La Bibbia

 

Esodo 40

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1 L’Eterno parlò a Mosè, dicendo:

2 "Il primo giorno del primo mese erigerai il tabernacolo, la tenda di convegno.

3 Vi porrai l’arca della testimonianza, e stenderai il velo dinanzi all’arca.

4 Vi porterai dentro la tavola, e disporrai in ordine le cose che vi son sopra; vi porterai pure il candelabro e accenderai le sue lampade.

5 Porrai l’altare d’oro per i profumi davanti all’arca della testimonianza e metterai la portiera all’ingresso del tabernacolo.

6 Porrai l’altare degli olocausti davanti all’ingresso del tabernacolo, della tenda di convegno.

7 Metterai la conca fra la tenda di convegno e l’altare, e vi metterai dentro dell’acqua.

8 Stabilirai il cortile tutt’intorno, e attaccherai la portiera all’ingresso del cortile.

9 Poi prenderai l’olio dell’unzione e ungerai il tabernacolo e tutto ciò che v’è dentro, lo consacrerai con tutti i suoi utensili, e sarà santo.

10 Ungerai pure l’altare degli olocausti e tutti i suoi utensili, consacrerai l’altare, e l’altare sarà santissimo.

11 Ungerai anche la conca con la sua base, e la consacrerai.

12 Poi farai accostare Aaronne e i suoi figliuoli all’ingresso della tenda di convegno, e li laverai con acqua.

13 Rivestirai Aaronne de’ paramenti sacri, e lo ungerai e lo consacrerai, perché mi eserciti l’ufficio di sacerdote.

14 Farai pure accostare i suoi figliuoli, li rivestirai di tuniche,

15 e li ungerai come avrai unto il loro padre, perché mi esercitino l’ufficio di sacerdoti; e la loro unzione conferirà loro un sacerdozio perpetuo, di generazione in generazione".

16 E Mosè fece così; fece interamente come l’Eterno gli aveva ordinato.

17 E il primo giorno del primo mese del secondo anno, il tabernacolo fu eretto.

18 Mosè eresse il tabernacolo, ne pose le basi, ne collocò le assi, ne mise le traverse e ne rizzò le colonne.

19 Stese la tenda sul tabernacolo, e sopra la tenda pose la coperta d’essa, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

20 Poi prese la testimonianza e la pose dentro l’arca, mise le stanghe all’arca, e collocò il propiziatorio sull’arca;

21 portò l’arca nel tabernacolo, sospese il velo di separazione e coprì con esso l’arca della testimonianza, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

22 Pose pure la tavola nella tenda di convegno, dal lato settentrionale del tabernacolo, fuori del velo.

23 Vi dispose sopra in ordine il pane, davanti all’Eterno, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

24 Poi mise il candelabro nella tenda di convegno, dirimpetto alla tavola, dal lato meridionale del tabernacolo;

25 e accese le lampade davanti all’Eterno, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

26 Poi mise l’altare d’oro nella tenda di convegno, davanti al velo,

27 e vi bruciò su il profumo fragrante, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

28 Mise pure la portiera all’ingresso del tabernacolo.

29 Poi collocò l’altare degli olocausti all’ingresso del tabernacolo della tenda di convegno, e v’offrì sopra l’olocausto e l’oblazione, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

30 E pose la conca fra la tenda di convegno e l’altare, e vi pose dentro dell’acqua per le abluzioni.

31 E Mosè ed Aaronne e i suoi figliuoli vi si lavarono le mani e i piedi;

32 quando entravano nella tenda di convegno e quando s’accostavano all’altare, si lavavano, come l’Eterno aveva ordinato a Mosè.

33 Eresse pure il cortile attorno al tabernacolo e all’altare, e sospese la portiera all’ingresso dei cortile. Così Mosè compié l’opera.

34 Allora la nuvola coprì la tenda di convegno, e la gloria dell’Eterno riempì il tabernacolo.

35 E Mosè non poté entrare nella tenda di convegno perché la nuvola vi s’era posata sopra, e la gloria dell’Eterno riempiva il tabernacolo.

36 Or durante tutti i loro viaggi quando la nuvola s’alzava di sul tabernacolo, i figliuoli d’Israele partivano;

37 ma se la nuvola non s’alzava, non partivano fino al giorno che s’alzasse.

38 Poiché la nuvola dell’Eterno stava sul tabernacolo durante il giorno; e di notte vi stava un fuoco, a vista di tutta la casa d’Israele durante tutti i loro viaggi.

