Observations placeholder

Sefer ha-bahir

21.  Rabbi Yochanan said:

The angels were created on the second day.  It is therefore written (Psalm 104:3), "He rafters His upper chambers with water – He makes the clouds His chariot, He walks on the wings of the wind".

It is then written (Psalm 104:4) ”He makes the winds His angels, His ministers from flaming fire”

Rabbi Haninah said:  The angels were created on the fifth day, as it is written (Genesis 1:20), “And flying things shall fly upon the firmament of heaven”

Regarding the angels it is written (Isaiah 6:2) “With two wings did they fly”

Rabbi Levatas ben Tavrus said:  All agree even Rabbi Yochanan, that the Water already existed [on the first day].

But it was on the second day that he raftered his upper chambers with Water.  At that time he also created the one who makes the clouds his chariot and the one who walks on the wings of the wind.

But his messengers were not create until the fifth day.

22.  All agree that none were created on the first day.  It should therefore not be said that Michael drew out the heaven at the south and Gabriel drew it out at the north, while God arranged things in the middle.

It is thus written (Isaiah 44:24), “I am God, I make all, I stretch out the heavens alone, the Earth is spread out before me.

I am the One who planted this tree in order that all the world should delight in it.  And in it, I spread All.

I called it All because all depend on it, all emanate from it, and all need it.  To it they look, for it they wait and from it, souls fly in joy.

Alone was I when I made it.  Let no angel rise above it and say ‘I was before you’

I was alone when I spread out my Earth, in which I planted and rooted this Tree.  I made them rejoice together and I rejoiced in them"