A baby’s birth is a wonderful occasion, and parents often like to share their joy with family and friends by having a special ceremony. In Judaism, a baby’s first haircut is more than just an opportunity for your son or daughter to look more like an adult. It’s also the time when you have a naming ceremony.

If you’re planning on having a naming ceremony for your new baby, then it’s important to know why Gabriel isn’t present at the event.

Gabriel is one of the archangels in Judaism, but he doesn’t play as big of a role as some of his siblings do. Instead, he usually works behind the scenes and rarely interacts directly with humans.

In fact, Gabriel’s only interaction with humans in the Bible comes when he appears before Zacharias at the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 1:11-20). Even then, Zacharias doesn’t see Gabriel but hears him speak through an angelic messenger named John the Baptist.

There are several reasons why angels don’t attend human ceremonies — including naming ceremonies — but none of them are particularly surprising if you think about it for a minute or two.

Last modified: September 21, 2022