5353. 'And all my father's house' means the removal of hereditary evils. This is clear from the meaning of 'father's house' here as hereditary evils. In the internal sense 'house' means a person, more particularly his mind, either his rational mind or his natural mind. But specifically the will part there is meant, consequently good or evil since either of these can exist as an attribute of the will, see 710, 2233, 2234, 3128, 4973, 4982, 5023. This being so, 'father's house' here means hereditary evils. The essential nature meant by 'Manasseh' is contained in these words and in those immediately before them. In the original language Manasseh means forgetfulness, and so in the internal sense a removal is meant. That is to say, a removal of evils, both those of one's own doing and those which are hereditary; for once those evils have been removed a new area of will arises. This new will comes into being through an inflow of good from the Lord. Such an inflow of good from the Lord takes place constantly with a person, but evils exist there - both those of his own doing and those which he has inherited - which hinder and stand in the way of the reception of it. But once these have been removed a new area of will comes into being. Its coming into being at this time is clearly evident with those who suffer misfortunes, tribulations, or illnesses. During these experiences self-love and love of the world from which all evils spring are removed, and then a person entertains thoughts about God and about the neighbour that are good, and also desires his neighbour's welfare. It is similar with temptations, which are spiritual forms of distress and therefore inward experiences of tribulation and of despair. These experiences serve primarily to remove evils, and after these have been removed heavenly good from the Lord enters in, from which a new area of will is formed in the natural, which in the representative sense is 'Manasseh'.

1901. 'Perhaps I shall be built up from her' means the possibility of the rational being born in that way. This becomes clear from the meaning, when it has reference to human generation, of 'being built up', and so needs no further explanation. 'Sarai', as stated, means intellectual truth which has been allied as a wife to good. Intellectual truth which resides inmostly is totally lacking in offspring or is like a childless wife, ¹ if there is not as yet any rational into which and through which it may flow, for without the rational as a go-between it cannot flow with any truth at all into the exterior man, as becomes clear in the case of small children. The latter can have no knowledge at all of truth until cognitions have been bestowed on them; but as has been stated the better and more perfectly they have cognitions bestowed on them, the better and more perfectly can intellectual truth which resides inmostly, that is, within good, be communicated.

[2] This intellectual truth represented by Sarai is the spiritual itself which flows in by way of heaven, and so by an internal route. It resides in everyone and is continually coming to meet the cognitions that are introduced by means of perceptions gained by the senses and implanted in the memory. No one is conscious of that intellectual truth within himself as it is too pure to be perceived by a general idea. It is like a kind of light which enlightens the mind and imparts the ability to know, think, and understand. Since the rational cannot come into being except also by means of the influx of intellectual truth, represented by Sarai, it inevitably exists in relation to that truth as its son. When the rational is formed from truths that have been allied to goods, more so when it is formed from goods from which truths derive, it is a true son. Previous to that also it is recognized as a son, yet not as a true son but as one born from a servant-girl. All the same, it is adopted as such, and for the reason here stated, that it was 'to be built up from her'.

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