91. We can see in the human face what correspondence is like. In a face that has not been taught to dissimulate, all the affections of the mind manifest themselves visibly in a natural form, as though in their very imprint, which is why we refer to the face as "the index of the mind." This is our spiritual world within our natural world. Similarly, elements of our understanding are manifest in our speech, and matters of our volition in our physical behavior. So things that occur in the body, whether in our faces or in our speech or in our behavior, are called correspondences.
Apocalypse Explained #65
65. And girt about at the paps with a golden girdle, signifies Divine good likewise. This is evident from the signification of "being girt about at the paps with a girdle," as being to be encompassed about the breast; "paps" and "girdle" are mentioned, because paps stand out from the breast, and a girdle encompasses. Divine good going forth from the Lord is here meant because this is signified by the "breast" in general and by the "paps" in particular. Good proceeding is meant because all garments signify things that proceed, for they are outside the body and clothe it; as things that proceed are also outside the body and encompass it. (That this is so can be seen from what is said in the work on Heaven and Hell, of The Garments with which Angels are Clothed, n. 177-182; namely, that everyone is clothed with garments according to his affection for becoming intelligent and wise, and this affection is what proceeds from them; for there is a sphere that proceeds from every angel and spirit, which is a sphere of affection, and is called the sphere of his life, and their garments are according to this sphere. That this is so does not appear before their eyes, but yet they know that it is so. Of this sphere, see Arcana Coelestia 2489, 4464, 5179, 7454, 8630.)
[2] From this it can be seen that the "Lord's garments" signify the proceeding Divine, which is Divine truth united to Divine good, which fills the universal heaven and enters into the interiors of the mind, and gives to him who receives it intelligence and wisdom. This is meant by being "clothed with white garments." Because the proceeding Divine good is signified by "the girdle" with which the Lord was girded, therefore the girdle appeared golden, for "gold" signifies the good of love (See Arcana Coelestia 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881). The "paps" are mentioned instead of the breast, which was girt with the girdle, because "paps" signify spiritual love, and "breast" signifies the good itself of that love. This love is signified by "paps" in Isaiah:
I will make thee a magnificence of eternity, the joy of generation and generation. Thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the paps of kings (Isaiah 60:15 (Isaiah 60:18)).
"Kings" are truths out of good from the Lord (See above, n. 31; "paps" and "breast" are that good, which is the good of spiritual love.
[3] That "breast" signifies the good of spiritual love is from correspondence with heaven; for the whole heaven corresponds to all things of man; the inmost or third heaven corresponding to the head; the middle or second to the breast; and the outmost or first to the feet. Because there is this correspondence, heaven is also called the Greatest Man. And as the inmost or third heaven corresponds to the head, by "head" is signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord; because that good rules and makes that heaven; and as the middle or second heaven corresponds to the breast, by "breast" is signified the good of spiritual love, which is the good of love to the neighbor, because that good rules and makes that heaven; and as the outmost or first heaven corresponds to the feet, by "feet" is signified the good of natural love from spiritual love, which is the good of faith; because that good rules and makes that heaven. From this it is clear why "paps" signify spiritual love, and the "breast" its good. (But these things may be better understood from what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, especially in the following chapters: On the Three Heavens, n. 29-39; That the Divine of the Lord in the Heavens is Love to Him and Charity towards the Neighbor, n. 13-19; That the Universal Heaven represents one Man, n. 59-67; That there is a Correspondence of Heaven with all things of Man, n. 87-102; and in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 4938, 4939, 10087. It may be permitted to cite from that work, by way of illustration, this further reason why the "breast" signifies the good of spiritual love, namely, that within the breast are the heart and lungs, and the "heart" from correspondence signifies celestial love, while the "lungs" signify spiritual love, but the lungs fill the breast. That there is this correspondence, see in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 3883-3896, 9280, 9300. What celestial love is, and what spiritual love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 23.)
Numbers 8
1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2
"Speak to Aaron, and tell him, 'When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.'"
3
Aaron did so. He lit its lamps to light the area in front of the lampstand, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
4
This was the workmanship of the lampstand, beaten work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was beaten work: according to the pattern which Yahweh had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.
5
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
6
"Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
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You shall do this to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, let them shave their whole bodies with a razor, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.
8
Then let them take a young bull, and its meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and another young bull you shall take for a sin offering.
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You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting. You shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
10
You shall present the Levites before Yahweh. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites,
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and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Yahweh for a wave offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Yahweh.
12
"The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites.
13
You shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to Yahweh.
14
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.
15
"After that, the Levites shall go in to do the service of the Tent of Meeting: and you shall cleanse them, and offer them as a wave offering.
16
For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me.
17
For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself.
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I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
19
I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel; that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary."
20
Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel did so to the Levites. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the children of Israel did to them.
21
The Levites purified themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a wave offering before Yahweh; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
22
After that, the Levites went in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting before Aaron, and before his sons: as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.
23
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
24
"This is that which belongs to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting;
25
and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting on the work, and shall serve no more,
26
but shall minister with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall do no service. You shall do thus to the Levites concerning their duties."
