9962. And they shall be upon Aaron and upon his sons. That this signifies protection from the hells, is evident from the signification of “the breeches,” of which it is said that “they shall be upon Aaron and his sons,” as being the external things of conjugial love (see n. 9959); and from the signification of “the nakednesses” which the breeches were to cover, as being the interior things of this love, which were filthy and infernal (of which (9960) also above, n. 9960); and because “nakednesses” have this signification, therefore the breeches which were to be upon Aaron and upon his sons, were for protection from the hells. The case herein is as follows. In respect to their interiors, the Jewish and Israelitish nation was in the loves of self and of the world, thus in infernal loves, above all other nations; but in respect to their exteriors they could be in holiness also above all other nations; wherefore when they were in holiness, their interiors were closed; for in this way holy external things could be communicated through them with the heavens, and from this there could be conjunction. It would have been altogether different if the internals with them, which as above said were filthy and infernal, had not been closed. It is from this that with that nation there was no church, but only the representative of a church; for a church which is a church is in the internal things of faith and of love; but not in external things separate from these. The external things with them were all representative.

[2] As then by “breeches” are signified the external things of conjugial love, and in general the external things of all heavenly loves; and as external things were what covered the internal things, and as with that nation the internal things were filthy and infernal, therefore by “the breeches being upon Aaron and upon his sons” is signified protection from the hells; for so long as they were in a holy external, and their internals were covered or closed, so long also they were removed from the hells, and were thereby under protection. (That the internals with the Jewish and Israelitish nation were filthy and infernal, and that on this account there was no church with them, but only the representative of a church, may be seen at the places cited in n. 9320, 9380; that while they were in worship, they were only in a holy external, n. 3479, 4293, 4311, 6304, 8588, 9373, 9380; and that their interiors were then closed, n. 8788, 8806)

8788. And sanctify them today and tomorrow. That this signifies the veiling over of the interiors that they may appear in the holy of faith now and afterward, is evident from the signification of “sanctifying,” as being to dispose that they appear to be in holiness in respect to what is external; and as this is effected by means of a veiling over of the interiors, therefore this is also understood by “sanctifying;” that “today and tomorrow” denote now and afterward is evident. How the case herein is may be briefly explained. The church instituted with the Jews was not a church in respect to them, but was only the representative of a church; for in order that there may be a church, there must be with the man of the church faith in the Lord, and also love to Him, and likewise love toward the neighbor. These make the church. But these were not with the people which was called “Jacob,” for it did not acknowledge the Lord, and thus was not willing to hear about faith in Him, still less about love toward Him, nor even toward the neighbor; for it was in the love of self and the love of the world, which loves are utterly opposed to love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor. This disposition is inrooted in that people from their first parents. For this reason it is, that with that people no church could be set up, but only a representation of the things which are of the church.

[2] The church is represented when the man makes worship consist in external things, but in such as correspond to heavenly things. Then internal things are represented by the external ones, and the internal things are open in heaven, with which there is thus conjunction. In order therefore that the Israelitish people might be representative, although their interiors were devoid of the faith and love of heaven, and were even full of the love of self and of the world, these interiors were veiled over, and thus their external things could be communicated to spirits, and through them to the angels, without their internal things; whereas if their internal things had not been veiled over, these would have lain open, and then the representation would have perished, because unclean things would have burst forth and caused contamination. The Israelitish people above all others could be thus veiled over, because it, more than others, adored external things, and made holiness, and even what is Divine, consist in them. From this it can be seen what is meant by “sanctifying,” namely, the veiling over of the interiors so that they may appear to be in the holiness of faith; yet not to themselves, but to the angels with them. (See what has been already shown concerning this people and concerning the institution of the church with it, n. 4208, 4281, 4288, 4289, 4293, 4307, 4314, 4316, 4317, 4429, 4433, 4444, 4459, 4500, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4899, 4911, 4912, 7048, 7051, 8588.) That sanctifications with them were nothing else than appearances of holiness in external things, and yet without anything holy appertaining to them, can be seen from the rites by means of which they were sanctified, namely, the sacrifices, the washings, the sprinklings of blood, the anointings, which do not touch internal things in the slightest degree.