253. "How, unto all? So that it may have entrance into the marrow of the spine of the back, which is connected with the brain.
254. "And because the hair of the head doth not hang over the hairs of the beard, since the hair of the head hangeth down, and is drawn back behind the ears, and doth not overhang the beard; because it is not necessary to mingle these with those, but all are separated in their own paths.
255. "We have learned by tradition. All the hairs, as well of the head as of the beard, are white as snow.
256. "And we have learned. Those which are in the beard are all firm. Wherefore? Because those are firm accordingly, that they may firmly mark out their thirteen measurements from the Ancient of the Ancient Ones.
257. "And those measurements take their beginning from before the ears.
258. "And those measurements have been included within certain limitations, in order that they should not be confounded with each other. (Others read the passage thus: Because they are communicated unto the inferiors. For this have we been taught. The hairs commence before the ears, because they have been separated, and are not to be mingled with the others," &c.)
259. "But if thou sayest that other (sacred passages) are not given, analogous to these (measurements), thou art in error. For thus is the tradition: "The thirteen measurements of the mercies of the Most Holy Ancient One (are symbolized by these clauses of) Mic. vii. 18: 'What God is like unto Thee?' the first.
260. "'Pardoning iniquity;' the second.
261. "'And passeth by the transgression;' the third.
262. "'Of the remnant of His heritage;' the fourth.
263. "'He retaineth not His anger for ever;' the fifth.
264. "'Because He delighteth in mercy;' the sixth.
265. "'Again, He will have compassion on us;' the seventh.
266. "'He will subdue our iniquities;' the eighth.
267. "'And Thou wilt cast all their iniquities into the depths of the sea;' the ninth.
268 "'Thou wilt give truth unto Jacob;' the tenth.
269. "'Mercy unto Abraham;' the eleventh.
270. "'Which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers;' the twelfth.
271. "'From the days of old;' the thirteenth.
272. "'Unto these correspond in the law, Exod. xxxiv. 6: 'God merciful and gracious,' &c. And those are the Inferiors.
273. "And if thou sayest, 'Why did not Moses pronounce those majestic words? It shall be answered unto thee: 'Moses hath no duty to perform save in the place where judgment is found; and in the place where judgment is found it is not necessary to speak thus.
274. "And Moses spake not, save in that time when the Israelites had sinned and judgment was impending; hence Moses spake only in that place wherein judgment is found.
275. "But in another place the prophet hath instituted the order of the praise of the Ancient of Days.
276. "And those thirteen forms of the supreme holy beard, concealed with many concealments, are most powerful to subdue and mitigate all the stern decrees of the judgments.
277. "What man is he who looketh back upon that most secret, holy supernal beard, who is not confounded before it?
278. "Because also all the hairs are hard and firm in their disposition.
279. "But if thou sayest, 'What if they be so? Surely the lower hairs are black: why are these not as those?'
280. "Nevertheless, thus is the tradition: It is written, Cant. v. 11: 'His locks are bushy and black as a raven.'
281. Also it is written, Dan. vii. 18: 'The hair of His head like pure wool.'
282. "There is no contradiction here, for the one is said of the supernal beard, but the other of the inferior beard.
283. "Also because when the law was given forth unto the Israelites, it was written in black fire upon white fire.
284. "Also the foundation of the matter cometh from those hairs; because they are found (arising) out of the (supernal) brain, and stretching down unto the inferior brain.
285. "Also because these are above the beard. Hence the beard is distinct, and all its forms are found separated (each from the other); so that the beard is alone, and its hairs are also distinct.