"In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles at the Kebar River , the heavens opened and I saw a divine vision . On the fifth day of the month, it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile. The word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel the son of Buzi, at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. The hand of the Lord came on him there.And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of hashmal out of the midst of the fire . In the middle were what looked like four living beings. In their appearance they had human form" ( Ezekiel 1, 1-5)

"When the other prophet approached this hashmal in order to see beyond it, their thoughts were confused, and the heart could find no rest but separated itself from all corporal ideas, and then they saw within whatever they could see, in secrecy. This hashmal is the colour of a flasing, sparkling fire, ascending and descending, shining and flashing". (I. Tishby, The wisdom of the Zohar )

"And he had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it and the Lord stood at its top. He said, "I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on. [.] I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!" And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said: How dreadful is this place ! This is none other but the house of Elohim, (or Elohim in his house) and this is the gate of heaven". ( Genesis 28, 12-18)

"Here the Light shows thee light; and here hast thou that testimony of Iamblichus and the Egyptian Records cleared, namely, that God sometimes delivered to the ancient priests and prophets a certain matter in blessed visions ( beata spectacula ), and communicated it for the use of man"
(T. Vaughan, Euphrates )