Jewish mysticism grapples with this very feeling. Specifically, it warns us against trying to understand things that are, quite simply, beyond our understanding.
We're talking about Ein Sof (אין סוף), often translated as "the Infinite" or "Without End." It's the term Kabbalists use to describe God in God's utterly unknowable essence. And relatedly, we're talking about Keter (כתר), the highest sefirah, or divine emanation, on the Tree of Life – the one closest to that unknowable source.
Now, the text Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a key work of Kabbalistic thought, lays it out pretty plainly: It's not just difficult to understand these concepts, it's actually forbidden to try to fully comprehend them through intellectual effort.
Why?
Because, as the text emphasizes, the very root of these things – the reason they are the way they are – lies in the "perfection of the Supreme Will." It's rooted in the All-Powerful itself. Trying to dissect Ein Sof, to analyze its intrinsic perfection "from His side," is a fool's errand. It's beyond the grasp of human thought, an exercise in futility.
Think of it this way: can you truly understand the mind of an artist by only analyzing the paint strokes of a masterpiece? The inspiration, the spark, the ineffable something that drove the creation – that's something else entirely.
Similarly, we are warned against over-intellectualizing Keter. Don't waste your time, the text suggests, seeking to discover its ultimate reason or purpose. Because, like Ein Sof, those reasons are rooted "above," in a realm beyond our comprehension.
There's a Biblical verse that speaks directly to this idea. It's quoted directly in Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah: "Do not search out that which is too wondrous for you... that which is covered from you." (Ecclesiastes 3:21). Don't go looking for that which is too wondrous, too hidden from you.
It might seem frustrating, right? To be told, essentially, "Don't even try." But perhaps there's a deep wisdom in this. Maybe the point isn't to understand everything, to neatly categorize and define the Divine. Maybe the point is to stand in awe, to acknowledge the mystery, to accept that some things are simply beyond our grasp. Perhaps true understanding comes not from dissecting, but from surrendering to the sheer, overwhelming wonder of it all. Maybe, just maybe, that's enough.