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Jews usaly do not ask angels for help as per the RAMBAM. He writes (in Sanhedrin, Perek 11) in the fifth Yesod ha'Emunah the prohibition against serving Avodah Zarah -- that not only should a person not worship a Mal'ach, but he should also not make a Mal'ach a vehicle through which to reach Hashem. Yet in Sholom Alichem we ask the Angels we are addressing

בָּרְכוּנִי לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם מַלְאָכֵי עֶלְיוֹן

so we ask angels to bless us with peace.

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    Sephardim say "Shivteche" (sit with us), and I've seen one version that says "Barchuni l'shalom, Melech hashalom, Melech h'Aliyon", shifting the word angel to king.
    – avi
    Nov 10, 2011 at 14:30
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    Yaakov asked the angel he wrestled with for a blessing (and got it). Does the Rambam say that was an exception, or is there something special about that case that might apply to us and Shabbat? Nov 10, 2011 at 15:10
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    @avi, b'shivt'chem, no?
    – msh210
    Nov 10, 2011 at 19:34
  • @msh210 correct.
    – avi
    Nov 10, 2011 at 19:45
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    I don't think this is an issue at all. Can only G-d give blessings? Tzaddikim give blessings, kohanim give blessings, and stam Yiddin give blessings too. I doubt the Rambam is referring to blessings at all.
    – HodofHod
    Nov 10, 2011 at 20:28

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The siddur “Ishei Yisroel MaihaGr”a” says the following (my translation from the 2008 edition) in a footnote, “I have seen in the name of the Gr”a (see what is written in the Keser Rosh simon 93) that he protests how can one ask for a blessing from the angels. But it seems that the one who heard this (protest) made an error because his words really apply to the piyyut “Malachei Rachamim”. But here this is not a request but rather we say that the angels are commanded by the King of Kings to bless us and so they should do as mentioned in Shabbos 119b.”

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