Moses and Pythagoras: Arithmology as an Exegetical Tool in Philo

Studia Biblica I, 205-208 205 Moses and Pythagoras: Arithmology as an Exegetical Tool in Philo Horst R. Moehring, Department of Religious Studies, Brown University, Providence, This Rhode Island 02912, short communication representative account of uses creation. to demonstrate special According treatise, few to treatises which deal with the consistently and systematically understanding of the meaning of numbers the intellectually respectable creation. those Philo the neo-Pythagorean in order restrict itself to a important exegetical method the various writings of Philo of particularly in the must illustrations of an that can be observed in Alexandria, U.S.A. scientifically correct and thus character of Moses' his own On Numbers, testimony, now lost. account of the - Philo even produced a Philo's use of numbers as an exegetical device should be called 'arithmology,' and not, as is frequently done, mystical in Genesis esoteric the ‘number mysticism.' and nothing mysterious are there teachings. universal in for a purpose, On the subjects. account which can be Numbers are internationally them is Significantly, instance of gematria in understood, and the meaning the there exists not a single extant corpus they possess a degree of permanence which nothing in even to not dependent upon of Philo. are equal, not even the sense-perception, visible heavens - Numbers, and thus this numbers sensible are prior them. There can be no better way correctness of Moses' universe understood the encyclical furthermore, can any that of a Hellenistic philosophy, neo-Pythagoreanism. world The numhers the numbers demonstrate by anyone who has had a routine education in Philo imparts to is nothing but they do not veil contrary: character of Moses' There the whole matter. than by showing numbers given in Greek cosmology. to demonstrate account and of Genesis the truth and the biblical picture of the agreement that exists between and the pattern of the widely accepted

Studia Philo, eisegete. already of course, insists that he is an exegete He does not impart any meaning to there. arithmology It is not Philo who to the biblical Moses himself (Allegory text. 1:4): Biblica applies the 1978 I and not text an wish neo-Pythagorean . . . is alike the things created of mortal kind and those Moses and Pythagoras For Philo, that is not Jewish temple of course, and its relationship between That had already been done by "Moses' Moehring: Moses. to exhibit The the universe has traditional the tabernacle conception Philo 207 cosmos the to The their proper numbers." tabernacle is, (Vit. Mos. 2:88): the explicit passage successive in Opificio 14. is to be us see found creation, Why? which at - is the change from chaos to cosmos, involves order; b) order, in turn, Ruler of All, which The biblical text states that the world was created in six days. a) in which Philo himself lets steps of his exegetical procedure that among all the appropriate and has is the decad, the first perfect number (1 x 2 x 3 one most is six: = 6), six (odd) and female elements, it the product of (even) first this Philo states: since is digit in each of these is by no means "For it was necessary the most perfect of all constituted in 2 x In the 3 had made of tabernacle, given corporeal in Opificio 49: according number of the day" Menorah: dominating on the (Op. its quantity of number. days. The That means own which is decisive factor is that in Philo understood to that six numbers possess entirely independent of their is a mean a a perfect force of their seven either side of pure liturgical Similarly, theme - it is fact that the the birthday of the seven is seventh day is a universal cosmos (Opificio 89). a solid body; four elements (Op. - 52). examples of represent in decad - the liturgical 2:75). The (Ex. 25:36). combine the Of seven stars occurrences of each. the pseudo-Hippocratic In Ursa Maior addition, number seven work on the and Philo lists that had been hebdomad. (Opificio the Pleiades, representations seven planets, with the lesser planets lamp-stand itself is made of This provides the description Menorah, "one Philo with a of a Hebrew with a Greek mythological The use of a Greek mythological the motherless birth of the ever-virgin Athena - in (Heres 216): description of a Hebrew sacred object is worth “the One, alone and absolutely pure, has whom no mother bore, begotten her by himself alone and employing no other medium whatsoever." Associated with the sanctuary and cult are is given by Philo an arithmological explanation: of heaven on festival, The glory of the the seven spheres of the planets the that: the (Opificio 112), water, it is construction of the Israel, constellations air, the number seven is reflected in the seven zones girdling heaven and the four the sensible More than the center and three each of the to start system, (fire, God "arranged interpretation of the number seven. noting the cosmic significance of the number reality (QE begotten the Seven, indicated by the in lamps instrument, everything things reflection of the account important gold" connection with the character as quantitative qualifiers. so clearest sun in the incorporeal a four pillars tabernacle the Pythagorean cosmic ordér can be seen in come namely is to is 53). that. the world, into existence, four is that have six must not be This the those with e.g., "four was made the starting point of the the welcome opportunity number while composed of a mixture of and consequently potentially what ten piece the things, "in the lowest number which represents fourth copy of the cosmos There are, because 2:93). the a substances like All." (QE One of six." Furthermore: the tetrad" = 6. same passage, accordance with a perfect number, Ruler the (€6ev ydp) things This basic use of arithmology. dedicated to the Father and should take above because the passive/ series: coincidental. the to be, creation of heaven and the world" six the active/male All of should be the and productivity combines both the being creation (Moses) symbol world is involves number; he is.a is numbers within for tabernacle built by "For it was necessary (fiv yao ävayxatov), in the end of the earth), c) center in the a direct cosmic order. through framing a temple of man's making, most real is that are incorruptible as having been formed in a way corresponding The its There and the reflects demonstrates cult. 113), consisting are the people chosen by God. commanded to be almost all the "eighth day" compiled in the number, circumcised on which sets and since a Even the Israel apart. this eighth the people of theological position all males in Israel day. It is this Eight is the first cubic cube is the same on each of its six sides, is a symbol of equality; thus eight is a number symbolising equality.

Studia Biblica 1978 I Philo now argues as follows (QE 3:49, commenting on Gen. 17:12): the first hebdomad of creation refers to those who are naturally righteous. But with the number eight a second hebdomad begins, ‘ and this refers to those who are righteous by choice. In Philo's own words: "The number eight, which indicates equality, is assigned to the sacred, but not the first, place in the order of rank. Thus he symbolically indicates that he has adapted the first nation naturally to the highest and utmost equality and righteousness. And it is the through creation or in time, foremost of the human race, not but by the prerogative of virtue, the righteous and equal being cognate and unified as if one part." To summarise: Philo knows basically three realms of the the cosmos, the people of Israel (not the land!), and, sacred: the sanctuary with its ritual and utensils. is arranged according to the same, pattern is not esoteric of mysterious. use of arithmology and, therefore, Pythagoras was a great man, Each of these realms coherent pattern. This It is accessible to the of universal validity. and he is recognised as such by Philo - but Pythagoras merely rediscovered what Moses had already recognised as the key to the understanding of the harmony of the cosmos. has By rediscovering Pythagoras, Philo, so he could claim, rediscovered the key to the universal understanding of Torah.