Raziel

Raziel (Hebrew: רזיאל‎ "Secret[s] of God") is an archangel within the teachings of Jewish mysticism (of the Kabbalah of Judaism) who is the "Keeper of Secrets" and the "Angel of Mysteries". He is associated with the Sephira Chokhmah (the second of ten) in Olam Briah, one of the Four Worlds of Kabbalistic theory.

Mysticism and tradition

Various teachings assign Raziel to diverse roles, including that of a Cherub, a member of the Ophanim, and chief of the Erelim.

Raziel, under the alternate name Galizur, ("Revealer of The Rock") is described as the "-ruling prince of the 2nd Heaven.-" He is said to expound the "Torah's divine wisdom," and protects the ministering angels from the Hayyoth, the "holy Creatures" that uphold the universe.

Authorship of Sefer Raziel HaMalach

The famous Sefer Raziel HaMalach ("Book of Raziel the Angel") attributed to this figure is said to contain all secret knowledge, and is considered to be a book of magic. He stands close by God's throne, and therefore hears and writes down everything that is said and discussed. He purportedly gave the book to Adam and Eve after they ate from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (for which resulted in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden) so the two could find their way back "home" and better understand their God. Raziel's fellow angels were deeply disturbed by this, and thus stole the book from Adam and threw it into the ocean. God Himself decided not to punish Raziel, but instead retrieved the book by means of the angel Rahab and returned it to Adam and Eve. Bertie considers this story - not attested in the Bible - to be a variant of the story of Prometheus in Greek mythology

Raziel (disambiguation)

Raziel may refer to:

Raziel (Legacy of Kain)

Raziel is a fictional character and a main protagonist in the Legacy of Kain video game series. Introduced in 1999 as the lead and playable character of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, he was created by Amy Hennig, Seth Carus and Arnold Ayala of Crystal Dynamics. He reappears as the protagonist of Soul Reaver 2, and returns as a playable character alongside series eponym, Kain, in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, which closes his story arc.

Portrayed as a tragic hero, Raziel is described as an "ex-vampire" or "wraith". First appearing in Soul Reaver as one of Kain's lieutenants, he is executed after surpassing Kain, but is resurrected by The Elder God as a reaver of souls, bent on avenging himself by slaying his brethren and former master. Over the course of this journey, his history is revealed in reverse, and his motivations and loyalties gradually change as he unearths the truth behind his cyclic destiny.

Raziel's story and appearance were inspired by several influences, including the 1920 silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, John Milton's Paradise Lost, and the Hindu god Vishnu. Outside of the main series, he has featured in two tie-in comics, and in Crystal Dynamics' Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. In all of his voiced appearances, he has been played by Michael Bell. Video game critics and players have reacted positively to his character, praising his design, backstory and development.