Jewish mystical thought has a way of describing that feeling, and it's surprisingly profound.
Da'at Tevunot, a text delving into divine wisdom, wrestles with this very idea. It acknowledges something fundamental: even when it feels like God’s goodness is hidden, when the world seems imperfect, God is still the source of all existence. Where else could our being, our very breath, come from? It's a crucial point often echoed in Jewish philosophy — God's presence isn't dependent on our perception of perfection.
But here’s where it gets interesting. This sustenance, this divine life-force that keeps us going even in times of hardship, isn't the full expression of God’s potential. It's described, strikingly, as a "shadow" of what it could be. Imagine a faint echo of a beautiful melody, or a ghostly impression left on paper after the ink has been erased. That, according to Da'at Tevunot, is a fitting analogy.
We might even call this “sustenance” – this dimmed version of the divine life-force – darkness, in contrast to the full, radiant light it could be. Now, don't misunderstand: this isn't about dismissing our lives as meaningless. On the contrary, it's about recognizing that this – this shadowed existence – is still what sustains us. We live and breathe because of it. We exist within this framework.
And when we talk about this specific type of sustenance, born from the "hiding of the countenance of His goodness," we can generalize it as being "like the shadow of the heavenly power alone, not more." In other words, it is a dimmed image of the divine.
But then, if we dissect this “shadow” into its individual components, we discover something remarkable. Within it, we find all the rules and laws that govern the heavens. Think of it like this: even a shadow, distorted as it may be, still reflects the shape of the object casting it. All those complexities, the intricate order of the universe, are present even in this diminished form, even if they're just a tiny sliver compared to the full glory of God acting in complete and unrestricted expression.
So what does this all mean for us? It's a reminder that even when things feel bleak, even when we're struggling to find meaning, we are still connected to the divine source. We are still being sustained, even if it's in a way that feels incomplete. And within that "shadow," within the very fabric of our imperfect reality, lies the potential for something more. The potential to discern the divine order, to glimpse the full light that is always, always there, waiting to be revealed.