In Jewish folklore, the demon or destructive angel known as the Angel of Death is Samael.
Samael appears in Talmudic and post-Talmudic Jewish traditions as an accuser, tempter, destroyer, and leader of hostile spiritual forces. His name and role are not presented identically in every Jewish source, but later midrashic and mystical writings make him a leading figure associated with death.
Samael is sometimes identified with Satan, though the two concepts developed differently across Jewish texts. In some accounts, Samael acts as an agent within the heavenly order rather than as an independent rival to God. His grim duties can therefore be understood as permitted or assigned functions, not always as proof that he is purely evil.
A common mix-up is Azrael, the Angel of Death in later Islamic tradition and some broader popular culture. Michael, by contrast, is generally portrayed in Jewish and Christian traditions as a protective archangel. Samael’s identity is especially tied to Jewish folklore, midrash, and Kabbalistic development.