247. We have learned that Rabbi Shimon said: I invoke as a witness the sky above and all those who are standing above us, MEANING ALL THE CHARIOTS AND ENCAMPMENTS OF THE ANGELS, that these matters rejoice in all the worlds. These matters are rejoicing in my heart and are hiding and ascending in the uppermost curtain that is extended over us. The most Ancient of all, who is concealed and sealed of all, hides them. When I began to speak, the friends did not know that all these holy matters are inspired here. Praised is the lot of the friends that are here. Praised is my lot with you in this world and in the World to Come.
248. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with the verse: "But you that did cleave to Hashem your Elohim... " (Devarim 4:4). Who is a Holy Nation like Yisrael, that it is written of them: "Happy are you, O Yisrael: who is like to you" (Devarim 33:29), and: "Who is like you, Hashem, among the Elim" (Shemot 15:11). For their adherence is to the Holy Name in this world, and in the World to Come even more than here IN THIS WORLD, since there they are not separated from the bond into which the righteous are tied, MEANING THE BUNDLE OF LIFE, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT THAT IS BOUND IN THE TREE OF LIFE THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN. This is why it is written: "But you that did cleave to Hashem" instead of: 'did cleave towards Hashem,' but actually "to Hashem."
249. We have learned that when the holy anointing oil descends upon the beard of Zeir Anpin from the precious beard of the uppermost of the holy Atik, who is hidden and concealed from everyone, the beard of Zeir Anpin is established in nine Corrections (formations). During the time that the precious beard of the most Ancient among the ancient illuminates within this beard of Zeir Anpin, thirteen springs flow from the uppermost oil into the beard OF ZEIR ANPIN, and 22 Corrections (formations) prevail in it. From it flow the 22 letters of the Torah.
250. You might say that the beard is not mentioned anywhere and Solomon mentioned only "his cheeks" (Shir Hashirim 5:13), BUT DOES NOT SAY BEARD. HE REPLIES: So we have learned in the hidden book that everything that is hidden and concealed is neither mentioned nor revealed. This thing, THE BEARD, is uppermost and most precious of all. It is hidden and concealed since the beard is the praise and the most valued feature of the entire countenance; therefore, the scripture concealed it and did not reveal it. We have learned that this beard, which is the perfection of the countenance and the beauty of Zeir Anpin, starts out from his ears and drops and ascends and covers with an offering of fragrance. What is this offering of fragrance? It is as it says: "His cheeks are like a bed of spices" (Ibid.). With nine Corrections (formations), this beard of Zeir Anpin was established with black hair all shaped in a beautiful arrangement like a valiant, beautiful and mighty man, as it is written: "Excellent as the cedars" (Ibid. 15).
251. The first Correction (formation): The hairs are arranged from above, FROM THE SIDES OF THE HEAD. That spark goes out, that strong spark, emanates from the pure air and pounds from underneath the head hair, under the HAIR locks above the ears. It descends hair after hair in front of the ear opening to the corner of the mouth.
252. The second Correction (formation): The hairs exit and ascend from the corner of the mouth, WHICH IS THE UPPER LIP - to the other corner of the mouth opening. They ALSO come down underneath the mouth FROM ONE CORNER to the other corner OF THE LOWER LIP, hair by hair, in a beautiful arrangement.
253. The third Correction (formation): Under the nose, in the center, under the two nostrils of the nose one path goes out THAT IS FREE OF HAIR, BUT tiny rough hairs fill that path. The rest of the hairs occupy both sides surrounding that path. On the bottom, THE LOWER LIP, there is no path visible at all, THAT IS CLEAR OF HAIR, BUT ONLY the path above IS VISIBLE, OVER THE UPPER LIP, that descends downwards to the beginning where the lips are JOINED. There, the path is submerged. IT DOES NOT CONTINUE UNDER THE LOWER LIP AS BY ARICH ANPIN.
254. The fourth Correction (formation): Hairs sprout out and are arranged to ascend and cover His cheeks like a fragrant offering. THAT IS THE SECRET MEANING OF: "HIS CHEEKS ARE LIKE A BED OF SPICES." The fifth Correction (formation): The hairs stop GROWING. The two apples OF THE FACE become visible, CLEAR OF HAIR, on both sides. They are red like a red rose and glow in 270 worlds that glow from there. The sixth Correction (formation): The hairs sprout out like one string around the beard and hang to the top of His belly, MEANING TO HIS CHEST, and do not go down to the middle. The seventh Correction (formation): The hair does not hang over the mouth and the mouth is free OF HAIR all around. The hairs are set in an arrangement around it.
255. The eighth Correction (formation): The hairs descend under the beard and cover the back of the neck so it is not seen. All the hairs are thin. Tiny strands upon strands fill every direction. The ninth Correction (formation): The hairs join, altogether evenly, with those hairs that are hanging, all evenly and beautifully like a mighty man who wins battles.
256. With these nine Corrections (formations) nine springs of the anointing oil of above flow and spring forth. From that anointing oil, there is a flow to all those below. These nine Corrections (formations) reside in the beard OF ZEIR ANPIN, and with the perfection of the arrangement of the beard, he is considered such a mighty man, that whoever observes this beard prevails, and mighty strength is connected to him. Up until here is the description of the supernal beard of Zeir Anpin.