9922. In the midst of them round about. That this signifies from what is within the memory-knowledges of good on every side, is evident from the signification of “in the midst,” as being that which is within (see n. 1074, 2940, 2973, 5897); thus “in the midst,” when said of the hearing and perception of doctrine and of worship, which are signified by “the bells,” denotes from what is within; from the signification of “the pomegranates,” in the midst of which were the bells, as being the memory-knowledges of good (n. 9918); and from the signification of “round about,” as being on every side (as above, n. 9920). The reason why the bells were placed in the midst of the pomegranates, was that the memory-knowledges which are signified by “the pomegranates,” are recipients, and are as it were vessels, of truth and good (n. 1469, 1496, 3068, 5373, 5489, 7770); and the doctrine and worship which are signified by “the bells,” must be from the good and truth which are within the memory-knowledges, as in their vessels; if the doctrine and the worship are not from good and truth, but only from memory-knowledges, they have nothing of life. It is said that the doctrine and worship must be from the good and truth which are within the memory-knowledges; but not from the memory-knowledges apart from the good and truth.

[2] But as few can apprehend how the case herein is, it shall be unfolded to the apprehension insofar as this can be done. All things of the external or natural memory are called “memory-knowledges;” for there is an external memory, which is the memory of things in the natural world; and there is an internal memory, which is the memory of things in the spiritual world (n. 2469-2494, 2831, 5212, 9394, 9723, 9841). The things which have been inscribed on the internal memory are not called memory-knowledges, because they are things of the man’s life; but they are called truths of faith and goods of love. These are the things which must be within memory-knowledges. For there is in man an external, which is called the external man; and an internal, which is called the internal man. The internal must be in the external, as the soul is in its body; thus the things which are in the internal man must be in those which are in the external man, for then there is a soul or life in the latter. Wherefore if there are no internal things, that is, things of the internal man, in the external things, there is no soul, and consequently no life, in them. And as the good of love and of faith is internal, it follows that this good must be in the external things, thus in the memory-knowledges; for as before said, the memory-knowledges are recipients and as it were vessels of internal things. Consequently the doctrine and the worship must be from what is within the recipients or vessels, and they are not in recipients and vessels which are empty or void of what is internal. From all this it is evident how it is to be understood that all things of doctrine and of worship must be from the interior things of the memory-knowledges of good, which is signified by the bells of gold being in the midst of the pomegranates.

[3] Be it known further that there are memory-knowledges of good, and memory-knowledges of truth; and that the truths in them are again vessels recipient of good, for the truths of faith are vessels of the good of love. For the illustration of this subject see what has been already said and shown about memory-knowledges, namely: That memory-knowledges are things of the memory in the natural man (n. 3293, 3309, 3310, 4967, 5212, 5774, 5874, 5886, 5889, 5934): That the internal man is opened by means of memory-knowledges (n. 1495, 1548, 1563, 1895, 1940, 3085, 3086, 5276, 5871, 5874, 5901): That memory-knowledges are means for growing wise, and also means for becoming insane (n. 4156, 4760, 8628, 8629): That memory-knowledges are vessels of truth, and truths are vessels of good (n. 1469, 1496, 3068, 3079, 3318, 5489, 5881, 6023, 6071, 6077, 6750, 7770, 8005, 9394, 9724): That memory-knowledges are of service to the internal man (n. 1486, 1616, 2576, 3019, 3020, 3665, 5201, 5213, 6052, 6068, 6084, 9394): That when memory-knowledges, which are things of the external memory, become of the life, they vanish out of the external memory; but remain inscribed on the internal memory (n. 9394, 9723, 9841): That the man who is in the truths of faith from the good of charity, can be raised above memory-knowledges (n. 6383, 6384): That this is called being raised above the things of the senses (n. 5089, 5094, 6183, 6313, 6315, 9730): That when a man dies he carries with him into the other life the memory-knowledges, that is, the things of the external memory; but that they are then quiescent; and in what manner (n. 2475-2486, 6931).

