translates the words ofan eḥad ba-areẓ, as follows: "One ofan was below the height of the heavens." Consider what his explanation of the passage must be. I think that he gave this explanation because he thought that gilgal denotes in its original meaning "heaven." My opinion is that gilgal means originally "anything rolling"; comp. "And I will roll thee (ve-gilgaltika) down from the rocks" (Jer. li. 25); "and rolled (va-yagel) the stone" (Gen. xxix. 10); the same meaning the word has in the phrase: "Like a rolling thing (galgal) before the whirlwind" (Isa. xvii. 13). The poll of the head, being round, is therefore called gulgolet; and because everything round rolls easily, every spherical thing is called gilgal; also the heavens are called gilgallim on account of their spherical form. Thus our Sages use the phrase, "It is a wheel (gilgal) that moves round the world"; and a wooden ball, whether small or large, is called gilgal. If so, the prophet merely intended by the words, "As for the Ofannim, it is cried to them in my hearing, O sphere" (gilgal), to indicate the shape of the Ofannim, as nothing has been mentioned before respecting their form and shape; but he did not mean to say that the Ofannim are the same as the heavens. The term "like tarshish" is explained in the second account, in which it is said of the Ofannim: "And the appearance of the Ofannim was like the colour of tarshish." This latter passage is translated by Jonathan, the son of Uzziel, "like the colour of a precious stone, "exactly in the same manner as Onkelos translates the phrase ke-ma‘ase libnat ha-sappir, "like the work of the whiteness of sapphire" (Exod. xxix. 10). Note this. You will not find it strange that I mention the explanation of Jonathan, son of Uzziel, whilst I gave a different explanation myself: for you will find many of the wise men and the commentators differ sometimes from him in the interpretation of words and in many things respecting the prophets. Why should it be otherwise in these profound matters? Besides, I do not decide in favour of my interpretation. It is for you to learn both--the whole of his explanation, from what I have pointed out to you, and also my own opinion. God knoweth which of the two explanations is in accordance with that which the prophet intended to say.
CHAPTER V
IT is necessary to notice that the plural marot elohim, "visions of God," is here used, and not the singular mareh, "vision," for there were several things, of different kinds, that were perceived by the prophet. The following three things were perceived by him: the Ofannim, the Ḥayyot, and the man above the Ḥayyot. The description of each of these visions is introduced by the word va-ereh, "and I beheld." For the account of the Ḥayyot, begins, "And I looked (va-ereh), and behold a whirlwind," etc. (Ezek. i. 4). The account of the Ofannim begins: "Now as I beheld (va-ereh) the Ḥayyot, behold one ofan upon the earth" (ver. 15). The vision of that which is above the Ḥayyot in order and rank begins: "And I saw (va-ereh) as the colour of the amber, etc., from the appearance of his loins even upward" (ver. 27). The word va-ereh, "and I beheld," only occurs these three times in the description of the Mercabah. The doctors of the Mishnah have already explained this fact, and my attention was called to it by their remarks.
