Jewish mystical thought, especially in texts like Da'at Tevunot, grapples with this all the time.
In Da'at Tevunot 35, the Soul asks a seemingly simple, yet profound question: “What understanding is needed in this?” What do we need to really get it?
The answer provided is deceptively straightforward: Singularity. But not just any singularity. The text clarifies that "the intent is to say that the Holy One blessed is he is one with certainty, and there is no other than Him."
Think about that for a second.
It's not just about saying God is one, like in the Shema ("Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one," Deuteronomy 6:4). It’s about understanding that God’s oneness is absolute, undeniable, and all-encompassing. There's nothing outside of God.
Now, this isn’t some abstract theological point. This idea of absolute singularity, of Yichud Hashem (the Oneness of God), changes everything. It challenges our perception of reality. If God is truly all there is, where does that leave us? Where does that leave the world, with all its apparent chaos and contradictions?
It suggests that everything we perceive, everything that seems separate and distinct, is ultimately a manifestation of that single, unified Divine essence. Our job, perhaps, is to peel back the layers of illusion, to see through the multiplicity and recognize the underlying unity.
It's a lifelong journey, this quest for understanding. And texts like Da'at Tevunot are there to guide us along the way, nudging us closer to that ultimate realization of singularity. So, the next time you feel that yearning, remember that it might just be your soul asking: "What understanding is needed in this?" The answer, it seems, lies in recognizing the profound and unwavering Oneness of it all.