67. As white wool, as snow, signifies in respect to good and truth therein. This is evident from the signification of "white wool" as being good in ultimates (of which presently); and from the signification of "snow," as being truth in ultimates. "Snow" means truth in ultimates by reason of the water of which it is composed, and its whiteness and brightness. (That "water" signifies truth, see below, n. 71; and that "whiteness," and "brightness," signify truth from the transparency of light, see Arcana Coelestia 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319, 8459.)

"White wool," signifies good in ultimates, because wool upon lambs and sheep has a signification like that of hair upon man; and "lambs," and "sheep" signify good, "lambs" celestial good (See Arcana Coelestia 3519, 3994, 10132), and "sheep" spiritual good (n. 4169, 4809). From this it is that the "hairs," by which Divine truth in ultimates is signified, are said to be "white as white wool, and as snow." So also of the Lord, when He was transfigured:

His garments became glistening, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3);

and of the "Ancient of Days" in Daniel:

I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit; His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was white wool ¹ (Daniel 7:9).

"Raiment" signifies the Divine in ultimates (See above, n. 64); and "the Ancient of Days," the Lord from eternity.

[2] Because "wool" signifies good in ultimates, good is sometimes described in the Word by "wool," and truth by "linen" and by "snow," as in Hosea:

She said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my waters, my wool and my flax. Therefore will I return and take my corn in the time thereof, and I will pluck away my wool and my flax (Hosea 2:5, 9).

In Ezekiel:

Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; ye slaughter that which is the best; ye feed not the flock (Ezekiel 34:3).

In David:

Jehovah will send ² out His word upon the earth; He giveth snow like wool (Psalms 147:15-16).

In Isaiah:

Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they be red like purple they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

"Snow" is predicated of sins that were as scarlet, and "wool" of sins that were red like purple, because "scarlet" signifies truth from good, and in a contrary sense, falsity from evil (See Arcana Coelestia 4922, 9468); and "red" and "purple" signify good, and in a contrary sense, evil of every kind (See Arcana Coelestia 3300, 9467, 9865).

Poznámky pod čarou:

9865. 'A ruby, a topaz, a carbuncle' means the celestial love of good. This is clear from the meaning of these stones as the good of celestial love, celestial love being love to the Lord, received from the Lord. Those stones mean that love on account of their red and flaming colour; for 'red' means love, 3300, and so does 'flaming', 3222, 6832, 7620-7622, 9570. But here celestial love is meant because those stones are in the first row; and those in the first row correspond to the realities that exist in the inmost heaven, where celestial love, which is love to the Lord, reigns. Since the twelve stones in the breastplate represented all the truths that spring from good they also represented the whole of heaven; for heaven is heaven by virtue of the Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good, the angels there who constitute heaven being recipients of that Truth. So it is that the three stones which are in the first row represent the inmost heaven, consequently the love that reigns there, which is called the celestial love of good and celestial love of truth. The stones in the first row represent the celestial love of good, those in the second row the celestial love of truth. These stones represent that love, as has been stated, on account of their colour; for what precious stones represent is determined by their colours.

[2] In heaven colours of indescribable beauty appear; for they are modifications of heavenly light, and heavenly light is Divine Truth emanating from the Lord. From this it is evident that colours present themselves there in accord with variations of goodness and truth; thus they are modifications of the light emanating from the Lord, through the angels. The light emanating from the Lord appears in the inmost heaven as a flame; therefore the colours resulting from it are red and flashing. But the same light appears in the middle heaven as a brilliantly white light; therefore the colours resulting from it are brilliant, and to the extent that they have good within them they are gleaming. This explains why there are two basic colours to which all others are related, namely the colour red and the colour white; and the colour red is representative of good, while the colour white is representative of truth, see 9467.

[3] From all this it is now clear why it was that stones of so many colours were set in rows in the breastplate, namely in order that they might represent all the forms of good and the truths that exist in heaven in their proper order, and consequently represent the whole of heaven. The reason why the stones in the first row - a ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle - represented the celestial love of good is that they are different hues of red. Furthermore the noun used in the original language for 'a ruby', the first in the row, is derived from a word that means 'redness'; and that for 'a carbuncle', the third in the row, is derived from a word meaning 'flashing', as if from fire. But as for the derivation of 'a topaz', the middle one in the row, this is unknown, though it very probably comes from something describing a red and flaming colour. This may be why in Job something similar is said of a topaz as is said of gold,

With wisdom the topaz of Ethiopia will not compete, it cannot be valued in pure gold. Job 28:19.

'Gold' too means the good of love, 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932, 9490, 9510.