Trumah for non-Kohanim too

You shall make two Kruvim of gold (Shemos 25:18). The Torah instructs us to form kruvim or cherubim, which we will now translate as merely 'winged celestial beings" (Answers.com)

The well known description of the kruvim (at least in our parsha) are two figures in the form of young children (Rashi). When the Jewish People were doing the will of God, they kruvim would face each other (and embrace one another-?) When the opposite happened, the kruvim would turn away from each other.

However, in Berishis, when Adam and Chava were commanded to leave Gan Eden, two other kruvim chased them out and henceforth guarded the entrance to Gan Eden. Rashi describes these kruvim as Malachi Chavala, destructive angels.

In the stories of Yosef and his brothers, an ish (lit. man) appears in the field and tells Yosef that his brothers have gone to Dosan. Earlier on in Sefer Berishis. Rashi comments that this person was really the angel Gabriel. Yaakov decides to venture back across the river to pick up small vessels he left at home. Famously, he encounters an ish and 'fights' with him until dawn. Rashi there says that this ish was the heavenly angel representing esav.

The question is how are we and Rashi- to know when to translate kruvim as destructive angels or as angelic forms of children? the wrod "ish" as an evil angel (of esav) or as a helpful angel (gavriel)? Where is the discrepency?

The Otzros HaTorah quotes Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein as follows: It is really quite simple. The kruvim serve a functional, positive purpose- indicating where we stand with God. That is how we know they have the form of sweet children. The kruvim in Gan Eden, albeit they were carrying out God's command (as everything ultimately does), were more 'destrcutive' in nature. They were asked to banish people from some place and they also carried swords.

The "ish" by Yosef was fulfilling a positive mission. Although, when Yosef found his brothers they actually sold him into slavery, but this ultimately brought about the redemption. [OK, but it also brought us into slavery first...that is a valid question.] The ish that fought with Yaakov, did just that- he was fighting! So he must be an evil angel.


{Not to demean anyone, but I am not think sure everything here fits perfectly, becuase, again I am pretty sure the kruvim by Gan Eden were just doing their job. Do angels have free choice to act inappropriately, anyway?}

Either way. the lesson is that if we are here to do positive things, we will be described favorably. If we are here to 'push people away', then we will be cast in a negative light.

(Yes, you guessed it, this was once again from Rav Rosner's shiur. Also, Rav Epstein only addressed the kruvim 'problem'; Rav Rosner added in the ish 'problem'.)

Good shabbos, Yaakov.