1909. About spirits who celebrated the feast of tabernacles
While I was reading in Leviticus [23:33-43] about the feast of tabernacles, certain of the spirits were overjoyed, as I could tell both by their conversation and by their communication. Then they eagerly wanted to celebrate that feast, which was also permitted them, and they depicted for themselves in the usual manner tabernacles, and the accessories. And they did this indeed with great enjoyment, for some of them said that in their lifetime they had greatly looked forward to this, namely, to celebrating the feast of tabernacles in the other life.
But because they were doing this from sheer desire, without any insight into the inward meanings of the actions, their gladness turned into sadness, which I likewise could feel in myself by communication. Later, a coldness arose also, affecting rather strongly my feet and knees, this being because they were longing only for earthly things, but not for the inward things they symbolized. Hence the coldness, about which some spirits even complained. So it is with merely earthly joys. 1748, 9 May.
1909. While engaged in reading the passage in Leviticus respecting the feast of tabernacles, certain ones of the spirits were very much delighted, as I could perceive, both from their discourse and from the communication [of their delight]. They thereupon earnestly desired to celebrate that feast, which was also permitted them, by forming to themselves tabernacles in effigy in the usual mode, together with the appurtenances, in which they labored with vast delight, for some of them said that was what they had greatly desired in their lifetime, to wit, to celebrate the feast of tabernacles in the other life; but, inasmuch as they did it from cupidity alone, without a view to interior things, or the things signified, their joy was turned into grief, which, by a communication, I could perceive in myself; afterwards, there ensued a coldness which affected rather strongly my feet and my knees, for they desired only natural things, and not the interior which they signified; thence arose the cold, of which some of the spirits also complained. Such is the case with merely natural joys. - 1748, May 9.
1909. De spiritibus, qui festum tabernaculorum celebrabant
Quum legeretur in Levit. [XXIII: 33-[43] de festo tabernaculorum, quidam ex spiritibus perquam laetati sunt, quod percipere potui tam ex eorum sermone, quam etiam per communicationem; et cupiebant dein avide celebrare id festum, quod etiam iis permissum erat, sibi effingendo modo solito tabernacula, et similia, et quidem hoc cum multa delectatione, nam dicebant quidam, quod in vita exoptaverint id, nempe quod festum tabernaculorum celebrarent in altera vita, sed quia id faciebant ex sola cupiditate, absque intuitione interiorum, seu [eorum] quae significabant, laetitia eorum in maerorem versa est, quod etiam in me per communicationem potui percipere; postea quoque subiit frigus, quod etiam pedes meos, et genua satis afficiebat, nam solum naturalia cupiebant, non autem interiora, quae significabant, inde frigus, quidam spiritus etiam de frigore conquesti sunt, ita se habent laetitiae merae naturales. 1748, 9 Maj.