9961. From the loins even unto the thighs they shall be. That this signifies the extension of the exterior things of conjugial love, which are signified by “the linen breeches,” is evident from the signification of “the loins,” and “the thighs,” as being the things that belong to conjugial love; “the loins,” those which belong to its interiors; and “the thighs,” those which belong to its exteriors; thus its extension from interiors to exteriors. That “the loins” signify the interior things of this love, is because they are above; and that “the thighs” signify its exterior things, is because they are below; for the things with man which are above signify interior things, and those which are below signify exterior things. From this it is that in the Word interior things are meant by higher, and exterior by lower things (see n. 3084, 4599, 5146, 8325). With man the higher things correspond to celestial and spiritual things, which are interior; and the lower things correspond to natural things, which are exterior.

It is from this that “the feet” signify natural things (n. 2162, 3147, 3986, 4382, 4938-4952). And as by the thighs is meant the lower part of the loins, which looks toward the feet, therefore the exterior or lower things of conjugial love are signified by the thighs (n. 4277, 4280); but that in general “the loins” signify conjugial love, see n. 3021, 3294, 4575, 5050-5062. That “the loins” have this signification is from correspondence. (Concerning the correspondence of all things of man with heaven, see what has been abundantly shown in the places already cited, n. 9276, 9280.)

[2] It is said “the extension of conjugial love from interior things to exterior;” for in the heavens there is an extension of all things of love and of all things of faith, or what is the same, of all things of good and of all things of truth, for there all are conjoined according to affinities in respect to the truths of faith and the goods of love. There is such an extension in each heaven. This extension reaches also into the heavens which are beneath, because all the heavens make a one; nay, they extend even to man, so that he likewise may make a one with the heavens. This extension is what is meant by “the extension from higher or interior to lower or exterior things.” Higher or interior things are called celestial and spiritual, while lower or exterior things are called natural or worldly.

[3] As to what specifically concerns conjugial love, the extension of which is here described, this love is the fundamental of all loves; for it descends from the marriage of good and truth in the heavens; and as the marriage of good and truth is in the heavens, and makes the heavens, therefore love truly conjugial is heaven itself with man. But the marriage of good and truth in the heavens descends from the conjunction of the Lord with the heavens; for that which proceeds from the Lord and flows into the heavens is the good of love; and that which is received there by the angels is the truth thence derived, thus is the truth which is from good, or in which is good. For this reason the Lord is called in the Word the “Bridegroom” and “Husband;” and heaven with the church is called the “bride” and “wife.”

[4] From all this it can be seen how holy marriages are in heaven, and how profane adulteries are there. For in themselves marriages are so holy that there is nothing more holy, and this also for the reason that they are the seminaries of the human race, and the human race is the seminary of the heavens, for thither come the men who in the world have lived an angelic life. And on the other hand adulteries are so profane that there is nothing more profane, because they are destructive of heaven and the church with man. (That this is so, see what has been said and shown above concerning marriages and adulteries, n. 2727-2759)

[5] From all this it can be seen further why by “nakedness” are signified the filthy and infernal things spoken of in the preceding paragraph; and why it was so strictly enjoined that Aaron and his sons, while ministering, should be clothed with breeches, and that otherwise they would die; for it is said, “Thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall be; and they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they go into the Tent of meeting, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in what is holy; lest they bear iniquity, and die; it is a statute of an age to him and to his seed after him.”

[6] Therefore be it known that by conjugial love is meant all celestial and spiritual love, for the reason, as shown above, that love truly conjugial is the fundamental of all loves. Therefore those who are in this love are also in all other loves of heaven and of the church, for as before said, it descends from the marriage of good and truth in the heavens, which marriage makes heaven. From this also it is that in the Word heaven is compared to a “marriage,” and is likewise called a “marriage.” From this also it is evident why a warning was given that the nakednesses of Aaron and of his sons should not appear while they were ministering; for their “nakednesses” signified all loves contrary to heavenly loves, which in general, when they are ends, are called the loves of self and of the world, and are filthy and infernal loves. That this is so the man of the present day is not aware, for the reason that he is in these loves, and perceives no other delight than that which is from them. Consequently when spiritual love and celestial love are mentioned, he is perplexed, and does not know what they are, consequently what heaven is; and perhaps he will be amazed when he hears and thinks that in spiritual and celestial love, separate from the love of self and of the world, there is eternal happiness which is unutterable.

6844. Pull off thy shoes from upon thy feet. That this signifies that sensuous things, which are the externals of the natural, must be removed, is evident from the signification of “shoes,” as being the sensuous things which are the externals of the natural (see n. 1748); and from the signification of “feet,” as being the natural (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952). That “to pull off” denotes to remove is evident, because it is said of sensuous things; for terms must be applied to their subject that is being treated of; thus “to pull off,” to the shoes; and “to be removed,” to sensuous things. How the case herein is, must be told. Everyone can see that shoes here represent something that was not in agreement with the holy Divine, and thus that to pull off the shoes was representative of the removal of such things; otherwise what would it matter to the Divine whether man approached in shoes or with the soles of his feet bare, provided that he was interiorly of such a character as to be able to approach the Divine in faith and love? Therefore by “shoes” are signified sensuous things, and these being the externals of the natural are of such a nature that they cannot be present when the Divine is the object of holy thought; therefore, as at that time representatives were to be observed, Moses was not allowed to approach with shoes on his feet.

[2] That sensuous things, which are the externals of the natural, are of such a nature that they cannot receive the Divine, is because they are in things worldly, bodily, and even earthly, for they proximately receive these things; hence the things that are in the memory from sensuous things derive from the light and heat of the world all that belongs to them, and but little from the light and heat of heaven, and therefore they are the last things that can be regenerated, that is, receive anything of the light of heaven. Hence it is that when a man is in these sensuous things, and is thinking from them, he thinks no otherwise of the Divine than as he thinks about earthly things, and if he is in evil he thinks from these sensuous things quite against the Divine. Therefore if when a man is thinking about such things as are of faith and love to God he is in good, he is elevated from the sensuous things which are the externals of the natural, toward interior things, consequently from earthly and worldly things nearer to heavenly and spiritual things.

[3] This a man knows not, because he does not know that the interiors in him are distinct from the exteriors, and that thought is more and more interior and also more and more exterior; and as he does not know these things, he cannot reflect upon them. But see what has been before said about thought from sensuous things, namely, that they who think from them, have very little wisdom (n. 5089, 5094, 6201, 6310, 6312, 6314, 6316, 6318, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6624); that man is elevated from sensuous things, and that when thus elevated he comes into a milder light; and that this is especially the case with those who are being regenerated (n. 6183, 6313, 6315). From all this is now plain what is meant by “putting off the shoes from upon the feet.” That the natural with man is external, middle, and internal, see n. 4570, 5118, 5126, 5497, 5649. The internal natural is signified by the “feet,” the middle natural by the “soles of the feet,” and the external by the “shoes.”