10230. 'And give it to the work of the tent of meeting' means being joined to heaven through the acknowledgement that truths and forms of good come from the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'the work of the tent of meeting' as that which produces and forms heaven; for 'the work' is that which produces and forms, and 'the tent of meeting' is heaven where the Lord is. For the meaning of 'the tent of meeting' as heaven where the Lord is, see 9457, 9481, 9485, 9784, 9963. Therefore also that which joins a person to heaven is meant, for that which produces and forms heaven within a person also joins that person to heaven. The reason why being joined to heaven through the acknowledgement that all truths and forms of good come from the Lord is meant is that what was given to the work of the tent of meeting was half a shekel, which is called 'the silver of expiations' on account of the numbering of the people, and 'giving half a shekel' means the attribution to the Lord of all that constitutes faith and love, 10220, 10221, while 'the numbering' means the arrangement in order by Him, 10218.

10220. 'This is what everyone passing over to those who have been numbered shall give' means the attribution to the Lord of all that constitutes faith and love. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving' - that is to say, giving the expiation for the soul, which was half a shekel - as deliverance from evils through the acknowledgement that all of faith and love comes from the Lord and none at all from man, dealt with above in 10218. Consequently 'everyone passing over to those who have been numbered' means any truth and good whatever that is arranged and set in order by the Lord. For 'everyone passing over' implies every one of the children of Israel, and all spiritual forms of good and truths are meant by 'the children of Israel', 5414, 5801, 5803, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 7957, 8234, 8805; and by 'those who have been numbered' things which have been arranged and set in order by the Lord are meant, 10218.