You're not alone.
Imagine God Himself, facing a similar dilemma. The heavens overflowing with bounty, with beauty beyond imagining, and yet… something is still missing for His children down below. What could it be?
Heikhalot Rabbati, a text from the mystical literature of Merkavah Judaism, wrestles with this very question. This particular passage from chapter 31 presents God contemplating how to truly comfort and appease humanity. He asks, "With what shall I appease them? With what shall I comfort them? Or what good form of treasure is there on high that I should bring it forth and give it them and cause them to rejoice?"
It's a powerful image, isn't it? God, in His infinite wisdom, seeking to bring joy to us.
But here's the kicker. He already provides so much. He reflects, "For I have beheld and seen: I have gold, [but] there is gold in the world; I have silver, [but] there is silver in the world; I have precious stones and pearls, [but] there are precious stones and pearls in the world." Even the most exquisite earthly treasures are just echoes of what already exists.
And it doesn't stop there. God continues, "Wheat and barley, honey and oil, I have already placed in the world." The necessities, the comforts, the sweet things in life – all are gifts freely given. So, what's left? What's that missing ingredient?
God reveals the answer: "But what is lacking the world? This secret and this mystery which is not in the world."
A secret. A mystery. Something beyond the tangible, beyond the material. Something that can't be found in a mine or harvested from a field. What could this be?
The text concludes with God's solution: "Therefore I shall give them this means of loftiness, that thereby My children shall raise themselves up.”
It's left somewhat open to interpretation, this "means of loftiness." But the implication is clear: God offers us a path to ascend, to connect with something higher, something beyond the mundane. It’s an invitation to delve into the mysteries of existence, to seek out that which is uniquely divine within ourselves and the world around us. This "means of loftiness" could be the Torah itself, the wisdom and guidance contained within its stories and laws. Or perhaps it's the ability to engage in mystical practices, to explore the inner landscapes of our souls.
So, what do you think? What is this "secret and mystery" that God offers? And how can we use this "means of loftiness" to elevate ourselves and the world around us? Maybe the search itself is the gift. The yearning for something more, the striving to connect with the divine – perhaps that’s the treasure God intended for us all along.