5161. And he made a feast to all his servants. That this signifies initiation and conjunction with the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of a "feast," as being initiation to conjunction (see n. 3832), and also conjunction through love, and appropriation (n. 3596); and from the signification of "servants," as being the things of the exterior natural. For when man is being regenerated lower things are subordinated and subjected to higher, or exterior things to interior, the exterior things then becoming servants, and the interior, masters. Such is the signification of "servants" in the Word (as may be seen above, n. 2541, 3019, 3020); but they become such servants as are loved by the Lord; for it is mutual love that conjoins them, and causes their service not to be perceived as such, but as compliance from the heart; for good flows in from within, and produces in it this delight. In old time feasts were held for various reasons, and by them was signified initiation into mutual love, and thus conjunction. They were also held on birthdays; and then represented the new birth, or regeneration, which is the conjunction of the interiors with the exteriors in man through love, consequently is the conjunction of heaven with the world in him; for what is worldly or natural in man is then conjoined with what is spiritual and celestial.