Arcana Coelestia # 9297
9297. 'Three times in the year all your males shall be seen at the face of the Lord Jehovah' means the Lord's constant appearance and presence in like manner in the truths of faith as well. This is clear from the meaning of 'three times in the year' as complete and continuous, dealt with in 4495, 9198; from the meaning of 'being seen' as appearance and presence, dealt with in 4198, 5975, 6893; from the meaning of 'males' as the truth of faith, dealt with in 2046, 7838; and from the meaning of 'face', when attributed to Jehovah or the Lord, as the Divine Good of Divine Love, which is Mercy, dealt with in 222, 223, 5585, 7599. And since the Divine Good of Divine Love is Jehovah or the Lord Himself, 'being seen at the face of the Lord Jehovah' has the same meaning as being seen by the Lord. The Lord is indeed One who sees a person and establishes His presence with him, enabling the person to see Him; thus no one sees the Lord from himself but from the Lord present with him.
[2] How to understand the Lord's constant appearance and presence in the truths of faith as well must be stated briefly. The Lord's presence with a person is in the good residing with him, since good composes his life but not truth except in the measure that it derives from good. Consequently, as stated above in 9296, the Lord's dwelling-place is in the good of innocence with a person. When therefore a person has been regenerated the Lord is present not only in the good residing with him but also in the truths deriving from the good; for the truths now receive their life from the good and are the outward form in which good exists and through which the essential nature of the good can be recognized. These truths are what constitute the person's new understanding, which makes one with his new will. For as stated already, all things have connection with truth and with good, and a person's understanding is dedicated to truths, but his will to good, from which the truths derive. From this it is evident how to understand the Lord's appearance and presence then in the truths of faith as well. These are the things that are meant by the requirement that three times in the year every male was to be seen at the face of the Lord Jehovah. The reason why it says 'males shall be seen' is that the truth of faith is meant by 'a male'; and the reason why it says 'at the face of the Lord Jehovah' is that 'Jehovah' means the Divine Being (Esse), and 'the Lord' the Divine Coming-into-Being (Existere) that arises from that Being. Consequently being (esse) on the human level is good, and coming-into-being (existere) that arises from it is truth.
[3] In the Church it is said that faith comes from the Lord; but it should be recognized that faith which is rooted in charity comes from the Lord, not faith separated from charity. Faith separated from charity springs from the self and is called faith that is no more than persuasion, which is dealt with under Teachings About Charity and Faith in the preliminary section of the next chapter. A person can know whether his faith comes from the Lord or from the self, for the faith of anyone who is influenced by truths solely for the sake of a reputation for being learned, which will bring him position and wealth, and not for the sake of leading a good and useful life, is no more than persuasion that comes from the self and not from the Lord.
[4] There are also theoretical truths of faith and there are practical ones. The person who considers theoretical truths for the sake of practical ones and sees how the theoretical fit in with the practical, the person who therefore sees how the two combine to result in a good and useful life and feels an affection for them both with this end in view, he has the faith that comes from the Lord. The reason for this is that the useful life, which is his end in view, consists in the good that resides with him; and it is that life which gives form to all things, the truths of faith being the means. It is transparently evident from those in the next life that this is so. All without exception there are restored to the state of good which was theirs or to the state of evil which was theirs, thus to what had moved them to serve a useful life, that is, to what had been their end in view, or what they had loved above all things and what had therefore been the actual delight of their life. Everyone is restored to this. The truths or the falsities that have made one with that service remain. In addition to these many more are acquired which combine with those truths or falsities, giving the usefulness greater solidity and definite shape. So it is that spirits and angels are the outward forms of whatever use they serve. Evil spirits are forms of evil use; these are in hell. Good spirits or angels are forms of good use; these are in heaven. This also explains why the moment they are present spirits can be recognized for what they are. Their truths of faith can be recognized from their face and from the beautiful way it is shaped. Their actual good, or their usefulness, can also be recognized from the fire of love in their face which enhances its beauty, as well as from the sphere emanating from them. From all this it is again made clear what the Lord's presence in the truths of faith is.
