R. Johanan said : By comparing the occurrence of the word "one"[5] in the following passages: In Isaiah it is written, "Then flew unto me one of the Seraphim," and elsewhere it is written, "But, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me" (ibid. x. 13). It has been taught : Michael flew in one flight, Gabriel in two, Elijah in four, and the Angel of Death in eight; but in the time of plague [the Angel of Death flies] in one.
וְשַׂ֣ר ׀ מַלְכ֣וּת פָּרַ֗ס עֹמֵ֤ד לְנֶגְדִּי֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וְאֶחָ֣ד י֔וֹם וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִֽיכָאֵ֗ל אַחַ֛ד הַשָּׂרִ֥ים הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים בָּ֣א לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי וַאֲנִי֙ נוֹתַ֣רְתִּי שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖צֶל מַלְכֵ֥י פָרָֽס׃
Describing Death as Angel, compared to Michael and Gabriel
(יג) ואמר רבי אלעזר בר אבינא גדול מה שנאמר במיכאל יותר ממה שנאמר בגבריאל דאילו במיכאל כתיב (ישעיה ו ו) ויעף אלי אחד מן השרפים ואלו גבי גבריאל כתיב (דניאל ט כא) והאיש גבריאל אשר ראיתי בחזון בתחלה מועף ביעף ומאי משמע דהאי אחד במיכאל כתיב א״ר יוחנן אתיא אחד אחד כתיב הכא ויעף אלי אחד מן השרפים וכתיב התם (שם י יג) והנה מיכאל אחד (מן) השרים הראשונים בא לעזרני. תנא מיכאל באחת גבריאל בשתים אליהו בארבע ומלאך המות בשמונה ובשעת המגפה באחת:
(13) R. Elazar b. Abina said further: "Much more is said [regarding the actions] of Michael than is said of Gabriel; for in describing Michael, it is written (Is. 6, 6.) Then flew unto me one of the Seraphim. Whereas in describing Gabriel it is written (Dan. 9, 21.) The man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, came flying swiftly." And whence do we know that the word Echad (one) [mentioned by Isaiah] refers to Michael ? R. Jochanan said : "We derive it from the word Echad which occurs in both passages; it is written here (Is. 6, 6.) One of the Seraphim and it is written there (Dan. 10, 13.) But Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. [Just as in the latter case] the word Echad (one) is applied to Michael, so also in the former case does Echad (one) apply to Michael]." In a Baraitha it was taught : "Michael [reaches his destination] with one [flight] ; Gabriel with two; Elijah with four and the angel of death with eight ; but during an epidemic the angel of death reaches [his destination] with one [flight]."
Same as Bar. 4a, but "cites" source as from a Baraitha ("outside" source; Oral Law not incorporated in the Mishna). Ein Yaakov is reprint of Aggadic Talmud; this is a later version of Bar. 4a.