10129. And the altar shall be a holy of holies. That this signifies the celestial kingdom, where the Lord is present in the good of love, is evident from the signification of “the altar,” as being a representative of the Lord as to Divine good (see n. 9388, 9389, 9714, 9964), here as to Divine good in heaven and in the church (n. 10123); and from the signification of “a holy of holies,” as being celestial good, or the good of love from the Lord. That it is the celestial kingdom which is here signified by “the altar,” and the good in this kingdom which is signified by “a holy of holies,” is because in this kingdom is received the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, which is celestial good. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are distinguished, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom; in the celestial kingdom is received the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and in the spiritual kingdom is received the good of charity toward the neighbor from the Lord (see the places cited in n. 9277, 9680, 10068).

[2] By the altar is represented the celestial kingdom, or what is the same, the Lord is represented where He is present in the good of love; and by the Tent of meeting outside the veil is represented the spiritual kingdom, or what is the same, the Lord is represented where He is present in the good of charity toward the neighbor. The good of the spiritual kingdom, or spiritual good, is called “holy;” but the good of the celestial kingdom, or celestial good, is called “holy of holies.” Celestial good, which is the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, is called “holy of holies” because through this good the Lord flows in immediately into the heavens; but through spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor, He flows in mediately through celestial good (n. 9473, 9683, 9873, 9992, 10005). It is said “flows in,” because the Lord is above the heavens, and flows in from thence (n. 10106); and yet He is quite as present in the heavens.

[3] That celestial good, which is the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, is meant by “holy of holies,” is evident from the passages in the Word where mention is made of the “holy of holies,” as in Moses:

The veil shall divide unto you between the holy and the holy of holies. And thou shalt put the propitiatory upon the ark of the Testimony in the holy of holies (Exodus 26:33-34);

from this it is evident that that part of the Tent is called “holy” which was outside the veil, and that part the “holy of holies” which was within the veil. (That the Tent or Habitation outside the veil represented the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, or the middle heaven; and that the Tent or Habitation within the veil represented the celestial kingdom of the Lord, see n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 10001, 10025.) That part of the Tent which was within the veil is called “the sanctuary of holiness” (Leviticus 16:33). Because by the ark in which was the Testimony; and upon which was the propitiatory, was represented the inmost heaven where celestial good reigns, therefore the inmost part [adytum] of the temple, where the ark of the covenant was, is also called the “holy of holies” (1 Kings 6:16; 8:6).

[4] As the bread and the meat-offering signified the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, which is celestial good, these also are called “holy of holies” in Moses, where it is said that the bread of faces, or of setting forth, shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons in the holy place, because it is the holy of holies of the fire-offerings to Jehovah (Leviticus 24:9). (That the “bread of faces,” or of “setting forth,” signifies celestial good, see n. 9545.) In Moses:

The residue of the meat-offering shall be for Aaron and his sons, the holy of holies of the fire-offerings to Jehovah (Leviticus 2:3, 10).

(That the meat-offering, which was unleavened bread, cakes, and also unleavened wafers mixed with oil, denotes celestial good, or the good of love, see n. 4581, 9992, 10079)

[5] In the same:

Every meat-offering, every sacrifice of sin and of guilt, which is for Aaron and his sons, is a holy of holies to Jehovah (Numbers 18:9).

These things were called “holy of holies” because these sacrifices signified purification from evils, and all purification from evils is effected in a state of the good of innocence, which good is also celestial good; wherefore in the sacrifices of sin and of guilt were offered female or male lambs, or rams, or bullocks, or turtle-doves, as is evident from Leviticus 4:5; and by these animals is signified this good. (That it is signified by “lambs,” see n. 3519, 3994, 7840; by “rams,” n. 10042; and by “bullocks,” n. 9391; that it is signified by “turtle-doves,” is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned.) That purification from evils and regeneration are effected in a state of innocence, see n. 10021. For this reason these sacrifices are also called “holy of holies” in Leviticus 6:17; 7:6; 10:17; 14:13.

[6] That the altar of burnt-offering represented the Lord as to the good of love and its receptivity by angels and men, has been shown above, and therefore it is thus spoken of in Moses:

Thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all the vessels thereof, the laver thereof, and the base thereof. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be a holy of holies; whosoever toucheth them shall sanctify himself (Exodus 30:29).

[7] The incense, a portion of which was put before the Testimony in the Tent of meeting, is also called “holy of holies” (Exodus 30:36), because it signified celestial good in ultimates, and also the things which proceed from this good (n. 9475).

