6064. 'My father and my brothers' means spiritual good within the natural and the truths of the Church there. This is clear from the representation of Israel, to whom 'father' refers here, as spiritual good within the natural, as in 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812 from the representation of 'the sons of Israel' as the truths of the Church within the natural, dealt with in 5414, 5879, 5951. The influx and perception spoken of immediately above in 6063 have regard to these - to spiritual good and to the truths of the Church within the natural.

5879. 'Is my father still alive?' means the presence of spiritual good from the natural. This is clear from the representation of Israel, to whom 'father' refers here, as spiritual good from the natural, dealt with in 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833 (its derivation from the natural being dealt with in 4286); and from the meaning of 'is he still alive?' as the presence of that good. For when he revealed who he was Joseph thought first about his father, whom he knew to be alive. His father was therefore present in his thought at the beginning, and also constantly after that when he talks to his brothers. The reason for this is that the internal celestial, which is 'Joseph', cannot become joined to the truths in the natural, which are 'the sons of Jacob', except through spiritual good from the natural, which is 'Israel'. And once that joining together has taken place they are no longer the sons of Jacob but the sons of Israel; for 'the sons of Israel' are spiritual truths within the natural.