The Torah does mention not shaving the corners of your beard, however , at the time of the Gulf War we had to wear gas masks. They weren't air(or gas)tight when you had a beard.So you had to shave them off. Only orthodox Jews could get a special sort of gas mask to accommodate beards. These were in short suply. Later on anyone there was a court case about discrimination against non believing bearded Jewish folksinging males.I think we won. Anyway here in Israel beards are common among Jews, Muslims, priests,rabbis and goats. My own beard, growing up in the UK, was a protest, and went with socialism. It also diguised a fat face. As in Roald Dahl's "The Twits" it is a good place to park a snack for later. Jack.