In Ezekiel:

This is the law of the house, upon the head of the mountain the whole border thereof round about shall be holy of holies (Ezekiel 43:12).

The house with the border round about it is called “holy of holies” because by “the house of God” is signified the celestial kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to the good of love (n. 3720); hence also it is said “upon the head of the mountain,” for by “the head of the mountain” the like is signified (n. 6435, 9422, 9434).

[8] In Daniel:

Seventy weeks are decreed upon the people and upon the holy city, to seal up the vision, and the prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies (Daniel 9:24);

speaking of the coming of the Lord, who alone is the anointed of Jehovah, and alone is holy, and also as to His Human is the Divine good of the Divine love, thus “the holy of holies.” (That the Lord as to the Divine Human is alone the anointed of Jehovah, see n. 9954; and that He alone is holy, n. 9229; and that He is the Divine good of the Divine love, see the citations in n. 9199.)

[9] That celestial good is “holy of holies,” but spiritual good is “holy,” is because celestial good is inmost good, and therefore also this good is the good of the inmost heaven; whereas spiritual good is the good thence proceeding, and is therefore the good of the middle heaven, and this good is so far good, and hence is so far holy, as it has celestial good within it; for this good flows into it, and conceives it, and begets it, as a father his son. By celestial good is meant the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and by spiritual good is meant the good of charity toward the neighbor from the Lord. The very good of love to the Lord from the Lord is “holy of holies,” because through it the Lord conjoins Himself immediately; but the good of charity toward the neighbor is “holy,” because through it the Lord conjoins Himself mediately, and He conjoins Himself insofar as it has in it the good of love from the Lord.

[10] The good of love to the Lord from the Lord is in all the good of charity which is genuine, and likewise in all the good of faith which is genuine, because it flows in from the Lord; for no one can love the neighbor, and from love do good to him, from himself, but only from the Lord; and no one can believe in God from himself, but only from the Lord. Therefore when the Lord is acknowledged, and the neighbor is loved, then the Lord is in the love toward the neighbor, however little the man may know it. This is also meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

The righteous shall answer, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, and fed Thee? Or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Insofar as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye did it unto Me (Matthew 25:37-40);

from this it is plain that the Lord is in the good of charity, and is this good, even though they who are in this good are unaware of it. By “brethren” in the proximate sense are meant those who are in the good of charity, and in a sense abstracted from person; the Lord’s “brethren” denote the very goods of charity (see n. 5063-5071).

9670. And thou shalt make a veil. That this signifies the intermediate which unites this heaven and the inmost heaven, thus spiritual good with celestial good, is evident from the signification of the “veil,” which made a division between the Habitation where was the ark of the Testimony, and the place where were the lampstand and the table on which were the breads of faces, as being the intermediate which unites the middle heaven and the inmost heaven; for by the ark in which was the Testimony was represented the inmost heaven, where the Lord is (see n. 9457, 9481, 9485), and by the Habitation outside the veil was represented the middle heaven (n. 9594). And as the good of love to the Lord makes the inmost heaven, and the good of charity toward the neighbor makes the middle heaven, therefore by the “veil” is also signified the intermediate which unites spiritual good and celestial good. Spiritual good is the good of charity toward the neighbor, and celestial good is the good of love to the Lord (that the heavens are distinguished according to these goods, may be seen f rom the citations given above n. 9277). From all this it is now evident what is signified by the “veil,” both in the tabernacle and in the temple.

[2] These two heavens, namely the inmost and the middle, are so distinct that there is no entrance from the one into the other. But still they constitute one heaven by means of intermediate angelic societies, which are of such a genius that they can accede to the good of both heavens. These societies are what constitute the uniting intermediate which was represented by the veil. It has also been sometimes granted me to speak with angels from these societies. The quality of the angels of the inmost heaven, and the relative quality of the angels of the middle heaven, can be seen from correspondence. To the angels of the inmost heaven correspond those things in man which belong to the province of the heart, and to that of the cerebellum; but to the angels of the middle heaven correspond those things in man which belong to the province of the lungs, and to that of the cerebrum. The things that belong to the heart and the cerebellum are called involuntary and spontaneous, because they so appear; but those which belong to the lungs and the cerebrum are called voluntary. From this can in some measure be seen the nature of the perfection of the one heaven over the other, and also the nature of the difference between them. But to the intermediate angels who accede to both heavens, and conjoin them, correspond the cardiac and pulmonary networks of blood vessels by means of which is effected the conjunction of the heart with the lungs; and also the medulla oblongata, in which the fiber of the cerebellum is conjoined with the fiber of the cerebrum.

