That’s kind of what we’re up against when we talk about Ein Sof.
What is Ein Sof, anyway? The term literally translates to "without end," or "infinite." It's a Kabbalistic term referring to God before any self-manifestation, before creation itself. But here's the kicker: we can't actually undefined undefined.
Baal HaSulam, in his preface to the Zohar (a foundational text of Kabbalah), gets right to this point. He explains that when we use the term Ein Sof, "blessed be He," we're not actually designating the essence of the “Essentially Existing One.” It's not a name in the way we usually understand names.
Think about it. How can we possibly use a name, a word – something finite – to define something we can't even grasp? It’s like trying to fit the ocean into a teacup. Our imaginations, our five senses, they just…fail. We can't even fully grasp the essence of physical things, let alone the divine, the infinite!
Baal HaSulam emphasizes that if our senses and imagination can't even suggest something to us about an essence when dealing with physical entities, how can thought or language possibly capture the Essentially Existing One Himself? It's a humbling thought, isn't it? To realize the sheer immensity of what lies beyond our comprehension.
So, if we can’t truly know or define Ein Sof, why even talk about it? Perhaps it's not about knowing in a concrete, definable way. Maybe it's about acknowledging the mystery, the limitlessness, the divine spark that exists beyond our grasp. Maybe the very act of trying to understand, even if we fall short, brings us closer to the ineffable reality of God.