341. 6885. Now this is how the songs were inspired, spoken of in the books of Moses [Exod. 15, Deut. 32], of the Judges (if I am not mistaken) [Judg. 5], in the Psalms which David sang, who also observed this, and in the prophets [Lam. 1-5]. But where we read that Jehovah spoke, this was done aloud, as mentioned earlier [4, 83, 114]. For a live voice is like that of a person speaking from various distances, both from afar and from nearby, so that one can tell where it comes from (this is so well known to me that nothing is more familiar), even from a tower, from the sky,* or from overhead, etc. So it is no wonder we read that Moses heard the sound [of a voice] from a bush [Exod 3:4], from the mountain [Exod. 19:3], from the mercy seat between the cherubim [Num. 7:89]. But the fact that He spoke in a way that by-standers also heard, as He did from Mount Sinai, I cannot yet explain from experience. For although the voice is almost as clear and loud as a person talking to himself - for it can be heard even when others are talking - still it does not come through the air into the ear from the outside, but comes into the ear from the inside. For this reason it is not heard by a bystander, even though some spirits believed that their voices were being heard by those present, because when I spoke with those people, the spirits heard my words almost in the same way as they heard those of the people speaking with me. The same was true of my speaking with the spirits, for it also went out as if in sounds. But the subject of speech with spirits, if God the Messiah deems it fitting, will be discussed elsewhere. [Speak, Speech] [See WE 6889-90, explaining Num. 7:13.] 6891. Now the understanding is developed from truths, and every truth flows in from the feeling that shapes it - for understanding is born of feelings, and [a person] has only so much [of truth] from feeling in the understanding, as there is of feeling [in the person]. (This must be put more clearly.) Therefore, an understanding devoid of feeling is not a holy understanding. For if I should understand everything, or possess all spiritual knowledge in heaven and on earth, and it is devoid of love, or charity [cf. I Cor. 12:2], the understanding or higher knowledge is of no use whatsoever. Therefore, as much as an understanding has from love, so much it is holy. It is love that sanctifies. Now this is why those vessels were filled with "mincha",** which symbolizes love. But the mincha was made of "fine flour mixed with oil," which symbolize elements that can hardly be described, and can only be 6892. vaguely understood. The understanding is of such a nature that while it is developing, it again and again sows seeds, from which truths are born anew. So truths are arranged in order, over and over again, like trees of paradise, and like a cultivated field, for development goes on uninterruptedly. Hence it is now said "fine flour mixed with oil," for the flour is finely ground and made into mincha. So they are those elements that pass from the understanding into the will, which is ruled by feeling. But these matters, as said before, cannot but appear vague. Yet matters that * J.F.I. Tafel read the word "coelo," "sky," as "colle," "hill." ** NKJV has "fine flour mixed with oil."