749. RABBI SCHIMEON commenced and said, Deut. iv 4: "And ye shall cleave unto Tetragrammaton your God," &c.
750. What nation is so holy as Israel? for it is written concerning them, Deut. xxxiii. 29: "Blessed art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee?" Because that they are applied unto God in this world through the holy name.
751. And in the world to come more than here, for therein shall we never be separated from that conclave wherein the just are assembled.
752. And this is that which is written: "And ye shall cleave in Tetragrammaton;" for it is not written "ChDPQIM LIHVH, Chedebeqim Le Tetragrammaton, Ye shall cleave unto Tetragrammaton;" but "BIHVH, Be Tetragrammaton, in Tetragrammaton," properly.
753. We have learned this. There is a descent from the beard which is venerable, holy, excellent, hidden and concealed in all (the beard, namely, of Macroprosopus), through the holy magnificent oil, into the beard of Microprosopus.
754. And if thou shalt say that this beard is not to be found, for that even Solomon only spake of the cheeks, but not at all of the beard.
755. Truly thus have we learned (we make answer) in the "Book of Concealed Mystery." It is that which is hidden and recondite, and of which mention is not made, neither is it uncovered; it is that which is venerable and excellent before all things, seeing that it is Concealed and hidden.
756. And since the beard is the praise and perfection and dignity of the whole countenance, in these sacred things it is found to be hidden, neither is it discerned.
757. And that beard is the perfection and beauty of the countenance in Microprosopus. In nine conformations is it disposed.
758. But when the venerable beard of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones shineth upon this beard of Microprosopus, then the thirteen fountains of excellent oil flow down upon this beard.
759. And therein are found twenty-two parts, and thence extend the twenty-two letters of the holy law.
760. Also we have learned that this beard departeth from His ears, and descendeth and ascendeth, and toucheth upon the places of fragrance.
761. What are the places of fragrance? Like as it is said, Cant. v. 13: "Like a bed (singular) of spices," and not "beds" (plural).
762. But this beard of Microprosopus is disposed in nine conformations.
763. And also the hairs being black, and in careful order, like a handsome man, as it is written, Cant. v. 15: "Excellent as the cedars."
764. The first conformation. The hair is conformed from the portion which is above, and there goeth forth therefrom a spark which is of most intense brilliance; and it goeth forth from the Absolute of the pure ether, and passeth beneath the hair of the head, even beneath those locks which are above the ears; and it descendeth in front of the opening of the ears, hair above hair, even unto the beginning of the mouth.
765. The second conformation. The hair goeth forth, and ascendeth from the one part of the mouth even unto the other part of the opening of the mouth; and it descendeth beneath the mouth unto the other side, hair above hair, in beautiful arrangement.
766. The third conformation. From the midst, beneath the nose, and beneath the two nostrils, there goeth forth a certain path, and short and coarse hairs fill up that path; and the remaining hairs fill up the place from this side unto that, around this path.
767. But this path is not clearly seen (to be continued) below (the mouth), but only the upper part of it which descendeth even unto the beginning of the lips, and there is this path applied.
768. The fourth conformation. The hair goeth forth and is disposed in order, and ascendeth, and is spread over His cheeks, which are the place of fragrance of the Ancient One.
769. The fifth conformation. The hair is wanting, and there are seen two apples on this side and on that, red as a red rose, and they radiate into two hundred and seventy worlds, which are enkindled thereby.
770. The sixth conformation. The hair goeth forth as in a tress about (the border of) the beard, and hangeth down even unto the commencement of the vital organs, but it descendeth not unto the parts about the heart.
771. The seventh conformation. That the hairs do not hang over the mouth, but that the mouth is uncovered on every side, and that the hairs are disposed in order about it.
772. The eighth conformation. That the hairs descend beneath the beard, and cover the throat, so that it cannot be seen; all those hairs are slender, hairs above hairs, plentiful in every part.
773. The ninth conformation. That the hairs are mingled together with those which are joined unto them; and that they all are in equality from the cheeks even unto those hairs which hang down; all are in fair equality, like a brave man, and like a hero victorious in war.
774. Through these nine conformations there proceed and flow down nine fountains of magnificent oil, and these indeed flow down from that magnificent supernal oil (of the heard of Macroprosopus) into all those inferiors.
775. Those nine conformations are found in form herein (otherwise, in this beard); and in the perfection of the conformation of this beard is the inferior son of man called the brave man.
776. For whosoever seeth (in sleep) that his beard existeth in proper form, in him is found courage and strength.
777. Rabbi Schimeon spake unto Rabbi Eleazar, his son, and said: "Arise, O my Son, and expound the parts of the holy beard in its conformations."
778. Rabbi Eleazar arose, and commenced and said, Ps. cxviii. 5: "'I called upon IH, Yah, in my distress; Yah heard me at large. Tetragrammaton is on my side, I will not fear; what can man do unto me? Tetragrammaton taketh my part with them that help me, and I shall see my desire upon mine enemies. It is better to trust in Tetragrammaton than to put any confidence in man; it is better to trust in Tetragrammaton than to put any confidence in princes.'
779. "Herein are delineated the nine conformations of this beard. For King David had need of these dispositions, that he might vanquish other kings and other nations.
780. "Come, behold! After that he had said these nine conformations, he added (verse 10): 'All nations compassed me about, but in the name of Tetragrammaton I win destroy them.'
781. "Therefore did he rehearse those conformations which we have repeated. But what was the necessity for so doing? Because that he said: 'All nations compassed me about.' For in this disposition of those nine conformations which are the name of IHVH, Tetragrammaton, are they cut off from the earth.
782. "This is that same which is written: 'In the name of IHVH will I destroy them.'
783. "Also this have we learned in the 'Book of Concealed Mystery.' David hath here enumerated the nine conformations; of which six consist in the holy name, for there are six names; and there are three in the word ADM, Adam, or man.
784. "And if thou shalt say that there are only two (in the word Adam), assuredly there are three, because also the princes pertain unto the idea of the word Adam.
785. "This have we learned. These are the six names, because it is thus written: 'I called upon Yah in my distress.' The first.
786. "'Yah heard me at large.' The second.
787. Tetragrammaton is on my side, I will not fear.' The third.
788. "'Tetragrammaton taketh my part with them that help me.' The fourth.
789. "'It is better to trust in Tetragrammaton.' The fifth.
790. "'It is better to trust in Tetragrammaton.' The sixth.
791. "But in the word ADM, Adam, Man, are three; for it is written: 'Tetragrammaton is on my side, I will not fear; what can ADM, Adam, Man, do unto me?' The first.
792. "'It is better to trust in Tetragrammaton than to put any confidence in princes.' The second.
793. "'It is better to trust in Tetragrammaton than to put any confidence in ADM, Adam, Man.' The third.