   

Dalle opere di Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #9959

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9959. 'And make for them linen undergarments' means an external level of conjugial love. This is clear from the meaning of 'undergarments' as an external level of conjugial love, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'linen' as external truth or natural truth, also dealt with below. The reason why an external level of conjugial love is meant by 'undergarments' is that garments or coverings derive their meaning from the part of the body they cover, 9827, and the loins and genital organs, which the undergarments clothe or cover, mean conjugial love. For 'the loins' and their meaning this love, see 3021, 4280, 4575; and for 'the genital organs' and their meaning it, 4462, 5050-5062. What truly conjugial love is will be stated below in 9960.

[2] The undergarments were made from linen because 'linen' or 'flax' means external truth or natural truth, 7601, and what constitutes the actual external is truth. The reason why truth constitutes the external is that internal things terminate in external ones and rest on them as their underlying supports, and the underlying supports of good are truths. These are like the foundations on which a house is built or on which a house rests, which is why the truths of faith springing from good are meant by the foundations of a house, 9643. Truths furthermore are what protect forms of good from and withstand evils and falsities, all the power that good possesses being exerted by means of truths, 9643. So it is also that the last and lowest part of heaven is inhabited by those who are guided by truths of faith springing from good. So it is also therefore that what is last or most external with a person, namely his external skin, corresponds to those in heaven who are guided by the truths of faith, 5552-5559, 8980, yet not to those who uphold faith separated from good, since they are not in heaven. From all this it may now be recognized why the undergarments were made from linen or flax. Aaron's undergarment however, when he was clothed with the garments which were 'for glorious adornment', and which have been the subject in the present chapter, was made of fine linen together with interwoven fine linen, as is evident from a later chapter where it says,

They made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, and a turban of fine linen, and attractive headdresses 1 from fine linen, and linen undergarments with fine twined linen. Exodus 39:27-28.

But when he was clothed with the 'holy garments' Aaron's undergarment was made of linen alone, as is clear from the following in Moses,

When Aaron comes into the sanctuary within the veil he shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarment shall be over his flesh, and he shall gird himself with the linen belt, and place the linen turban on himself. These are holy garments. He shall also wash his flesh with water when he puts them on. He shall then first offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, by means of which he will expiate the holy place from uncleannesses. Leviticus 16:1-end.

[3] The reason why Aaron was to go at that time clothed in the linen garments, which were also called 'the holy garments', was that at that time he was performing the duty of expiating the tent, and also the people and himself from uncleannesses. And every expiation, which was accomplished by means of washings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices, represented purification of the heart from evils and falsities, and so represented regeneration; and purification from evils and falsities, or regeneration, is accomplished by means of the truths of faith. This was why Aaron wore the linen garments then, for the truths of faith are meant by 'linen garments', as stated above.

All purification from evils and falsities is accomplished by means of the truths of faith, see 2799, 5954 (end), 7044, 7918, 9089. So therefore is regeneration, 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 also that the priest was to put on the linen robe and the linen undergarment when he carried the ash away from the altar, Leviticus 6:9-11, and also that 'the priests, the Levites, from the sons of Zadok' were to put it on, when they entered the sanctuary, regarding whom the following is stated in Ezekiel,

The priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall draw near My table to minister to Me. When they enter the gates of the inner court they shall put on the linen garments, and no wool shall come upon them. When they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within, the linen turbans shall be on their heads, and the linen undergarments shall be over their loins. They shall not gird themselves with sweat. 2 Ezekiel 44:15-18.

The subject in this passage is the new temple, by which a new Church is meant. By 'the priests, the Levites' those guided by truths springing from good are meant, and by 'the linen garments' the truths of faith by means of which purification and regeneration are accomplished. 'Not girding themselves with sweat' means that the holy things of worship should not be mingled with the human self; for 'sweat' means the human self or proprium, and the human proprium is nothing but evil and falsity, 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812 (end), 8480, 8941.

[5] The reason why the undergarment Aaron wore when he was clothed with the garments 'for glorious adornment' was made of linen together with fine twined linen, as is evident from Exodus 39:27-28, quoted above, was that Aaron in those garments represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good in the heavens, Aaron himself representing the Lord in respect of the Divine Celestial there, his garments the Lord in respect of the Divine Spiritual there emanating from the Divine Celestial, 9814, and fine linen the Divine Spiritual emanating from the Divine Celestial, 5319, 9469.

Note a piè di pagina:

1. literally, adornments of headdresses

2. i.e. They must not wear garments that will make them sweat

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.