The reason that in our verse you do not find the word adonay vocalised with a patach is best understood by remembering that if Avrohom had indeed addressed only Michael he would have had to say adonee, “my (personal) lord.” Neither the vowel patach nor the vowel kametz would have been appropriate. It would be incongruous to vocalise the word אדני when used as a reference to G’d with the vowel patach, as this would imply that G’d is in some kind of subordinate relationship to anyone as suggested by the possessive clause represented by that vowel. In short, if someone exchanges the kametz under this word for a patach he cannot escape being guilty of one or two things: 1) He is a heretic; 2) or he completely distorts the meaning of the verse.
Let us use Genesis 18:23 as an example. If someone were to place the vowel kametz instead of the vowel patach under the letter ה in האף תספה (which is perceived as turning what follows into a question), he would completely distort the meaning of the whole verse, turning it into a statement, i.e. an accusation against G’d. Let us look at another example. In Job 8:3. In יעות משפט ל-הא; the letter ה is vocalised with the vowel patach. As it stands the verse is a question and means: “is it possible that G’d will pervert justice?” If you were to place the vowel kametz under the letter ה in the word הא-ל in that verse it would turn the entire phrase into a statement denying G’d’s justice, i.e. into heresy. Another way of explaining what we have been saying is that the vowel kametz describes a true state of affairs, something objective, whereas the vowel patach describes something relative, a subjective truth.
An example of the accuracy of this claim is Samuel II 1:10 (where the Amalekite lad relates to David that he had complied with Saul’s wish to give him the coup de grace so he would not fall into the hands of the Philistines as a prisoner) ואעמד עליו ואמתתהו כי ידעתי כי לא יחיה, “so I stood over him and killed him for I knew that he would not live.” In that verse the words ואעמד עליו, “I stood over him,” are an absolute truth; the words כי ידעתי כי לא יחיה, “for I knew he would not live” are a relative truth. The word ואעמד begins with the vowel kametz under the letter ו, whereas the corresponding letter ו in the word ואמתתהו, has the vowel patach to signify that this statement was only a relative truth. We had read in Samuel I 31:4 that Saul had actually committed suicide when his arms-bearer refused to finish him off. So, the statement of the Amalekite lad who claimed to have killed him was not an objective truth. All of the foregoing is part of the wisdom contained in the Holy Torah and the Holy Tongue.
This is the reason that the relationship of consonants and vowels to one another has been compared to the relationship between body and soul as pointed out in the Sefer HaBahir by Rabbi Nechunyah ben HaKana. The vowels, i.e. the absence of correct vocalization invalidates the text just as the absence of a soul paralyses the body. The body is compared to an animal without a rider. The soul supplies the animal with its rider. In a similar manner the vowels are what complete the consonants. We find a statement in Megillah 3 that the words ושום שכל in Nechemiah 8:8 are a reference to what is spelled out in the Holy Scriptures, especially the vocalization.
A kabbalistic approach sees in the vowel kametz in the word א-דני a combination of two of the Holy Names of G’d both comprising four letters. The one name symbolizes both G’d’s preceding any phenomenon in the universe as well as His Oneness and uniqueness in the world. The second name of G’d in that expression teaches the Nobility of G’d, that He transcends even the highest of the ten emanations. This is why the word א-דני commences with the letter א and concludes with the letter י. The letters דנ in the middle represent the attribute of Justice. You ought to realise that the three names of G’d which are comprised of four letters each are all alluded to in a single verse in Exodus 35:17 את קלעי החצר, את עמודיו ואת אדניה, “the curtains of the Courtyard represent the all-encompassing name of G’d, the name א-היה which testifies to His being Eternal and unchanging.” The word את עמודיו represent the Ineffable name י-ה-ו-ה; finally, the words ואת אדניה are comprised of the letters in the word א-דני and symbolise His relationship as Master of the universe, i.e. the influence of what is above on what is below.
Another verse reflecting a similar message is found in Job 38:6 [where these words have been put in the mouth of G’d Himself. Ed.] על מה אדניה הטבעו? או מי ירה אבן פנתה? “Onto what were its bases sunk? Who sets its cornerstone?” The subject of the verse is the Holy Temple (Holy Tabernacle) and G’d compares its construction to the creation of the universe which He personally had undertaken. The fourth four-lettered name of G’d is alluded to in connection with Rivkah’s reply (24:19) that she as a three-year old would draw water for the ten (or more) camels of Eliezer, contains an allusion to divine assistance based on another less well-known name of G’d comprising the letters א-ג-ל-א. This will be discussed in greater detail when we examine that verse.
