III. Commentary on Sefer Yetzirah

(excerpts)

by Saadia ben Joseph (al-Fayyumi)[931 C.E.]

V. On the Geometrical "Whirlwind" of the Hebrew Letters:

"The ten closed numbers are ten and not nine, nor eleven; understand in wisdom and ponder them in intelligence; know, reflect and believe; situate the thing according to its evidence and establish the Creator according to its quality. The numbers correspond to ten infinities, whose beginning flashes like lightning; but one finds no end to them when searching for their limit; and the decree of the Creator made them like angels who ran and returned; and they pursue his decree like a whirlwind, and it is as if they would prostrate themselves before his throne."[Chapter Two; ¶ 1.]

. . .Of the two statements which follow the three propositions, the first is: "His decree is with them, and they ran and returned." The author's meaning is that every time the numbers arrive at ten, they return and begin again eternally and without limit for us, as it is also said of the angels: "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning" [Ezekiel I, 14]. They return and then depart again, and it is as if they had been stationary, as it is said: "Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, here we are?" [Job XXXVIII, 35]. They have faces on all sides, and thus it is said: "And behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him," [Zechariah II, 3]. It is not said that the angel appeared "behind him" because the angel presents a face every direction it turns. Like the numbers, the letters also always repeat themselves, following and succeeding without an end for us.

The second of the two statements is: "And they pursue his speech like a whirlwind." The author's intention here is to emphasize how the letters and numbers are formed in the air. He says that the whirlwinds describe figures and forms in the air, and though they all differ, they are still all circular. Among their material forms, some are more oblong, others combine circle and square, others combine circle and triangle, some are composed of superimposed spheres, and still others are composed of interpenetrating spheres. All of these are types of whirlwind. This analogy explains how the letters and numbers are formed and have sprung into the air; and this is why it is said: "The Eternal hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm," [Nahum I, 3]; and also: "For behold, the Eternal will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind" [Isaiah LXVI,15]. Ezekiel demonstrated this with respect to the ophanim and the hayyot; the circles [or 'wheels'--trans.] interpenetrate like tubes within tubes. The same thing can be said for the junction of whirlwind within whirlwind and tempest within tempest. Thus it is clear that God ---be He celebrated and exalted---has revealed the lights of the hayyot and the ophanim which have circular forms. The prophets were also shown winds which have the same circular forms, as it has been said: "Then the Eternal answered Job out of the whirlwind" [Job XXXVIII, 1], and elsewhere: "out of the whirlwind" [Job XL, 6]. If one has properly comprehended the formation of the letters in the air, this will not seem difficult. As for the saying: "They prostrate themselves before His throne," [it only alludes to the numbers and letters obeying him and executing his decrees. The word "prostrate" should not be understood in the literal sense....