Leviticus 23
1
και ειπεν κυριος προς μωυσην λεγων
2
λαλησον τοις υιοις ισραηλ και ερεις προς αυτους αι εορται κυριου ας καλεσετε αυτας κλητας αγιας αυται εισιν εορται μου
3
εξ ημερας ποιησεις εργα και τη ημερα τη εβδομη σαββατα αναπαυσις κλητη αγια τω κυριω παν εργον ου ποιησεις σαββατα εστιν τω κυριω εν παση κατοικια υμων
4
αυται αι εορται τω κυριω κληται αγιαι ας καλεσετε αυτας εν τοις καιροις αυτων
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εν τω πρωτω μηνι εν τη τεσσαρεσκαιδεκατη ημερα του μηνος ανα μεσον των εσπερινων πασχα τω κυριω
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και εν τη πεντεκαιδεκατη ημερα του μηνος τουτου εορτη των αζυμων τω κυριω επτα ημερας αζυμα εδεσθε
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και η ημερα η πρωτη κλητη αγια εσται υμιν παν εργον λατρευτον ου ποιησετε
8
και προσαξετε ολοκαυτωματα τω κυριω επτα ημερας και η εβδομη ημερα κλητη αγια εσται υμιν παν εργον λατρευτον ου ποιησετε
9
και ελαλησεν κυριος προς μωυσην λεγων
10
ειπον τοις υιοις ισραηλ και ερεις προς αυτους οταν εισελθητε εις την γην ην εγω διδωμι υμιν και θεριζητε τον θερισμον αυτης και οισετε δραγμα απαρχην του θερισμου υμων προς τον ιερεα
11
και ανοισει το δραγμα εναντι κυριου δεκτον υμιν τη επαυριον της πρωτης ανοισει αυτο ο ιερευς
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και ποιησετε εν τη ημερα εν η αν φερητε το δραγμα προβατον αμωμον ενιαυσιον εις ολοκαυτωμα τω κυριω
13
και την θυσιαν αυτου δυο δεκατα σεμιδαλεως αναπεποιημενης εν ελαιω θυσια τω κυριω οσμη ευωδιας κυριω και σπονδην αυτου το τεταρτον του ιν οινου
14
και αρτον και πεφρυγμενα χιδρα νεα ου φαγεσθε εως εις αυτην την ημεραν ταυτην εως αν προσενεγκητε υμεις τα δωρα τω θεω υμων νομιμον αιωνιον εις τας γενεας υμων εν παση κατοικια υμων
15
και αριθμησετε υμεις απο της επαυριον των σαββατων απο της ημερας ης αν προσενεγκητε το δραγμα του επιθεματος επτα εβδομαδας ολοκληρους
16
εως της επαυριον της εσχατης εβδομαδος αριθμησετε πεντηκοντα ημερας και προσοισετε θυσιαν νεαν τω κυριω
17
απο της κατοικιας υμων προσοισετε αρτους επιθεμα δυο αρτους εκ δυο δεκατων σεμιδαλεως εσονται εζυμωμενοι πεφθησονται πρωτογενηματων τω κυριω
18
και προσαξετε μετα των αρτων επτα αμνους αμωμους ενιαυσιους και μοσχον ενα εκ βουκολιου και κριους δυο αμωμους εσονται ολοκαυτωμα τω κυριω και αι θυσιαι αυτων και αι σπονδαι αυτων θυσιαν οσμην ευωδιας τω κυριω
19
και ποιησουσιν χιμαρον εξ αιγων ενα περι αμαρτιας και δυο αμνους ενιαυσιους εις θυσιαν σωτηριου μετα των αρτων του πρωτογενηματος
20
και επιθησει αυτα ο ιερευς μετα των αρτων του πρωτογενηματος επιθεμα εναντι κυριου μετα των δυο αμνων αγια εσονται τω κυριω τω ιερει τω προσφεροντι αυτα αυτω εσται
21
και καλεσετε ταυτην την ημεραν κλητην αγια εσται υμιν παν εργον λατρευτον ου ποιησετε εν αυτη νομιμον αιωνιον εις τας γενεας υμων εν παση τη κατοικια υμων
