9529. 'Two cubits shall be its length' means all so far as the joining to good is concerned. This is clear from the meaning of 'two' as a joining together and as every single aspect (for the meaning of 'two' as a joining together, see 1686, 5194, 8423, and consequently every single aspect, 9166); and from the meaning of 'length' as good, dealt with in 9487, so that 'a length of two cubits' means all so far as the joining to good is concerned. The words 'the joining to good' have regard to the joining of the receptacle meant by 'the table' to the good of love meant by 'the loaves of the Presence' on the table, which are dealt with below. For the receptacle must be suited to the realities it has to receive, and the realities it has to receive have connection with good and with truth. Its suitability and a consequent joining together are described by the numbers used to specify the length and breadth. The fact that in the Word realities are specified by numbers, see 9488.

3485. The representations that occur in the next life are appearances. But they are living representations because they come from the light of life. The light of life is Divine Wisdom, which is received from the Lord alone. Consequently all things that come into being from that light, unlike those from the light of the world, are real. For this reason people in the next life have said several times that the things they behold in that world are real, whereas those that man beholds are by contrast not real. The reason for this is that the former are living and so have a direct influence on their life, whereas the latter are not living and so have no direct influence on their life, except insofar as things with them belonging to the light of the world join themselves appropriately and by correspondence to those belonging to the light of heaven. From all these considerations it now becomes clear what representations are and what correspondences are.