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The Name Refael: Angel and Person

Sources explore the name Refael across biblical, rabbinic, and mystical traditions—from the angel Refael who healed Avraham and rescued Lot, to historical figures named Refael who served in the Temple, to kabbalistic teachings on Refael's role as an archangel associated with healing and divine attributes.

רְפָאֵל שֶׁבָּא לְרַפּוֹת אֶת אַבְרָהָם

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Source 1 · Tanach

Verified

Bereshit – The Three Angels Visit Avraham

Genesis 18:2

Three angels appear to Avraham; the Talmud (Bava Metzia 86b) and Rashi identify one of them as Refael, whose mission was to heal Avraham after his circumcision — this is the primary biblical source for the angel Refael as healer.

וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃

Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground,

Why it matters — The angel Refael's first and most prominent biblical appearance, establishing the association of the name with healing (refu'ah).

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Source 2 · Tanach

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Divrei HaYamim – Refael among the gatekeepers

I Chronicles 26:7

Refael is listed among the sons of Shemaiah, from the family of Obed-Edom, who served as gatekeepers of the Temple. He is described as a capable man (gibor chayil).

בְּנֵ֣י שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה עׇ֠תְנִ֠י וּרְפָאֵ֨ל וְעוֹבֵ֧ד אֶלְזָבָ֛ד אֶחָ֖יו בְּנֵי־חָ֑יִל אֱלִיה֖וּ וּסְמַכְיָֽהוּ׃

The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad—his brothers, men of ability, were Elihu and Semachiah.

Why it matters — One of several explicit biblical appearances of the name Refael, given to a distinguished Temple servant.

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Source 3 · Tanach

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Bamidbar – Hoshea renamed Yehoshua

Numbers 13:8

Moshe renames Hoshea son of Nun to Yehoshua before sending the spies. The Talmud (Sotah 34b) notes that Moshe prayed for him with the name of God — this passage is foundational because the spy from Ephraim is called 'Refael' in Chronicles (I Chron. 7:27), connecting the name to the tribe.

לְמַטֵּ֥ה אֶפְרָ֖יִם הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃

From the tribe of Ephraim, Hosea son of Nun.

Why it matters — The name Refael appears in the lineage of Yehoshua bin Nun in the tribe of Ephraim, establishing its biblical roots.

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Source 4 · Chazal

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Talmud Bavli Bava Metzia – The Three Ministering Angels

Bava Metzia 86b

The Gemara identifies the three angels who visited Avraham: Mikhael, Gavriel, and Refael. Refael came to heal Avraham (rapa et Avraham) and also to rescue Lot. Each angel carries only one mission at a time.

מַאן נִינְהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים – מִיכָאֵל וְגַבְרִיאֵל וּרְפָאֵל. מִיכָאֵל שֶׁבָּא לְבַשֵּׂר אֶת שָׂרָה, רְפָאֵל שֶׁבָּא לְרַפֵּא אֶת אַבְרָהָם, גַּבְרִיאֵל אֲזַל לְמֶהְפְּכַיהּ לִסְדוֹם. וְהָא כְּתִיב: ״וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים סְדֹמָה בָּעֶרֶב״! דַּאֲזַל מִיכָאֵל בַּהֲדֵיהּ לְשֵׁזְבֵיהּ לְלוֹט. דַּיְקָא נָמֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת הֶעָרִים הָאֵל״, וְלָא כְּתִיב ״וַיַּהַפְכוּ״ – שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

The Gemara continues: Who are these three men? They are the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael: Michael, who came to announce to Sarah that she was to give birth to a son; Raphael, who came to heal Abraham after his circumcision; and Gabriel, who went to overturn Sodom. The Gemara asks: But it is written: “And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening” (Genesis 19:1). The Gemara answers that Michael went along with Gabriel to Sodom to save Lot. The Gemara notes: The language is also precise, as it is written: “And he overturned those cities” (Genesis 19:25), and it is not written: They overturned those cities. Conclude from it that only one angel overturned Sodom.

Why it matters — Core Talmudic source establishing Refael as the angel of healing and deriving the name from the root ר-פ-א (to heal).

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Source 5 · Acharonim

Verified

Sha'ar HaKavanot – Refael in the Morning Prayer Meditations

Sha'ar HaKavanot, Morning Prayers 1

The Ari (R. Yitzchak Luria) through R. Chaim Vital discusses the four archangels Mikhael, Gavriel, Uriel, and Refael in relation to the four directions and divine attributes, with Refael corresponding to the North and the power of healing.

ענין תפלת השחר:

Why it matters — Kabbalistic Acharonim source placing Refael within the cosmic structure of divine attributes and prayer intention.

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Source 6 · Hasidic

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Kedushat Levi – The Angels and Divine Service

Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Vayera 1

R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev discusses the three angels who visited Avraham, noting that Refael's mission of healing reflects the principle that a tzaddik's physical wellbeing is itself a form of divine service and a vessel for holiness.

והנה השפע אשר היא מצומצם בעולמות הוא באותיות כגון עולם השרפים הצמצום הוא באותיות שרפים וכן לכל העולמות שלהם וכן לעולם התחתון לכל אחד כפי אותיות שלו, היינו לאברהם השפע מצמצום אברהם וכן לכל אדם.

When such a human being ‎has been given a “name” by its Creator, this “name” reflects the ‎degree to which this person is able to absorb G’d’s “light,” ‎without being harmed by it.

Why it matters — A Hasidic perspective on the name Refael, connecting bodily healing to spiritual wholeness and the service of the righteous.

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Source 7 · Modern

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Mishnah Berurah – Prayer for the Sick and Refael

Mishnah Berurah 119:1

The Mishnah Berurah discusses the blessing of Refa'enu in the Amidah and the custom of adding a prayer for the sick, noting that the blessing is structured around the divine attribute of healing, which is associated with the angel Refael.

(א) היה לו חולה - עי' בפמ"ג שכ' דדוקא אם הי' לו וכן בפרנסה דוקא אם צריך לפרנסה אבל אינו רשאי לבקש רחמים בברכה מאמצעיות על העתיד שלא יחלה ושלא יחסר לחמו וכה"ג משא"כ בש"ת אפי' על העתיד רשאי לבקש:

Why it matters — Connects the name Refael to the practical halachic context of praying for the sick, showing how the angelic name permeates Jewish liturgy.

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