22
και οταν θεριζητε τον θερισμον της γης υμων ου συντελεσετε το λοιπον του θερισμου του αγρου σου εν τω θεριζειν σε και τα αποπιπτοντα του θερισμου σου ου συλλεξεις τω πτωχω και τω προσηλυτω υπολειψη αυτα εγω κυριος ο θεος υμων
23
και ελαλησεν κυριος προς μωυσην λεγων
24
λαλησον τοις υιοις ισραηλ λεγων του μηνος του εβδομου μια του μηνος εσται υμιν αναπαυσις μνημοσυνον σαλπιγγων κλητη αγια εσται υμιν
25
παν εργον λατρευτον ου ποιησετε και προσαξετε ολοκαυτωμα κυριω
26
και ελαλησεν κυριος προς μωυσην λεγων
27
και τη δεκατη του μηνος του εβδομου τουτου ημερα εξιλασμου κλητη αγια εσται υμιν και ταπεινωσετε τας ψυχας υμων και προσαξετε ολοκαυτωμα τω κυριω
28
παν εργον ου ποιησετε εν αυτη τη ημερα ταυτη εστιν γαρ ημερα εξιλασμου αυτη υμιν εξιλασασθαι περι υμων εναντι κυριου του θεου υμων
29
πασα ψυχη ητις μη ταπεινωθησεται εν αυτη τη ημερα ταυτη εξολεθρευθησεται εκ του λαου αυτης
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και πασα ψυχη ητις ποιησει εργον εν αυτη τη ημερα ταυτη απολειται η ψυχη εκεινη εκ του λαου αυτης
31
παν εργον ου ποιησετε νομιμον αιωνιον εις τας γενεας υμων εν πασαις κατοικιαις υμων
32
σαββατα σαββατων εσται υμιν και ταπεινωσετε τας ψυχας υμων απο ενατης του μηνος απο εσπερας εως εσπερας σαββατιειτε τα σαββατα υμων
33
και ελαλησεν κυριος προς μωυσην λεγων
34
λαλησον τοις υιοις ισραηλ λεγων τη πεντεκαιδεκατη του μηνος του εβδομου τουτου εορτη σκηνων επτα ημερας τω κυριω
35
και η ημερα η πρωτη κλητη αγια παν εργον λατρευτον ου ποιησετε
36
επτα ημερας προσαξετε ολοκαυτωματα τω κυριω και η ημερα η ογδοη κλητη αγια εσται υμιν και προσαξετε ολοκαυτωματα τω κυριω εξοδιον εστιν παν εργον λατρευτον ου ποιησετε
37
αυται αι εορται κυριω ας καλεσετε κλητας αγιας ωστε προσενεγκαι καρπωματα τω κυριω ολοκαυτωματα και θυσιας αυτων και σπονδας αυτων το καθ' ημεραν εις ημεραν
38
πλην των σαββατων κυριου και πλην των δοματων υμων και πλην πασων των ευχων υμων και πλην των εκουσιων υμων α αν δωτε τω κυριω
39
και εν τη πεντεκαιδεκατη ημερα του μηνος του εβδομου τουτου οταν συντελεσητε τα γενηματα της γης εορτασετε τω κυριω επτα ημερας τη ημερα τη πρωτη αναπαυσις και τη ημερα τη ογδοη αναπαυσις
40
και λημψεσθε τη ημερα τη πρωτη καρπον ξυλου ωραιον και καλλυνθρα φοινικων και κλαδους ξυλου δασεις και ιτεας και αγνου κλαδους εκ χειμαρρου ευφρανθηναι εναντι κυριου του θεου υμων επτα ημερας
41
του ενιαυτου νομιμον αιωνιον εις τας γενεας υμων εν τω μηνι τω εβδομω εορτασετε αυτην
42
εν σκηναις κατοικησετε επτα ημερας πας ο αυτοχθων εν ισραηλ κατοικησει εν σκηναις
43
οπως ιδωσιν αι γενεαι υμων οτι εν σκηναις κατωκισα τους υιους ισραηλ εν τω εξαγαγειν με αυτους εκ γης αιγυπτου εγω κυριος ο θεος υμων
44
και ελαλησεν μωυσης τας εορτας κυριου τοις υιοις ισραηλ
