209. RABBI SCHIMEON began, and said: Woe unto him who extendeth his hand unto that most glorious supernal beard of the Holy Ancient One, the concealed of all.
210. This is the praise of that beard; the beard which is concealed and most precious in all its dispositions; the beard which neither the superiors nor the inferiors have known; the beard which is the praise of all praise; the beard to which neither man, nor prophet, nor saint hath approached so as to behold it.
211. The beard, whose hairs hang down even unto the breast, white as snow; the adornment of adornments, the concealment of concealments, the truth of all truths.
212. It is said in the "Book of Concealed Mystery": That beard, the truth of all (truths), proceedeth from the place of the ears, and descendeth around the mouth of the Holy One; arid descendeth and ascendeth, covering (the cheeks which it calleth) the places of copious fragrance; (it is) white with ornament: and* it descendeth in the equilibrium (of balanced power), and furnisheth a covering even unto the midst of the breast.
213. That is the beard of adornment, true and perfect, from the which flow down thirteen fountains, scattering the most precious balm of splendour.
214. This is disposed in thirteen forms.
215. In the first disposition are classed the hairs from above, and it commenceth from that portion of the hair of His head which is above His ears; and descendeth in one tress before the apertures of the ears in the most perfect equilibrium, even unto the corner of the mouth.
216. In the second disposition are classed the hairs from the comer of the mouth, and they ascend even unto the other corner of the mouth in perfectly equated order.
217. The third disposition is from midway between the nostrils; beneath those two apertures there goeth forth a certain path, and the hair is wanting in that path; but on either side of and bordering that path it is fuller and in perfect order.
218. The hairs which are classed under the fourth disposition descend below the mouth from the one corner even unto the other comer, in perfect order.
219. The fifth disposition. Beneath the mouth proceedeth another path, from the region of the superior path, and those two paths are impressed on His mouth on this side and on that.
220. The hairs which are classed in the sixth disposition ascend and come from beneath upwards unto the corner of the mouth, and cover the places of copious fragrance, even unto the upper corner of the mouth, and the hair descendeth at the corner of the opening, and across below the mouth.
221. In the seventh disposition the hair terminateth, and there are seen two apples in the places of copious fragrance, beautiful and joyful in aspect, because (in that aspect) is the universe maintained. And this is that which is said, Prov.
xvi. 16: "In the light of the king's countenance is life."
222. In the eighth disposition a certain tress of hair proceedeth round about the beard, and (the hairs) hang down equilibrated even unto the chest.
223. In the ninth disposition the hairs of the beard are interwoven and mingled with those hairs which hang in equilibrium; which hang even thus, so that none is preeminent over another.
224. In the tenth disposition the hairs descend beneath the beard, and cover the throat beneath the beard.
225. The eleventh disposition is, that no hairs are preeminent over other hairs, and they are restored into perfect proportion.
226. The twelfth disposition is that the hairs do not hang over the mouth, and that the mouth is uncovered in every part, and that the hair surrounding it is beautiful.
227. The thirteenth disposition is that the hairs hang down on this side and on that beneath the beard, furnishing a covering in beautiful adornment, even unto the chest.
228. Nothing is seen of the whole countenance and of the places of fragrance, except those beautiful white apples which produce the life of the universe; and they radiate gladness upon Microprosopus.
229. Through those thirteen dispositions do they flow down, and the thirteen fountains of precious oil issue forth, and they flow down through all those inferiors, and in that oil do they shine, and with that oil are they anointed.
230. The beard of ornament of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones, the most concealed of all things, is configurated in thirteen dispositions.
231. From the two beautiful apples of His countenance is the face of Macroprosopus illuminated; and whatsoever is white and rosy is found below; it shineth and radiateth from that light.
232. Those thirteen dispositions are found in the beard. And in proportion to the purity of his beard, according to its dispositions, is a man said to be true; for also whosoever (in sleep) beholdeth his beard, that man is very desirous of truth.
233. We have taught in the "Book of Concealed Mystery," that certain (dispositions) are found in the universe, according to those thirteen (dispositions) which depend from that venerable beard, and they are opened out into the thirteen gates of mercies.
234. And he who extendeth his hand in swearing, also doth the same if he swear by the thirteen dispositions of the beard: these are in Arikh Anpin, or Macroprosopus.
235. In Zauir Anpin, or Microprosopus, how many are there? He said unto Rabbi Isaac: "Arise in thy place, and describe the beard of the Holy King according unto the arrangement of its parts. How are these arranged?
236. Rabbi Isaac arose; he commenced and said, Micah vii. 18: "What god is like unto Thee," &c.; "Thou shalt give truth unto Jacob," &c.
237. "We have learned by tradition that herein are thirteen sections seen, and they all proceed from the thirteen fountains of excellent oil, of the parts of the holy beard of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones.
238. "Tradition: A most secret thing is this disposition of the beard. Secret is it and hidden; hidden, yet not hidden; concealed, yet not concealed in its dispositions; known, yet unknown.
239. "The first disposition. We have learned that the single locks and the single hairs do not mutually adhere unto each other; and that the hairs of the beard take their rise from the disposition of the hair (of the head).
240. "This matter is worthy of examination. If all the hairs of the head and the hairs of the venerable supernal beard are balanced in one equilibrium, wherefore are some long, and others not so long?
241. "Wherefore are not the hairs of the beard constant in the same proportion of length? These also are firm; while those which are on the head are not firm, but soft.
242. "Therefore is it said that (in Macroprosopus) all the hairs descend equally from the head and beard; for the hair of the head is prolonged even unto the shoulders, so that it may reach unto the head of Microprosopus, from that flux of the one brain unto the other.
243. "And because they are not firm (also it is necessary that they be soft).
244. "We have learned by tradition. What is that which is written, Prov. i. 20: 'Wisdom (plural in Hebrew, ChKMVTh, not ChKMH) will cry without; and at the end of the verse it is written, 'She (singular) will utter Her voice in the streets.' In this text the beginning doth neither agree with the end, nor the end with the beginning.
245. "Therefore is it said: Wisdom will cry without when She passeth from the concealed brain of Macroprosopus unto the brain of Microprosopus, through those longer hairs; and thus as it were extrinsically those two brains are connected and become in this way one brain.
246. "Since there is not subsistence in the inferior brain except by the preservation of the supernal brain.
247. "And when this proflux is instituted from the one, namely, into the other, this hath place which is written, 'She will utter Her voice;' namely, in the singular number.
248. "And because She passeth over from brain unto brain through those long hairs, these same (hairs) are not found to be firm.
249. "Wherefore? Because if they were firm, Wisdom could not be conducted by them unto the brain.
250. "Because Wisdom cometh not from man, who is stern and wrathful, like as it is written, Eccles. ix. 17: 'The words of wise men are heard in quiet.'
251. "And thence we learn that in him whose hair is firm, wisdom dwelleth not
252. "But because these are long (the others are soft) in order that they may bring assistance to all.