CHAPTER XVIII.
CONCERNING THE SEVENTH PART OF THE BEARD OF MACROPROSOPUS.
408. THE seventh conformation is that wherein the hair is wanting, and there appear two apples in the circles of fragrance, fair and beautiful of aspect.
409. Rabbi Schimeon commenced, and said, Cant. ii. 3: "'Like as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons.'
410. "What is the apple-tree? Like as this in itself hath three colours, so do the two apples of the holy blessed one contain six colours.
411. "And those two apples which are the seventh conformation include all the six conformations before mentioned.
412. "And concerning them is that passage (to be taken in), Prov. xvi. 15 'In the light of the countenance of the King is life.'
413. "Also we have learned that from those apples goeth forth the life of the universe, and it giveth joy unto Microprosopus; like as it is written, Num. vi. 24: 'The Lord maketh His countenance to shine upon thee.'
414. "And it is written: 'In the light of the countenance of the King is life.' 'In the light of the countenance of the King.' Those are the two apples of the circles of fragrance of which we have spoken.
415. "'The Lord make His countenance to shine upon thee.' Here is understood the exterior countenance which when it shineth blesseth the universe.
416. "And we have learned that whensoever those external lights shine He blesseth the whole world, and wrath is no longer found in the universe.
417. "And if these externals (do this), how much more do these two apples, which ever shine, which ever are joyful!
418. "This is a tradition, given forth without the city. 1 'When those two apples are disclosed, Microprosopus appeareth in joy; for all those inferior lights are joyful; and all those inferiors shine; and all the worlds rejoice, and are perfected in all perfection; and all things rejoice and shine, and no good thing is wanting; all things are satisfied at once; all things rejoice together at the same time.
419. "Come, behold! The external countenance at times shineth, at times is obscured; and therefore is it written: 'The Lord make His face to shine upon thee.' And, Ps. i.: 'And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah.'
420. "Whence (we learn), that it is not always (luminous), but only when those superior apples are uncovered.
421. "This have we learned by tradition. 'Those hidden apples shine, and are ever brilliant; and from them
proceed rays in three hundred and seventy 1 directions; and in them all the six (preceding) conformations of the beard are included.'
422. "This is that which is said, Mic. vii. 18: 'May He return and have mercy upon us!' May He return, that is, again; 2 whence it is to be noticed that sometimes they are concealed and sometimes uncovered; wherefore it is said: 'May He return and have mercy upon us!"
423. "And in that which is inferior (correspondeth to this form) the name, AMTh, Amath, Truth. This is the seventh conformation, which includeth the six first, in the two apples of the Ancient of the Ancient Ones."
Footnotes
159:1 I suppose this means later than the Captivity.
Next: Chapter XIX: Concerning the Eighth Part of the Beard of Macroprosopus
