Splendor of Light

Note: original Latin: "Notandum"

The so-called large, middle, and small numbers appearing in the present book are understood as follows: Namely, 1) a large number is that from which nothing is taken away, and which is left in its original meaning. For example: Yod is 10 and Kaph written here as "Caf" is 20. Add these together and the result is 30, and it remains 30. 2) A middle number is when, for example, the following are put together: Ayin, Cheth, Teth, that is: 70, 8, and 9. Add these, and you have 87; place these 87 one above the other to add them, thus:
8
7
so you have 15, which is the middle number. 3) The small or concentrated number is when you take the above 15 together, or place them one above the other, thus:
1
5
so you have 6. This number can no longer be reduced, because it consists of only one digit. The author is describing the process of "digit summing" or "reduction," a common practice in kabbalistic numerology to find deeper meanings within words.

Second Example:

Resh, Tsadi, and He have in their own value 295, which is called the large number. Place these one above the other, thus:
2
9
5
so you have 16, which is called the middle number; now place this 16 again one above the other, thus:
1
6
so you have 7, which is called the small number.