angel Sandalphon appears prominently in the ancient divine-
chariot mysticism known as Ma'aseh Merkavah. In the following
midrash, Sandalphon is in intimate attendance upon God Himself.
There is a certain angel, tells us R. Eleazar, who stands on the
earth with his head reaching up close to the celestial
creatures. His name is Sandalphon. This angel is identified by
the mystics as the "ofan," the wheel of the divine chariot which
appears in Ezekiel's famous vision and call to prophesy: "Now as
I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth
by the living creatures." According to the Talmud, Sandalphon is
so much taller than his fellow angels, that it would take five
hundred years to journey across his height. It is said that he
stands behind the divine chariot, weaving crowns for his Maker;
he adjures each crown [he wreathes] so that rises of its own
accord and reposes upon the head of the Lord. When a crown goes
forth from Sandalphon, all the hosts on high grow fevered with
excitement and shake