8838. And sanctify it [the people]. That this signifies that thus they may be kept off from the Divine, is evident from the signification of "sanctifying," as being to veil over the interiors that the externals may appear in holiness (see n. 8788, 8806), thus also to be kept off from the Divine lest they should be hurt. For unless they were veiled over, the Divine would penetrate and destroy, because the presence of the Divine is like a consuming fire to those who are not veiled over. Hence it is that even the angels are veiled over with a cloud (n. 6849). From all this it can be seen what is meant by being veiled over. That this is signified by "being sanctified" is because when they are veiled over they appear in holiness, for then the Divine can flow in and present there a state of good and a form of truth, which cannot be effected without a veiling over.
