What are the cherubim? Are they gentle and sweet or violent and threatening?

In this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, the cherubim appear as childlike golden angels placed on top of the Holy Ark in the “Holy of Holies.”

We see them back in Genesis as well, but in that context they are scary and threatening.

So what are these cherubim? Are they gentle and sweet, or are they violent? Why are there conflicting views?

Click below to learn an important lesson from the cherubim about educating our children, presented by Rabbi Ari Enkin, Rabbinic Director, United with Israel.