The Jewish mystical tradition, particularly the Kabbalah, wrestles with this very question. And one of the most fascinating, and challenging, texts in the Kabbalistic canon is the Idra Zuta, part of the Zohar. It’s a dense, symbolic exploration of the divine realms, and today we're diving into a tiny piece of it.

We're looking at a teaching attributed to Rav Yeva Saba, a sage of the past. He introduces a fascinating concept, a kind of cosmic grammar, using the pronouns "you" and "he" to describe different aspects of the Divine.

According to Rav Yeva Saba, Zeir Anpin, often understood as the "Lesser Countenance" or the manifestation of God in the world, is called "you." Why? Because it’s revealed, accessible, the part of God that interacts directly with creation.

But what about the hidden, the unknowable? That's where Atika Kadisha comes in. Atika Kadisha, the "Ancient Holy One," is so far beyond our comprehension that it’s referred to as "he." It’s veiled, mysterious, the ultimate source from which everything else emanates.

Now, things get interesting. Rav Yeva Saba tells us that we can address the very source of creation, the “brain of thirty-two paths,” as “you.” Wait a minute! Isn't that supposed to be hidden? Well, yes, it IS hidden in its essence. But, crucially, the BEGINNING of manifestation, the very first flicker of creation, lies there. That's why it, too, can be called “you.”

This "brain of thirty-two paths" is also called "father," and it's described as the father of fathers – specifically, Chesed (loving-kindness), Gvurah (strength/judgment), and Tiferet (beauty/harmony) which are all sefirot (divine attributes) of Zeir Anpin. Think of it as the ultimate source from which these fundamental aspects of divine expression originate.

Where does this "father" come from? From Atika Kadisha, of course! As the Book of Job (28:12) asks, “But where (ayin) shall wisdom be found?”

Here’s the kicker: In Hebrew, the word "where," ayin, can also be read as "nothingness." So, the verse can also be interpreted as "Wisdom is found from nothingness." And what is called "nothingness"? Atika Kadisha! That ultimate, unknowable source.

This is why Chochmah, wisdom, is ultimately unknowable. It originates from a place beyond our grasp. Ginzberg, in his monumental Legends of the Jews, delves into these intricate relationships between the divine attributes, highlighting the constant flow and interaction between the hidden and revealed aspects of God.

So, what does this all mean? Are we just chasing after something we can never truly understand? Perhaps. But maybe the point isn't to know wisdom in its entirety, but to recognize its source. To understand that even the wisdom we can grasp is just a tiny spark from an infinite flame. To remember that behind every "you," every revealed aspect of the Divine, there's a "he," a mystery that calls us to keep searching, to keep questioning, to keep seeking that ultimate source.

Doesn’t that make you wonder about all the hidden potential, the untapped wisdom, that lies just beyond our grasp?