10130. Everyone that toucheth the altar shall be sanctified. That this signifies everyone who receives the Divine of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “touching,” as being communication, transfer, and reception (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “the altar,” as being a representative of the Lord in respect to the good of love, here in heaven and in the church (see above, n. 10129); and from the signification of “being sanctified,” as being to receive the Divine of the Lord (see also above, n. 10128). That “touching” denotes communication, transfer, and reception, is because the interior things of man put themselves forth by means of external things, especially by the touch, and in this way communicate and transfer themselves to another, and insofar as the will of the other is in agreement and makes a one, they are received. Whether you say the will, or the love, it is the same, for that which is of a man’s love is also of his will; from this also it follows that the interior things of man, which are of his love and from this of his thought, put themselves forth by the touch, and thus communicate themselves to another, and transfer themselves into another; and insofar as the other loves the person, or the things which the person speaks or acts, so far they are received.

[2] This shows itself in an especial manner in the other life, for there all act from the heart, that is, from the will or love; and it is not allowed to act from gestures apart from the will and love, nor to speak from the mouth with pretence, that is, separately from the thought of the heart. It is there manifest how the interior things communicate themselves to another, and transfer themselves into another, by the touch; and how the other receives them according to his love. The will or love of everyone there constitutes the whole man, and the sphere of life thence flows forth from him as an exhalation or vapor, and encompasses him, and makes as it were himself around him; scarcely otherwise than as the effluvium about plants in the world, which is also perceived at a distance by its odors; also about animals, of which a sagacious dog is exquisitely sensible. That such an effluvium also pours out from every man is known from much experience; but when man lays aside his body and becomes a spirit or an angel, then the effluvium or exhalation is not material as in the world, but is a spiritual effluence from his love. This then forms a sphere around him, which causes his quality to be perceived by others at a distance (concerning this sphere see what was shown in the places cited in n. 9606).

[3] As this sphere is communicated to another, and is there transferred into him, and is received by the other according to his love, many wonderful things there come forth which are unknown to man in the world-as, first: that all presence is according to likenesses of loves, and all absence is according to unlikenesses of them. Second: that all are consociated according to loves; they who are in love to the Lord from the Lord are consociated in the inmost heaven; they who are in love toward the neighbor from the Lord are consociated in the middle heaven; they who are in the obedience of faith, that is, who do the truth for the sake of truth, are consociated in the ultimate heaven; but they who are in the love of self and of the world, that is, who do what they do for the sake of themselves and the world as ends, are consociated in hell.

[4] Third: that all turn their eyes toward those whom they love; they who love the Lord turn their eyes to the Lord as a Sun; they who love the neighbor from the Lord turn their eyes to the Lord as a Moon; and in like manner they who do the truth for the sake of truth. (Concerning the Lord as a sun and as a moon, see what was shown in n. 1521, 1529-1531, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321, 5097, 5377, 7078, 7083, 7171, 8644, 8812.) And wonderful to say, in whatever direction they turn, or to whatever quarter, they still look at the Lord before them. It is the opposite with those who are in hell, for there the more they are in the love of self and in the love of the world, the more they turn from the Lord and have Him behind them; this also in whatever direction or to whatever quarter they turn.

[5] Fourth: when an angel of heaven fixes his sight upon others, his interior things are communicated and transferred into them, according to the amount and the quality of his love, and they are received by them according to the quality and the amount of their love; and therefore if the sight of an angel of heaven is fixed upon the good, it causes gladness and joy; but if upon the evil, it causes grief and pain.

[6] That by the touch of the hand is also signified communication, transfer, and reception is because the activity of the whole body is collected into the arms and into the hands, and in the Word interior things are expressed by means of exterior ones. From this it is that by the “arms,” the “hands,” and especially by the “right hand” is signified power (see the places cited in n. 10019, 10023, 10076); and hence by the “hands” is signified whatever appertains to man, thus the whole man insofar as he is acting (see the citations in n. 10019). Moreover, that all the outer senses-sight, hearing, taste, and smell-bear relation to the touch, and are kinds of touch, is known in the learned world.

[7] That by “touching” is signified communication, transfer, and reception, is evident from many passages in the Word, of which the following may be adduced, in Moses:

Thou shalt anoint the Tent of meeting, and the ark of the Testimony, and the table and all the vessels thereof, and the lampstand and the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt-offering and all the vessels thereof, and the laver and the base thereof, and thou shalt sanctify them that they may be holy of holies; whosoever toucheth them shall be sanctified (Exodus 30:26-29).

Everything which hath touched the residue of the meat-offering, and the residue of the flesh from the sacrifices, which are for Aaron and his sons, shall be sanctified (Leviticus 6:18, 27).

The angel touched Daniel, and restored him upon his station, and lifted him up upon his knees; and touched his lips, and opened his mouth; and touched him again, and strengthened him (Daniel 10:10, 16, 18).

