9921. 'And bells of gold' means all aspects of religious teachings and of worship springing from good which come across to those who belong to the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'bells' as all aspects of religious teachings and worship which come across to those who belong to the Church, dealt with below. Springing from good is meant by the bells' being made from gold; for 'gold' means good, 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932, 9490, 9510, 9874, 9881, 9884. The reason why all aspects of religious teachings and of worship which come across to those who belong to the Church are meant by 'bells' is that by means of those bells the people heard and recognized the presence of Aaron engaged in his ministry; for those who belong to the Church are meant by 'the people', and all aspects of religious teachings and of worship by 'Aaron's ministry'. Therefore it says in what follows, And they shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and his voice will be heard when he goes into the holy place before Jehovah, and when he comes out. From all this it is evident what is meant by 'bells'. The reason why those bells were placed on the hem was that the holiness which religious teachings possess resides on the most external levels, and on these levels and from these levels the hearing and understanding of them takes place, see 9824, 9905.

9881. 'From pure gold' means through celestial good. This is clear from the meaning of 'gold' as the good of love, dealt with in 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932, 9490, 9510; and since the words 'pure gold' are used celestial good is what is meant. For there is celestial good and there is spiritual good, both of which may be internal or external, celestial good being the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good the good of love towards the neighbour. In the Word all those kinds of good are called 'gold'. But they are distinguished from one another by being called gold 'from Uphaz', 'from Ophir', 'from Sheba' and 'Havillah', and also 'from Tarshish' - gold from Uphaz in Jeremiah 10:9; Daniel 10:5, by which celestial good is meant; gold from Ophir in Isaiah 13:12; Psalms 45:9; Job 22:24; 28:16, by which spiritual good is meant; gold from Sheba in Isaiah 60:6; Ezekiel 27:22; Psalms 72:15, by which good on the level of religious knowledge is meant, as it is by gold from Havillah in Genesis 2:11-12; and also silver and gold from Tarshish, in Isaiah 60:9, by which truth and good on the level of factual knowledge are meant.