3853. Verse 31 And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb; and Rachel was barren.

'Jehovah saw' means the Lord's foresight and providence. 'That Leah was hated' means that the affection for external truth was not so dear because it was further away from the Divine. 'And He opened her womb' means that this affection gave rise to the doctrines taught by the Churches. 'And Rachel was barren' means that interior truths were not received.

7259. Since their teachings about charity were so extensive the ancients, among whom teachings about charity were the teachings of the Church, distinguished charity towards the neighbour into a large number of separate classes. They also subdivided these, giving a name to each individual class, and teaching the ways in which charity should be exercised towards those belonging to one class or towards those belonging to another. By doing this they brought order to their teachings about charity and the ways in which it should be exercised, so that these matters would be clearly understood.