9723. And thou shalt make its pans, to take away its ashes. That this signifies what is to be removed after uses, is evident from the signification of “the pans for taking away the ashes,” as being the things that effect removal after uses. For “ashes” signify such things in man’s natural or external memory as remain after uses, and have to be removed so as not to prevent other things from taking their place, by means of which there may again be uses. The “pans” denote such things as effect removal, because by them the ashes are taken away. That it may be known what is signified by the “ashes” which remained upon the altar after a burnt-offering or sacrifice, it shall first be told how the case is with the things which remain in man after uses. From his infancy up to the end of his life in the world, a man is being perfected as to intelligence and wisdom; and if it is well with him, as to faith and love. Memory-knowledges chiefly conduce to this use. These knowledges are imbibed by hearing, seeing, and reading, and are stored up in the external or natural memory. These are of service to the internal sight or understanding as a plane of objects, from which it may choose and bring out such things as promote wisdom. For by virtue of its light, which is from heaven, the interior sight or understanding looks into this plane, that is, into this memory, which is below itself; and from the various things which are there, it chooses and brings out such as agree with its love. These it calls forth to itself from thence, and stores them up in its own memory, which is the internal memory (concern (2469-2494) ing which see n. 2469-2494). From this is the life of the internal man, and its intelligence and wisdom. The case is the same with the things that belong to spiritual intelligence and wisdom, which are those of faith and love. Memory-knowledges, that is to say, memory-knowledges from the Word, or from the doctrine of the church, which are called the knowledges of truth and good, are in like manner of service for implanting in the internal man these things of spiritual intelligence and wisdom. When these knowledges are stored up in the memory of the external man, they are in like manner of service as objects to the sight of the internal man, which sees from the light of heaven, and from them chooses and brings out such things as are in agreement with its love; for the internal man sees nothing else in the external man. For the things which a man loves, he sees in the light, but the things which he does not love, he sees in the shade; the latter he rejects, but the former he chooses.

[2] From all this it can be seen how the case is with the truths of faith and the goods of love with the man who is being regenerated; namely, that the good of love chooses for itself suitable truths of faith, and by their means perfects itself; and thus the good of love is in the first place, and the truth of faith in the second, as often shown before (n. 3325, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925, 4977, 6256, 6269, 6272, 6273). After the memory-knowledges, or the knowledges of good and truth, in the memory of the external man, have performed this use, they as it were vanish from this memory. They are circumstanced like those matters of instruction which have served the man from infancy as means for perfecting his moral and civil life; after these have performed this use, and the man has acquired life therefrom, they perish from the memory, and remain only as a matter of practice or use. In this way man learns to speak, to think, to discriminate, and to judge, to lead a moral life, and to conduct himself becomingly; in a word, he learns languages, good manners, intelligence, and wisdom.

[3] The memory-knowledges which have served for these uses are signified by “the ashes which are to be removed;” and the knowledges of truth and of good, through which the man has gained spiritual life, after they have served this use, that is, after they have become of the life, are also signified by “the ashes of the altar which were to be removed.” But when they are being removed, they are first placed near the altar, and afterward are carried forth outside the camp into a clean place. Meanwhile the fire of the altar is always burning for the use of a new burnt-offering or sacrifice, according to the process described by Moses in Leviticus:

The priest shall cause the burnt-offering to ascend upon the hearth upon the altar all night even unto the dawn. Afterward he shall put on his linen clothing and his linen breeches, and he shall take up the ashes, into which the fire hath consumed the burnt-offering on the altar. Afterward he shall put off his garments, and shall put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes outside the camp into a clean place. But the fire upon the altar shall be burning, it shall not be put out; the priest shall burn wood on it at the dawn of every day; and he shall arrange the burnt-offering upon it, and shall burn upon it the fat of the sacrifices. The fire shall be burning upon the altar continually; it shall not be put out (Leviticus 6:9-13);

all these particulars involve arcana of heaven, and signify the Divine things of the worship of the Lord from the good of love; what “the ashes” consequently signify has been told above. That something heavenly is signified by “the ashes of the altar” can be seen by everyone who reflects, as that when the priest was to take away the ashes from the altar, he was to put on clothing of linen and breeches of linen, and afterward in other garments was to carry them outside the camp, and lay them in a clean place. Nothing in the Word is worthless, not even any word, thus not any circumstance of this procedure.

[4] From all this it can in some measure be seen what is signified by “the ashes of the red cow that was burnt,” by means of which the water of separation and of cleansing was prepared, of which we read in Numbers 19:2-10, 17; and what is signified by “ashes” in the opposite sense, namely, what is condemned that remains after the burning from the fire of self love. This is signified by “the ashes” which they carried on the head, and in which they rolled themselves when bewailing their sins (Jeremiah 6:26; Ezekiel 27:30; Jonah 3:6).