72 angels as yours: which ones?
Find my three angels Calculated in your browser · nothing is sent or stored · no predictions.