One of the seraphim with a burning coal touched my mouth and said, Lo this hath touched thy lips; therefore thine iniquity is gone away, and thy sin is expiated (Isaiah 6:7).

Jehovah sent forth His hand, and touched my mouth, and said, I give My words into thy mouth (Jeremiah 1:9).

Jesus stretching forth His hand to the leper, touched him, saying, I will; be thou cleansed. And straightway his leprosy was cleansed (Matthew 8:3).

Jesus saw Peter’s wife’s mother afflicted with a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her (Matthew 8:14-15).

Jesus touched the eyes of the blind, and their eyes were opened (Matthew 9:29-30).

Jesus touched the eyes of the two blind men, and straightway they received their sight (Matthew 20:34).

Jesus touched the ear of the deaf man and healed him (Luke 22:51). They brought to Jesus those who were ill, that they might touch if it were but the border of His garment; and as many as touched were made whole (Mark 6:56; Matthew 14:36).

A woman laboring with an issue of blood touched the border of His garment; and immediately the issue of her blood was stanched. And Jesus said, Who is it that touched Me? Some one hath touched Me. I know that virtue hath gone forth from Me (Luke 8:44-48).

They brought little children unto Jesus, that He should touch them. And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands upon them, and blessed them (Mark 10:13, 16).

[8] From these passages it is plain that by “touching” is signified communication, transfer, and reception.

[9] In like manner with things unclean, by which in the internal sense are signified evils and falsities which are from the hells; as in Moses:

He that toucheth one dead as to all man’s soul shall be unclean seven days. Whosoever toucheth one dead, as to the soul of a man who is dying, and hath not expiated himself, hath defiled the habitation of Jehovah; therefore that soul shall be cut off from Israel. Whosoever hath touched on the surface of a field one pierced with a sword, or one dead, or the bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. He that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until the evening. Whatsoever the unclean person hath touched shall become unclean; and the soul that hath touched it shall be unclean until the evening (Numbers 19:11, 13, 16, 21-22).

He who toucheth unclean beasts, unclean creeping things, shall be unclean until the evening; everything on which it shall fall, shall be unclean, whether it be vessel of wood, or garment, or vessel of water, vessel of pottery, food, drink, an oven, a fountain, a cistern, a receptacle of waters, they shall be unclean (Leviticus 11:31-36; also 5:2, 3; 7:21).

He that hath an issue is unclean; and also the man who hath touched his bed; or hath sat upon a vessel on which he hath sat; or hath touched his flesh or his garments; or if he that is affected with an issue hath spit upon one who is clean. The chariot on which he is carried, the vessel of pottery, the vessel of wood, shall be unclean (Leviticus 15).

So also he who hath touched a leper (Leviticus 22:4).

If there shall fall anything from a carcass upon all the seed of the sower which is sown, it shall be clean; but if water hath been put upon the seed, and a carcass shall fall upon it, it shall be unclean (Leviticus 11:37-38).

[10] By these unclean things are signified various kinds of evils and the derivative falsities which are from hell, and which are communicated, transferred, and received; the several unclean things signify each some specific evil; for evils which are unclean render man so, because they infect his soul; moreover, from evil spirits and genii there flow forth the evils of their heart, and according to the persuasions of evil they infect those who are present. This contagion is what is signified by the “touch” of unclean things.

[11] In Moses:

Of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, ye shall not eat, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die (Genesis 3:3).

The angel who wrestled with Jacob, seeing that he prevailed not against him, touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of the thigh was out of joint (Genesis 32:25).

Moses said that they should not touch anything which belonged to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, lest they should be consumed for all their sins (Numbers 16:26).

Depart ye, depart ye, touch no unclean thing; go ye out from the midst of her; be ye purified that bear the vessels of Jehovah (Isaiah 52:11).

They have wandered blind in the streets, they are defiled with blood; those things which they cannot [defile] they touch with their garments. Depart ye, he is unclean; they cry unto them, Depart, touch not (Lam. 4:14-15).

Behold if a man shall bear the flesh of holiness in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt touch bread, or wine, or oil, or any food, it nevertheless shall not be sanctified. If one unclean in soul shall touch any of these things, it nevertheless shall be unclean (Haggai 2:12-14).

Forswearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they commit robbery, and bloods touch bloods; therefore the land shall mourn (Hos. 4:2-3).

9643. And thou shalt make forty bases of silver. That this signifies full support by means of truth, is evident from the signification of “forty,” as being what is full (see n. 9437); from the signification of “bases,” as being support, for bases support; and from the signification of “silver,” as being truth (n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999). The reason why the bases were of “silver,” and the planks were overlaid with “gold,” was that by the “planks” is signified good, and by the “bases” truth, and good has power and thus support through truth (that good has power through truth, see n. 6344, 6423, 9327, 9410; also that “gold” signifies good, and “silver” truth, n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932, 9490, 9510). That good has power through truth, is because truth is the form of good, and good has quality thereby; for where there is quality, there is form. In this way good has that whereby it can work on other things in this or in that manner. From this it is that good has ability, but not determined to anything except by means of truth. Ability determined is actual power, consequently is supporting power.

