Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 7909

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7909. Ye shall eat nothing leavened. That this signifies that every caution is to be used to prevent falsity from being appropriated, is evident from the signification of "that which is leavened," as being falsity (of which above n. 7906); and from the signification of "to eat," as being to appropriate to oneself (of which also above, n. 7907). The frequent prohibition against eating what is leavened-as at verses 15 to 19-involves that the utmost caution is to be used against falsity. This utmost caution against falsity is to be used in order that man may be in good. Falsity does not agree with good, but destroys good; for falsity is of evil, and truth is of good. If falsity is appropriated, that is, firmly believed, there is no reception of the good of innocence, consequently no liberation from damnation. It is one thing to appropriate falsity to oneself, and another to adjoin it. They who adjoin falsity, if they are in good, reject it when the truth appears to them; but they who appropriate falsity to themselves, retain it and resist the truth itself when it appears. This then is the reason why it is so often said that what is leavened must not be eaten.


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