Raphael is the archangel of the south, the element of Fire, and the sphere of Tiphareth on the Tree of Life. His name derives from the Hebrew רָפָאֵל (Rafa'el), meaning 'God has healed' or 'Healing of God.'

Position on the Tree of Life

Raphael governs the 11th path on the Tree of Life, the path of the Sun, which connects Chokmah (Wisdom) to Binah (Understanding). This path is known as the 'Intelligence of the Second Glory' and is associated with the sephirah Tiphareth (Beauty), the central sphere of harmony and healing.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

Raphael is attributed to the Sun, the number 6, the color yellow, the metal gold, and the divine name YHVH Eloah ve-Da'ath. His planetary hours are those of the Sun, and his magical image is that of a king crowned and robed in gold, holding a sword or a caduceus.

Historical context

Raphael appears in the Book of Tobit (2nd century BCE) as the healer of Tobit's blindness and the guide of Tobias. In the Book of Enoch (1st century BCE), he is named as one of the four archangels who stand before God, and he is described as the angel of healing, the ruler of the spirits of men, and the one who binds the fallen angels. In the Zohar and later Kabbalistic tradition, Raphael is the archangel of the Sephirah Tiphareth, the heart of the Tree, and the ruler of the southern quarter of the heavens. He is also associated with the element of Fire and the direction of the south in the ritual of the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

In the 777 table, Raphael is placed at Path 11, the path of the Sun, linking the sephiroth of Chokmah and Binah. His correspondences include the number 6, the color yellow, the metal gold, and the magical image of a king crowned and robed in gold. He is the archangel of the south, the element of Fire, and the sphere of Tiphareth, and his name means 'God has healed.'