3906. And Rachel was zealous against her sister. That this signifies indignation that it was not acknowledged as was external truth, is evident from the signification of “being zealous,” as being expressive of indignation, and this because she did not bear as Leah did; from the representation of Rachel, as being interior truth (see n. 3905); and from the signification of a “sister,” who here is Leah, as being external truth. (That “Leah” is external truth, see above, n. 3793, 3819.) With those who are being regenerated the case is this: They learn to know what internal truth is, but at first do not acknowledge it with such faith as to live according to it. For internal truths are conjoined with spiritual affection, which cannot inflow until external truths have been adapted to correspondence with the internal.

[2] Take for example this internal truth: All good is from the Lord, and that which is of man’s own is not good. In the beginning of regeneration this may be known, but yet is not acknowledged in faith and also in act; for to acknowledge it in faith and in act is to have a perception that it is so, and an affection to will it to be so; and this in every act of good; and is also to have a perception that good from what is man’s own cannot but have regard for self, and thus to the preference of self above others, and consequently a contempt for others, and moreover a feeling of self-merit in the good that we do. These things are within external truth before internal truth has been conjoined with it; and this cannot be conjoined until regard for self begins to cease, and regard for the neighbor begins to be felt. From this it is evident what is meant by “indignation that internal truth was not yet acknowledged as was external truth.”

3793. Rachel came with the flock. That this signifies the affection of the interior truth which is of the church and of doctrine, is evident from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth; and from the signification of a “flock,” as being the church and also doctrine (n. 3767, 3768, 3783.) That it may be known how the case is with the representation of Rachel as being the affection of interior truth, and of Leah as being the affection of exterior truth, it shall be briefly stated that the natural which is represented by Jacob consists of good and truth, and that in this natural, as in all things of man and of universal nature in general and particular there must be the marriage of good and truth. Without this marriage nothing is produced-all production and all effect being therefrom. This marriage of good and truth, however, does not exist in man’s natural when he is born, because man alone is not born into Divine order; he does indeed possess the good of innocence and of charity, which in his earliest infancy flows in from the Lord, but there is no truth with which this good may be coupled. As he advances in years, this good which in infancy had been insinuated into him by the Lord is drawn in toward the interiors, and is there kept by the Lord, in order that it may temper the states of life which he afterwards puts on. This is the reason why without the good of his infancy and first childhood man would be worse and more fierce than any wild beast. When this good of infancy is being drawn in, evil comes in its place and enters into man’s natural, and with this evil falsity couples itself, and there takes place in the man the conjunction, and as it were the marriage, of evil and falsity. In order therefore that man may be saved, he must be regenerated, and evil must be removed, and good from the Lord insinuated, and according to the good which he receives, truth is insinuated into him, for the purpose of effecting the coupling, or as it were the marriage, of good and truth.

[2] These are the things represented by Jacob, and by his two wives, Rachel and Leah. Jacob therefore now puts on the representation of the good of the natural, and Rachel the representation of truth; but as all the conjunction of truth with good is wrought by means of affection, it is the affection of truth to be coupled with good that is represented by Rachel. Moreover in the natural, as in the rational, there is an interior and an exterior; Rachel representing the affection of interior truth, and Leah the affection of exterior truth. Laban, who is their father, represents the good of a common stock, but the collateral good, as before stated; which good is that which in a collateral line corresponds to the truth of the rational, which is signified by “Rebekah” (see n. 3012, 3013, 3077). Hence the daughters from this good represent the affections in the natural, for these are as daughters from this good as from a father. And as these affections are to be coupled with natural good, they represent the affections of truth; the one the affection of interior truth, and the other the affection of exterior truth.

[3] As regards the regeneration of man in respect to his natural, the case is altogether the same as it is with Jacob and the two daughters of Laban, Rachel and Leah; and therefore whoever is able to see and apprehend the Word here according to its internal sense, sees this arcanum disclosed to him. But no one can see this except the man who is in good and truth. Whatever perception others may have of things therein relating to moral and civic life, and however intelligent they may thereby appear, still they can see nothing of this nature so as to acknowledge it; for they do not know what good and truth are, but suppose evil to be good and falsity to be truth; and therefore the moment that good is mentioned, the idea of evil is presented; and when truth is mentioned, the idea of falsity; consequently they perceive nothing of these contents of the internal sense, but as soon as they hear them darkness appears and extinguishes the light.