7520. And let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven. That this signifies these falsities shown to those who are in heaven, is evident from the signification of “ashes,” as being falsities (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “sprinkling toward heaven,” as being to show them to those who are in heaven. That “to sprinkle” denotes to show, is plain, for by this they are made to appear. By “heaven” in the internal sense is meant the angelic heaven. What these words signify is plain from what was said just above (see n. 7519), namely, that by means of truth from the Divine, which is represented by Moses, the falsities of cupidities of those who infest were shown and manifested to heaven, whence came the presence of heaven, and by its presence the occurrence of such things with the evil as are signified by the “sore breaking forth in pustules.” That “ashes” [favilla] denote falsity, may be confirmed from the passages where another word for “ashes” [cinis] is used, for these ashes have a like origin, and hence a like signification (as in Isaiah 44:15, 20; 58:5; Jeremiah 6:26; Ezekiel 27:30; 28:18; Jonah 3:6; Psalms 102:9; Job 2:8; 30:19).

1297. And let us burn them to a burning. That this signifies evils from the love of self, is evident from the signification in the Word of “to burn,” of “a burning,” of “fire,” of “sulphur,” and of “bitumen,” which are predicated of cupidities, especially of those which belong to the love of self. As in Isaiah:

Our house of holiness, and our beauty [decus], where our fathers praised Thee, hath been made a burning of fire; and all our desirable things have been made a waste (Isaiah 64:11).

Again:

Conceive chaff, bring forth stubble; your wind is a fire that shall devour you; thus will the peoples be burnings of lime; thorns lopped off, they will be kindled with fire (Isaiah 33:11-12).

Not to mention many other similar expressions. “To be burned” and “fire” are predicated of cupidities, because the case as regards them both is much the same.