OFaN
אופן
(Wheel, Angel)
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM
(OFaN, GaLGaL, OFaNaYiM, GoLGoLeT, GoLGaTA), 1983
Three bicycle wheels, galvanized metal pipes, two wine glasses 180 x 180 x 60 cm
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one אופן (OFaN) wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the אופנים (OFaNiM) wheels and their work like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work as it were a אופן (OFaN) wheel in the middle of a אופן (OFaN) wheel.
(King James Bible, the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 1: 14-16)
The word אופן OFaN means a wheel or an angel in Hebrew. In modern Hebrew אופנים (OFaNaYiM) means bicycle.
Please note: the bicycle wheel has 36 spokes, hence the bicycle has 72 spokes.
(ref., The 72 Names of God)
As the Talmud Yerushalmi points out, 36 is a number that alludes to the supernatural light of creation, the special light that Adam had use of for 36 hours in the Garden of Eden before God hid it for the 36 Tzadikim in every future generation. Remember, according to the oral tradition of Judaism the ל"ו צדיקים Lamed Vav (36) Tzadikim, namely the 36 righteous persons, cannot be recognized and yet they are here to hold our world, as a mother holds her child.
At all times there are 36 concealed צדיקים Tzadikim and 36 revealed צדיקים Tzadikim,
together they correspond to the 72 Names of God, the force that links the concealed and the revealed worlds.
And the living creatures
ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Now as I beheld the
living creatures, behold one (OFaN) wheel upon the earth by the living
creatures, with his four faces.
The appearance of the (OFaNiM) wheels
and their work like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness:
and their appearance and their work as it were a Npw) (OFaN) wheel in the
middle of a אופן) (OFaN) wheel. (King James Bible, the Book of the Prophet
Ezekiel, 1: 14-16) The word אופן) OFaN means a wheel or an angel in Hebrew. In
modern Hebrew אופניים) (OFaNaYieM) means bicycle. Please note: the bicycle wheel
has 36 spokes, hence the bicycle has 72 spokes. As the Talmud Yerushalmi points
out, 36 is a number that alludes to the supernatural light of creation, the
special light that Adam had use of for 36 hours in the Garden of Eden before
God hid it for the 36 Tzadikim in every future generation. Remember, according
to the oral tradition of Judaism the ל"ו צדיקים Lamed Vav (36) Tzadikim,
namely the 36 righteous persons, cannot be
recognized and yet they are here to hold our world, as a mother holds her
child.
At all times there are 36 concealed Tzadikim and 36 revealed Tzadikim,
together they correspond to the 72 Names of God, the force that links the
concealed and the revealed worlds.
Some extra notes concerning:
אופן OFaN (Wheel, Angel)
אופנים (OFaNIM)
OFaNIM is a plural word, which refers to more than one OFaN, angel or celestial being.
אופנים OFaNaYIM means Bicycle in Hebrew
Ezekiel's Wheel in St. John the Baptist Church in Kratovo, Macedonia. Fresco from the 19th century.
אופנים (OFaNaYiM)
6th century representation from Didron,
Christian Iconography.
Two burning wheels, wings, eyes, flames (Ezekiel 1)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkabah_mysticism
Copy of Matthäus Merian's engraving of Ezekiel's vision (1670).
Please note: on the left hand side of the image one can see the depiction of OFaN - the wheel within a wheel - the Ezekiel’s vision of God’s chariot.
A traveller puts his head under the edge of the firmament in the original (1888) printing of the Flammarion engraving.
Please note: on the top left hand side of the image one can see the depiction of OFaN - the wheel within a wheel - the Ezekiel’s vision of God’s chariot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flammarion_engraving
Marcel Duchamp Roue de bicyclette, (Bicycle Wheel), 1913 (original lost) Replica (5), 1964 Truing Stand, bicycle wheel, stool, Edition of 8, 127 cm high Galerie Schwarz, Milan Supervised by Marcel Duchamp
"....I liked the idea of having a bicycle wheel in my studio. I enjoyed looking at it, just as I enjoyed looking at the flames dancing in a fireplace. It was like having a fireplace in my studio, the movement of the wheel reminded me of the movement of flames.”
(Marcel Duchamp in an interview with Arturo Schwarz circa 1960)
Marcel Duchamp Roue de bicyclette, (Bicycle Wheel), 1913
Please note: the original combination had a truing stand, not a front wheel fork. True – A situation in which a wheel or other rotating device such as a chain wheel is in proper lateral alignment. Truing stand – A bench – mounted device to hold bicycle wheels while they are being aligned – trued –.
Marcel Duchamp: “The Bicycle Wheel is my first Readymade, so much so that at first it wasn’t even called a Readymade. It still had little to do with the idea of the Readymade. Rather it had more to do with the idea of chance. In a way, it was simply letting things go by themselves and having a sort of created atmosphere in a studio, an apartment where you live. Probably, to help your ideas come out of your head. To set the wheel turning was very soothing, very comforting, a sort of opening of avenues on other things than material life of every day. I liked the idea of having a bicycle wheel in my studio. I enjoyed looking at it, just as I enjoyed looking at the flames dancing in a fireplace. It was like having a fireplace in my studio, the movement of the wheel reminded me of the movement of flames.”
(Marcel Duchamp in an interview with Arturo Schwarz circa 1960)
