9053. 'Hand for hand' means if anything of the power of spiritual truth is injured or wiped out by them. This is clear from the meaning of 'hand' as the power that comes from truth, 3091, 3387, 4931-4937, 6292, 6947, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281, [in particular] the power that comes from spiritual truth, 5327, 5328, 7011.

6292. 'Place your right hand on his head' means that good should accordingly occupy the first place. This is clear from the meaning of 'placing the right hand on a head' as considering to occupy the first place, as above in 6269, 6287. The placing of his hand by one on the head of another when he was going to bless belonged to a custom received from the ancients. For the head is where a person's actual powers of understanding and will reside, whereas the body is where actions in response and in obedience to them are located. Thus 'placing a hand on the head' was a representative act, denoting that a blessing should be imparted to a person's understanding and will, thus to his real self. That same custom originating in those ancient times remains even to this day and is followed at ordinations as well as in blessings.