193. VIII. THAT THE WOMAN IS FORMED INTO [THE MAN'S] WIFE ACTUALLY ACCORDING TO THE DESCRIPTION IN THE BOOK OF CREATION. It is said in that Book, that the woman was created out of the rib of the man, and that when she was brought to him, the man said, This is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; and she shall be called Ishah (woman), because she was taken out of Ish (man). Gen. 2:22, 23.
In the Word in its spiritual sense, by a rib of the breast nothing else is signified than natural truth. This is signified by the ribs which the bear carried between his teeth (Daniel 7:5), by bears, being signified those who read the Word in its natural sense and see truths therein without understanding. By the breast of a man is signified that essential and characteristic thing which is distinct from the breast of a woman. This is wisdom, as may be seen above (no. 187); for truth supports wisdom as a rib supports the breast. These are the significations because the breast is the region in which everything belonging to the man is present as in its center.
[2] From the above it is evident, that woman was created out of man by the transcription of his proprial wisdom, which is wisdom from natural truth; and that the love of this wisdom was transferred from man into woman that it might become conjugial love; also that this was done, to the end that in the man there may be, not self love but love of his wife, and she from her innate disposition cannot do otherwise than convert the self love with the man into his love to her. Moreover, I have heard that this is effected by the wife's love, neither the man nor the wife being conscious of it. Hence it is that no man can ever truly love his partner conjugially if he is in the pride of self- intelligence from love of self.
[3] When this arcanum of the creation of woman out of man is understood, it can be seen that in marriage woman is likewise created, as it were, that is, is formed from man; and that this is effected by the wife, or rather through the wife, by the Lord, it being the Lord who infuses into women the inclination so to act; for the wife receives the man's image into herself by appropriating to herself his affections (see above, no. 183); also by conjoining the man's internal will to her own will, of which hereafter; and, moreover, by appropriating to herself the propagations of his soul, of which likewise hereafter. From this it is evident, that in accordance with the description in the Book of Creation interiorly understood, a woman is formed into a wife by means of such things as she takes from her husband and from his breast and inscribes on herself.