[3] (That the angels who are of the Lord’s celestial kingdom, that is, who are in the inmost heaven, constitute the province of the heart in the Grand Man; and that the angels who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, that is, who are in the middle heaven, constitute the province of the lungs, see n. 3635, 3886-3890; also that from this comes the correspondence of the heart and of the lungs in man, n. 3883-3896.) It is the same with the correspondence of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. The quality of the celestial, or of those who are in the inmost heaven, and the quality of the spiritual, or of those who are in the middle heaven; and the difference between them, may be seen above (n. 2046, 2227, 2669, 2708, 2715, 2718, 2935, 2937, 2954, 3166, 3235-3236, 3240, 3246, 3374, 3833, 3887, 3969, 4138, 4286, 4493, 4585, 4938, 5113, 5150, 5922, 6289, 6296, 6366, 6427, 6435, 6500, 6647, 6648, 7091, 7233, 7877, 7977, 7992, 8042, 8152, 8234, 8521). From this it can be seen what is the quality of the intermediate angels who constitute the uniting intermediate which was represented by the veil.

[4] That the veil of the temple was rent in twain when the Lord suffered the cross (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45) signified His glorification; for when the Lord was in the world, He made His Human Divine truth; but when He departed out of the world, He made His Human Divine good, from which the Divine truth now proceeds (see the citations in n. 9199, 9315). Divine good is the holy of holies.

[5] The glorification of the Lord’s Human even to the Divine good which is “Jehovah,” is also described in the internal sense by the process of expiation, when Aaron entered into the holy of holies within the veil (Leviticus 16); and in the relative sense by the same process is described the regeneration of man even to celestial good, which is the good of the inmost heaven. The process referred to was as follows. Aaron was to take a bullock for a sacrifice, and a ram for a burnt-offering, for himself and his house; and he was to put on the garments of holiness, which were a tunic of linen, breeches of linen, a belt of linen, and a miter of linen, and to wash his flesh in water. And he was to take two he-goats, and cast lots upon them; and one of these was to be offered to Jehovah, and the other to be sent forth into the wilderness; the latter for the assembly of the sons of Israel. When he sacrificed the bullock he was to bring incense within the veil and to sprinkle of the blood of the bullock and of the he-goat seven times upon the propitiatory [mercy seat] eastward, and also to put blood upon the horns of the altar.

Afterward he was to confess the sins of the sons of Israel, which he was to put upon the he-goat, and this was to be sent forth into the wilderness. Lastly he was to put off the garments of linen, and to put on his own, and to make a burnt-offering for himself and for the people. The sacrifices that were not to be offered are stated. This was to be done every year, when Aaron entered into the holy of holies within the veil. The priesthood which Aaron administered represented the Lord as to Divine good, even as the regal office which was afterward vested in the kings represented the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 6148). The process of the glorification of the Lord’s Human even to Divine good is here described in the internal sense. This process was exhibited to the angels when Aaron performed these things and entered within the veil, and it is also now exhibited to them when this portion of the Word is read.

[6] By “the bullock for the sin-offering,” and by “the ram for a burnt-offering,” is signified the purification of good from evils in the external and in the internal man; by “the tunic of linen, the breeches of linen, the belt of linen, and the miter of linen,” which he was to put on when he entered in, and by “the washing of his flesh,” is signified that the purification was effected by means of truths from good; by “the two he-goats of the goats for a sin-offering,” and by “the ram for a burnt-offering,” and by “the he-goat which was offered,” and by the other one that was “sent forth,” is signified the purification of truth from falsities in the external man; by “the incense which he was to bring within the veil,” is signified adaptation; by “the blood of the bullock; and the blood of the he-goat which was to be sprinkled seven times upon the propitiatory [mercy seat] eastward and afterward upon the horns of the altar,” is signified Divine truth from Divine good; by “the confession of sins over the living goat, which was to be sent forth into the wilderness,” is signified a complete separation and casting out of evil from good; by his “putting off the garments of linen, and putting on his own garments,” when he was to offer the burnt-offerings, also by “the bringing forth of the flesh, the skin, and the dung of the sacrifices outside the camp and burning them,” is signified the putting on of celestial good with a regenerate person, and the glorification in the Lord of the Human even to Divine good, after all those things had been rejected which were of the human derived from the mother, even until He was no longer her son (see the citations in n. 9315). These are the things which are signified by this process of purification, when Aaron entered into the holy of holies within the veil; for after these things had been performed, Aaron represented the Lord as to Divine good. From all this it can be seen that by “the veil between the holy and the holy of holies” is also signified the intermediate uniting the Divine truth and the Divine good in the Lord.