9606. Upon the edge of the one curtain at the extremity in the joining. That this signifies the conjunction of one sphere with the other, is evident from the signification of “the edge of a curtain at the extremity in the joining,” as being where one ceases and the other begins, and thus the common boundary where the two are joined together. That the sphere is what is signified is because in heaven spheres conjoin. For there are spheres which proceed from each angelic society in heaven, and from each angel in a society. These spheres, with everyone, exhale from the life of the affections of truth and of good, and are thence diffused to a distance. From this it is that the quality of spirits and of angels is known at a distance. Angels and angelic societies are conjoined, and are also disjoined, in accordance with these spheres; for similar spheres, that is, similar affections of truth and good, conjoin; and dissimilar spheres disjoin. (But see what has been already shown concerning these spheres in n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504-1520, 1695, 2401, 2489, 4464, 5179, 6206, 6598-6613, 7454, 8630, 8794, 8797, 9490-9492, 9498, 9534.) Whether you say angels and angelic societies, from which the spheres proceed, or truth and good, it is the same; for the spheres are from the affections of truth and good, by virtue of which angels are angels from the Lord. Be it known that insofar as these spheres derive anything from the Lord, so far they conjoin; but insofar as they derive it from the angel’s own, so far they disjoin. From this it is evident that the Lord alone conjoins.

7454. It is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God. That this signifies that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in, is evident from the signification of “it is not meet to do so,” as being that it cannot be so done; from the signification of “abomination,” as being infernal foulness and filthiness; and from the signification of “sacrificing to Jehovah God,” as being to worship their God (of whi ch above, n. 7452). Hence by “sacrificing to Jehovah God the abomination of the Egyptians” is signified that they would worship God with a worship which those would abominate who are in falsities from what is infernal contrary to this worship, and which would infest it.

[2] How the case stands with this matter is very evident from things that show themselves clearly in the other life. Every spirit, and still more every society, is surrounded with a sphere of the faith and of the life of that spirit or society. This sphere is a spiritual sphere, and by it is known the quality of the spirit, and even better that of the society. For the sphere is perceived by those who have perception, sometimes at a considerable distance; and this although the spirit or the society is in hiding, and does not communicate by thought or by speech. This spiritual sphere may be compared to the material sphere which encompasses the body of a man in the world, which is a sphere of effluvia exuding from him, and is smelled by keen-scented beasts. (Of the spiritual sphere which encompasses spirits, see n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504, 1519, 2401, 2489, 4464, 5179, 6206)

[3] From all this it can be seen that if infernal spirits were near where they are who are in Divine worship, they would infest them by their sphere, for in this way they who are in Divine worship would perceive what is shocking and abominable. All this shows how it is to be understood that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in, if they were to worship God in that neighborhood. From what has been said about the spiritual sphere, or the sphere of faith and life, which exhales from every spirit, and still more from a society of spirits, it can also be seen that nothing whatever is hidden of that which a man in the world has thought, spoken, and done, but that it is in the open; for it is these things which make this sphere. Such a sphere also pours forth from the spirit of a man while he is in the body in the world; and from this his quality is also known. Therefore believe not that the things a man thinks in secret and that he does in secret, are hidden, for they are as clearly shown in heaven as are those which appear in the light of noon, according to the Lord’s words in Luke:

There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; or hidden that shall not be known; therefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in bed-chambers, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops (Luke 12:2-3).