9021. 'And anyone cursing his father and his mother' means complete rejection of the Lord and of His kingdom by those belonging to the Church, and so profanation of the Church's goodness and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'cursing' as turning away and separating from, dealt with in 245, 379, 1423, 3530, 3584, 5071, and therefore also complete rejection, since one who turns away and separates from the Lord rejects Him in his heart; and from the meaning of 'father and mother' as the Lord and His kingdom, or in a relative sense goodness and truth that come from the Lord, dealt with in 8897, 9015. The reason why it is a rejection by those within the Church is that the commandments, judgements, and statutes which were declared by the Lord from Mount Sinai were intended specifically for the children of Israel, among whom a representative of the Church was at that time established, and who therefore served to mean the Church, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805. So it is too that 'cursing father and mother' means profanation; for those within the Church who completely reject the Lord and the things of His kingdom and Church profane them. The fact that those within the Church can profane holy things, but not those outside the Church, see 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3399, 3898, 4289, 4601, 6348, 6959, 6963, 6971, 8882. Consequently rejection of the Lord is not profanation among those who are outside the Church; it is not such among gentiles, Muslims, or Jews.

7201. 'Therefore say to the children of Israel' means that the law of God will enable those who belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom to discern. This is clear from the representation of Moses, the one who is told to 'say to the children of Israel', as the law of God, dealt with in 6723, 6752; from the meaning of 'saying' as discerning, dealt with in 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2506, 2515, 2619, as enabling to discern, since the command 'say' has reference to the law of God; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those who belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, dealt with in 6426, 6677.