Raziel (Heb. 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 Chokmah (the second of ten) in Briah, one of the Four Worlds of Kabbalistic theory. In 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, 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 as such, 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. According to some sources, the book was passed on through the generations to Enoch (believed to have later become the angel Metatron), who may have incorporated his own writings into the tome. From Enoch, the archangel Raphael gave it to Noah, who used the wisdom within to build Noah's Ark. The Book of Raziel was said to have come into the possession of King Solomon,and a number of texts claiming to be this volume have recently appeared. ...... Raziel is a main character in the Legacy of Kain series of video games, specifically Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance. Raziel, an anti-hero, is a wraith (though he is referred to as such in Defiance). As the games progress, Raziel's history is revealed in reverse. Before becoming a wraith he was a vampire and before that, a holy priest of the Sarafan Order.