Arcana Coelestia #4200
4200. If thou shall afflict my daughters, and if thou shalt take women over my daughters, there is no man with us. That this signifies that the affections of truth are to remain within the church, is evident from the signification of “daughters,” here Rachel and Leah, as being the affections of truth (see n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); from the signification of “women,” as being the affections of a truth that is not genuine, thus such as are not of the church; for the affections of truth make the church; so that to “take women over them” signifies that there would be other affections than those of genuine truth; from the signification of “no man with us,” as being when a man shall be hidden from his fellow, that is, when they are separated (concerning which just above, n. 4199). From this it is manifest that by these words is signified that the affections of genuine truth are to remain within the church, and not to be defiled with truths not genuine.
Arcana Coelestia #3819
3819. The name of the elder was Leah. That this signifies the affection of external truth with its quality; and that the name of the younger was Rachel signifies the affection of internal truth with its quality, is evident from the representation of Leah, as being the affection of external truth; and of Rachel, as being the affection of internal truth (see n. 3793); and from the signification of “name,” as being quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006). Leah is called the “elder” because external truth is first learned, and Rachel is called the “younger” because internal truth is learned afterwards, or what is the same, man is first affected with external truths, and afterwards with internal ones; for external truths are the planes of internal ones, being generals into which singulars 1 are insinuated; for without a general idea of a thing man comprehends nothing that is singular. This is the reason why in the literal sense of the Word there are general, but in the internal sense singular, truths. The former are those called external truths; but the latter internal ones; and as truths without affection are not truths, because of no life, therefore when mention is made of external and internal truths, the affections of them are understood.
Footnotes:
1. “Singulars” are individuals; i.e. indivisibles-things that cannot be divided, and therefore singular. The Century Dictionary recognizes “singulars” as a plural noun and quotes Ben Johnson and Cudworth as authorities for the use of it. Singulars and Particulars are not the same, for particulars are not necessarily indivisible. Singulars are the correlatives of Universals, as Particulars are of Generals. [Reviser.]
