9959. And thou shalt make for them breeches of linen. That this signifies what is external of conjugial love, is evident from the signification of “breeches,” as being what is external of love (of which below); and from the signification of “linen,” as being external truth, or natural truth (of which also below). The reason why “breeches” signify what is external of conjugial love, is that garments or coverings derive their signification from that part of the body which they cover (see n. 9827), and the loins together with the genitals, which are clothed or covered by the breeches, signify conjugial love. (That “the loins” have this signification, see n. 3021, 4280, 4575; and also “the genitals,” n. 4462, 5050-5062.) What love truly conjugial is, shall be told in the following article.

[2] The reason why the breeches were made of linen, was that “linen” signifies external truth, that is, natural truth (n. 7601), and the external itself is truth. The reason why the external is truth, is that internal things cease in external ones, and rest upon these as their supports; and supports are truths. They are like the foundations on which a house is built; and therefore “the foundations of a house” signify truths of faith from good (see n. 9643). Moreover, truths are what protect goods from evils and falsities, and resist them; and all the power which good has is by means of truths (n. 9643). From this also it is that in the ultimate of heaven are those who are in truths of faith from good; and therefore also the ultimate, or outermost, with man, which is his outer skin, corresponds to those in the heavens who are in truths of faith (n. 5552-5559, 8980); but not to those who are in faith separate from good, for these are not in heaven. From all this it can now be seen why the breeches were of linen. But when Aaron was clothed in garments which were for glory and comeliness (which have been treated of in this chapter), his breeches were of linen with fine linen interwoven, as is evident from what follows, where it is said:

They made the tunics of fine linen, the work of the weaver, and the miter of fine linen, and the adornments of the tiaras of fine linen, and the breeches of linen with fine linen interwoven (Exodus 39:27-28).

But when he was clothed in the garments of holiness, Aaron’s breeches were of linen, as is evident from these words in Moses:

When Aaron shall enter into the holiness within the veil, he shall put on the linen tunic of holiness, and the linen breeches shall be put upon his flesh, and he shall gird himself with the linen belt, and he shall put on himself the linen miter; these are the garments of holiness; he shall also wash his flesh with water when he puts them on; and he shall then first offer burnt-offerings and sacrifices, by which he shall expiate the holiness from uncleanesses (Leviticus 16 (Leviticus 16:2) (Leviticus 16:23-24)).

[3] The reason why Aaron then went clothed with linen garments, which were also called “garments of holiness,” was that he then administered the office of expiating the Tent, as also the people and himself, from uncleannesses; and all expiation, which was effected by means of washings, burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, represented the purification of the heart from evils and falsities, thus regeneration; and purification from evils and falsities, or regeneration, is effected by means of the truths of faith. Therefore there were then linen garments upon Aaron, for as before said, by “the linen garments” were signified the truths of faith. (That all purification from evils and falsities is effected by means of the truths of faith, see n. 2799, 5954, 7044, 7918, 9089; thus that regeneration is so effected, n. 1555, 2046, 2063, 2979, 3332, 3665, 3690, 3786, 3876, 3877, 4096, 4097, 5893, 6247, 8635, 8638-8640, 8772, 9088, 9089, 9103)

[4] It was for the same reason that the priest put on linen clothing, and linen breeches, when he took the ashes away from the altar (Leviticus 6:10-11); and that the priests the Levites, of the sons of Zadok, were also to do the same when they should enter into the sanctuary, of which we read in Ezekiel:

The priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, shall enter into My sanctuary, and shall come near to My table, to minister to Me. When they shall enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall put on linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, when they shall enter in at the gates of the inner court inward. There shall be linen tiaras upon their heads, and linen breeches shall be upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with sweat (Ezekiel 44:15-18).

The new temple is here treated of, by which is signified the New Church; by “the priests the Levites” are signified those who are in truths from good; by “the linen garments” are signified the truths of faith by means of which purification and regeneration are effected; “not to be girded with sweat” signifies that the holy things of worship were not to be commingled with what is man’s own; for “sweat” denotes what is man’s own; and what is man’s own is nothing but evil and falsity (n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812, 8480, 8941).

[5] That the breeches worn by Aaron when he was clothed in garments for glory and comeliness were of linen with fine linen interwoven ((Exodus 39:27-28) as is evident from the passage cited above, Exodus 39:27-28), was because in them Aaron represented the Lord as to Divine good in the heavens; Aaron himself the Lord as to the Divine celestial there; and his garments the Lord as to the Divine spiritual there proceeding from the Divine celestial (n. 9814); and “fine linen” denotes the Divine spiritual that proceeds from the Divine celestial (n. 5319, 9469).

2145. He was sitting at the door of the tent. That this signifies the holy which at that time appertained to Him, namely, the holy of love-which is signified by the day growing hot, as explained in what follows-is evident from the signification of a “tent,” as being what is holy (see n. 414, 1102, 1566, where also the reason of this signification of “tents” is explained). As the Lord was then in the perception which is signified by the oak-groves of Mamre, which is a lower rational perception, but yet is a perception more internal than that which is signified by the oak-grove of Moreh (concerning whichsee n. 1442-1443 it is here represented and therefore signified by His sitting at the door of the tent, that is, at the entrance to what is holy. How the case is with perceptions, as being less or more interior, may be illustrated by the perceptions of the most ancient people, from whom I have heard that the more they were in memory-knowledges from the things which are objects of hearing and sight, the lower were their perceptions; but that the more they were uplifted above them to the celestial things of charity and love, the more interior their perceptions were, because they were then nearer to the Lord.