9275. And the needy of thy people shall eat. That this signifies conjunction through the good of charity with those who are in few truths and yet long to be instructed, is evident from the signification of “eating,” as being communication and conjunction (see n. 2187, 3596, 5643, 8001); from the signification of “the needy,” as being those who by reason of ignorance are in few truths and yet long to be instructed (see n. 9253); and from the signification of “people,” here the people of Israel, as being those who are of the church (n. 4286, 6426, 6637, 8805). From all this it is evident that by “the needy of thy people shall eat,” is signified the conjunction of the church with those who are in few truths and yet long to be instructed. The reason why it is said “conjunction through the good of charity,” is that this good conjoins, as will be shown in the following article.

3596. And blessed him; yea, and he shall be blessed. That this signifies that it has been conjoined, is evident from the signification of “being blessed,” as being to be conjoined (n. 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584). How the case is with the appropriation and conjunction of the truth represented by Jacob may be seen from what has been said above. But as these subjects are of such a nature as to transcend the apprehension of the natural man, and cannot be seen except in the light in which is the rational or internal man, in which light at the present day there are but few, because few are being regenerated, therefore it is better to illustrate them no further, for the illustration of things unknown and transcending the apprehension does not bring them into light, but into more shade. Moreover such things are to be built upon ideas of natural truths, through which they are to be apprehended, and at the present day these also are wanting. This is the reason why the words just preceding have been explained so briefly, and merely as to the internal sense of the expressions.

[2] From what has been said it may be seen what is involved in the statement that Isaac asked hunting of his son, that he might eat of it before he blessed him, and that he did not bless him till after he had eaten, and thus that after eating followed the blessing of him who prepared and brought the dainties-as is also evident from Isaac’s words (here concerning Jacob), “he brought to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and blessed him; yea, and he shall be blessed.” The reason referred to appears from the internal meaning of the rituals of the Ancient Church; for with them eating signified appropriation and conjunction-conjunction that is to say with him with whom or of whose bread they had eaten. Food in general signified what is of love and charity, that is, the same as celestial and spiritual food-bread what is of love to the Lord, and wine what is of charity toward the neighbor. When these had been appropriated, the persons were conjoined; thus they spoke to each other from affection, and were consociated together. Feasts with the ancients were nothing else, nor was anything else represented in the Jewish Church by their eating together of the holy things, nor was anything else represented in the primitive Christian Church by their dinners and suppers.