[2] Moreover, the bases correspond to the feet and soles of the feet in man; and in general to the bones which support all the fleshy part of the body; and by “the feet” and “the bones” in like manner is signified the truth which supports; and by “the fleshy part” in the body is signified the good which supports itself by means of truth. (That all things in nature bear relation to the human form, and have a signification in accordance with their relation to it, see n. 9496; also that “flesh” signifies good, n. 3813, 6968, 7850, 9127; that “the feet” denote what is natural, thus truth in power from good, n. 5327, 5328; that “the body” signifies good, n. 6135; and “the bones,” truth supporting, n. 3812 at the end, 8005)

[3] It is for this reason also that a “foundation,” which is a common base, denotes the truth of faith, and faith itself, as can be seen from the passages in the Word where a “foundation” is spoken of; as in Isaiah:

Do ye not know? Do ye not hear? Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? (Isaiah 40:21).

He who does not know what is signified by a “foundation,” and what by “the earth,” has no other idea than that the lowest parts of the earth are here meant by “the foundations of the earth,” although he may perceive, if he pays attention, that something else is meant; for what would it be to know, to hear, and to understand the foundations of the earth ? From this it can be seen that by “the foundations of the earth” are signified such things as belong to the church. That “the earth” in the Word denotes the church, is very evident from the passages in the Word where “the earth” is mentioned (see what has been cited above, n. 9325); and that its “foundations” denote the truths of faith, for these truths serve the church for foundations, as can also be seen further from the following passages.

In David:

They acknowledge not, neither do they understand; they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth totter (Psalms 82:5).

That the foundations of the earth do not “totter,” but the truths of the church with those who do not know, who do not understand, and who walk in darkness, is clear. Again:

The earth was shaken and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains were agitated, and were shaken (Psalms 18:7); where “mountains” denote the goods of love (n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327), and their “foundations,” the truths of faith. And in Isaiah:

The cataracts from on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have quaked (Isaiah 24:18);

As a “foundation” denotes the truth of faith, and a “city,” the doctrine of it, therefore in the Word “the foundations of the city” is said when the truth of doctrine is meant; as in David:

The channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the city ¹ were uncovered, by the rebuke of Jehovah (Psalms 18:15).

(That a “city” denotes the doctrine of truth, see n. 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493).

[4] From this it can be seen what is signified by “the foundations of the city of the holy Jerusalem” in John:

The wall of the city of the holy Jerusalem had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The foundations of the wall were adorned with every precious stone (Revelation 21:14-20).

He who does not know what is signified by “the holy Jerusalem,” what by a “city,” what by a “wall,” what by a “foundation,” and what by “the twelve apostles,” can see nothing of the secret here hidden; when yet by “the holy Jerusalem” is meant the New Church of the Lord which will succeed this of ours; by “the city” is meant doctrine; by a “wall,” the truth protecting and defending; by “the foundations,” the truths of faith; and by “the twelve apostles,” all the goods of love and truths of faith in the complex. From this it can be seen why it is said that there will be “twelve foundations,” and that they will be “adorned with every precious stone; for a “precious stone” denotes the truth of faith from the good of love (n. 114, 3858, 6640, 9476); and “the twelve apostles” denote all things of love and faith in the complex (n. 3488, 3858, 6397).

[5] From this it is evident what is here signified by “foundations” in Isaiah:

Behold, I set thy stones with antimony, ² and lay thy foundations with sapphires (Isaiah 54:11); where “sapphires” denote interior truths (n. 9407). In the same:

Jehovah shall smite Asshur with a rod. Then shall be every passing of the rod of the foundation, upon which Jehovah shall cause him to rest (Isaiah 30:31-32);

“the rod of the foundation” denotes the power of truth (that a “rod” denotes power, see n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026). And in Jeremiah:

They shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone of foundations (Jeremiah 51:26); where “a stone of foundations” denotes the truths of faith.

[6] In Job:

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if thou knowest intelligence; who hath appointed the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Upon what were its bases? or who laid the cornerstone thereof? when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God sounded (Job 38:4-7)?

He who does not know what is signified in the internal sense by “the earth,” by “the measures thereof,” and by “the bases,” also what by a “cornerstone,” “morning stars,” and “the sons of God,” sees nothing of the secret therein, believing that it is the earth which is meant, and also its foundation, measures, bases, and corner stone; and knowing not at all what is signified by “the morning stars singing,” and by “the sons of God sounding.” But he will come out of darkness into light as soon as he knows that “the earth” denotes the church; that its “foundations” denote the truth of faith; its “measures,” states of good and truth; its “bases,” the supporting truths themselves; “the cornerstone,” the power of truth; “the morning stars,” the knowledges of good and truth derived from good; and “the sons of God,” truths Divine. The latter are said “to sound” when they come into existence, and the former “to sing” when they arise.

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