3619. And Rebekah said to Isaac. That this signifies the Lord’s perception from Divine truth, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being to perceive; from the representation of Rebekah as being the Divine truth of the Lord’s Divine rational; and from the representation of Isaac as being the Divine good therein (concerning which see above); and whereas Divine good is being itself, and Divine truth is the derivative life, on which account the Lord is the Lord principally from Divine good, therefore it is said “the Lord’s perception from Divine truth.” Perception from the Divine truth of the rational is from the intellectual part, whereas perception from Divine good is from the will part; but perception from the intellectual part is not of this part, but is of the inflowing will part; for the intellectual part is nothing but the will part in form. Such is the intellectual part when conjoined with the will part; but before it is so conjoined the intellectual part appears to be by itself, and the will part by itself, although this is nothing but that the external separates itself from the internal; for when the intellectual part inwardly wills and thinks anything, there is an end from the will part which makes its life, and directs the thinking there. The reason why the intellectual part has life from the end, is that the end with man is his life (n. 1909, 3570); hence it may in some measure be evident what in the representative sense is anyone’s perception from truth, and what in the supreme sense is the Lord’s perception from Divine truth.

3493. And his eyes were dim that he could not see. That this signifies when the rational desired to enlighten the natural with the Divine, is evident from the signification of “eyes,” as being the interior or rational sight (see n. 2701); and from the signification of “seeing,” as being to perceive and understand (n. 2150, 2325, 2807); hence when the eyes are said to be dim,” it signifies that there is no longer any perception, here, no perception of those things which are in the natural; and this being the signification of these words, it is signified that the rational desired to enlighten the natural with the Divine. How the case herein is may be seen from what has been said and shown before concerning the rational and natural in man when he is being regenerated, namely, that the rational is regenerated before the natural, for the reason that the rational is more interior and thus nearer to the Divine; and also because it is purer, and thus fitter to receive the Divine than is the natural; and further because the natural is to be regenerated through the rational, as may be seen above (n. 3286, 3288, 3321).

[2] When therefore the rational has been regenerated and not the natural, the former appears to itself to be dim-sighted, because there is not correspondence; for the rational has its sight from the light of heaven, and the natural has its sight from the light of the world; and unless there is correspondence, the rational can see nothing which is in the natural, all therein being to it as shade, or even as thick darkness. But when there is correspondence, then the things in the natural appear to the rational in light, because the things which are of the light of the world are then enlightened by those which are of the light of heaven, and thereupon become as it were translucent. But these things appear better from what has been before said and shown concerning correspondence (n. 2987, 2989, 2991, 2996, 3002, 3138, 3167, 3222, 3223, 3225, 3337, 3485). Hence it may in some sort be apprehended that by the words, “the eyes of Isaac were dim that he could not see,” is signified that the rational desired to enlighten the natural with the Divine, that is, to make it also Divine, for in the supreme sense the Lord is treated of; which may consequently be illustrated by what takes place with man when being regenerated, as before mentioned, for the regeneration of man is an image of the Lord’s glorification (n. 3043, 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490).