3827. 'And they were in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her' means a state of love, that is to say, a state without any tedium. This is clear from the meaning of 'being in his eyes' as its appearing to be so, from the meaning of 'days' as states, dealt with in 893, 2788, 3462, 3785; therefore 'like a few days, because of his love for her' means a state of love. When anyone enters a state of love or heavenly affection he enters an angelic state; that is to say, it is as though time does not exist, provided that that affection holds no urge for change. That urge is a bodily affection; and insofar as anyone is subject to it time exists for him, but insofar as he is not subject to it time does not exist. This is reflected somewhat in the delights and glad feelings that go with affection or love. When someone experiences these he is not conscious of time, since he is living within the internal man during such experiences. By means of the affection that is an attribute of genuine love a person is drawn away from bodily and worldly interests, for his mind is lifted up towards heaven, and so he is drawn away from things that belong to time. Indeed it is reflecting on those things which are not the objects of one's affection or love, and so on things that are tedious, that gives rise to an apparent sense of time. From this one may also see what is meant by the seven years being in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her.

3866. From the internal sense of the words that Leah uttered concerning Reuben when he was born, namely 'Jehovah has seen my affliction, for now my husband will love me', one may recognize which attribute of the Church is meant by Reuben or the tribe named after Reuben, namely that which is the first stage of regeneration, or that which comes first when a person becomes the Church; and that that which comes first is the truth of doctrine by means of which he is able to arrive at the good of life.