5405. And he said, Behold I have heard that there is produce in Egypt. That this signifies that truths can be procured by means of memory-knowledges, may be seen from what was unfolded just above (n. 5402), where it was shown that by there being “produce in Egypt” is signified a disposition to procure truths by means of memory-knowledges, which are “Egypt,” and also what is meant by the memory-knowledges, which are “Egypt.” “Produce” is here expressed in the original language by a word that means “breaking,” and by a similar word are also meant “buying” and “selling” where it is said that Jacob’s sons “bought” it in Egypt, and that Joseph “sold” it there. The reason of this is that in the Ancient Church bread was broken when it was given to another, and by this was signified to communicate good from one’s own, and [at the same time] to appropriate it from one’s own, thus to make love mutual. For when bread is broken and given to another it is communicated from one’s own; or when bread is broken among several, then the one piece of bread becomes a mutual possession, and consequently there is conjunction through charity. From this it is plain that the breaking of bread was significative of mutual love.

[2] As this rite was accepted and customary in the Ancient Church, therefore the “breaking” itself meant produce that was made common. (That “bread” is the good of love may be seen above, n. 276, 680, 1798, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976) It was for this reason that the Lord brake the bread when He gave it, as in Matthew:

Jesus took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and brake and gave the bread to the disciples (Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16).

In the same:

Jesus took the seven loaves and the fishes; and He gave thanks and brake, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude (Matthew 15:36; Mark 8:6).

Again:

Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and He gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19).

In Luke:

It came to pass when the Lord was reclining with them, He took the bread, and blessed it and brake and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him. And the disciples told how the Lord was known of them in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:30-31, 35).

In Isaiah:

This is the fast that I choose, to break thy bread to the hungry (Isaiah 58:6-7).

276. That to “eat bread in the sweat of the face” signifies to be averse to what is celestial, is evident from the signification of “bread.” By “bread” is meant everything spiritual and celestial, which is the food of the angels, on the deprivation of which they would cease to live as certainly as men deprived of bread or food. That which is celestial and spiritual in heaven also corresponds to bread on earth, by which moreover they are represented, as is shown by many passages in the Word. That the Lord is “bread” because from Him proceeds whatever is celestial and spiritual, He Himself teaches in John:

This is the bread that cometh down from heaven; he that eateth of this bread shall live to eternity (John 6:58).

Wherefore also bread and wine are the symbols employed in the Holy Supper. This celestial is also represented by the manna. That what is celestial and spiritual constitutes the food of angels, is manifest from the Lord’s words:

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4),

that is, from the life of the Lord, from which comes everything celestial and spiritual.

[2] The last posterity of the Most Ancient Church, which existed immediately before the flood, and is here treated of, had become so thoroughly lost and immersed in sensuous and bodily things, that they were no longer willing to hear what was the truth of faith, what the Lord was, or that He would come and save them; and when such subjects were mentioned they turned away. This aversion is described by “eating bread in the sweat of the face.” So also the Jews, in consequence of their being of such a character that they did not acknowledge the existence of heavenly things, and desired only a worldly Messiah, could not help feeling an aversion for the manna, because it was a representation of the Lord, calling it “vile bread” on which account fiery serpents were sent among them (Numbers 21:5-6). Moreover the heavenly things imparted to them in states of adversity and misery, when they were in tears, were called by them the “bread of adversity” the “bread of misery” and the “bread of tears.” In the passage before us, that which was received with aversion is called the “bread of the sweat of the face.”