Ein Sof — The Infinite
Hebrew: אֵין סוֹף
Ein Sof (literally “without end” or “without limit”) is the Kabbalistic term for God as He is in Himself — the absolutely infinite Divine essence that transcends all categories, attributes, and comprehension.
The Problem of Naming God
Ein Sof is not a name — it is the acknowledgment that God’s essence cannot be named, described, or comprehended. Any positive attribute we ascribe to God (omniscient, omnipotent, good) is already a limitation — it defines God in terms of human concepts.
Ein Sof is therefore not “the infinite being” — it is the reality that lies beyond even being and non-being, beyond even infinitude as a concept.
Ein Sof and the Sefirot
A fundamental Kabbalistic question: if God is truly Ein Sof, how can God have attributes? The ten sefirot are God’s self-disclosure — the modes through which the Infinite makes itself knowable and relatable to created beings. But the sefirot are not the essence of Ein Sof; they are its expression.
The Alter Rebbe explains: the sefirot are like rays of light streaming from the sun — they reveal the sun’s existence and some of its qualities, but the sun’s core essence remains inaccessible. Similarly, the sefirot reveal God to creation, while Ein Sof remains unknowable.
Ohr Ein Sof (The Light of the Infinite)
In Kabbalistic terminology, Ohr Ein Sof (the light of the Infinite) refers to the Divine energy that flows and radiates from the Ein Sof. It is the medium by which the Infinite manifests in finite worlds.
Before the tzimtzum (contraction), Ohr Ein Sof filled all space. After tzimtzum, a diminished ray (kav) of this light enters the chalal (primordial void) to animate and sustain creation.
Chabad’s Distinctive Approach
Chabad Chassidus, particularly through the Alter Rebbe and Mitteler Rebbe, gives unprecedented attention to the awareness of Ein Sof in daily life:
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Ein od Milvado — “There is nothing but Him” — the practical implication is that at every moment, the Ein Sof is the only true reality. All created existence is continuously being re-created by the Divine will.
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Bisculo Mamash — “He fills all worlds” (sovev) and “completely fills all worlds” (memaleh) — a distinction between God’s transcendent infinity (which surrounds and transcends creation) and God’s immanent presence (which fills and animates all).
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The Illusion of Separation — created beings feel themselves to be independent; this is the great concealment (hester). Hitbonenut on Ein Sof is designed to pierce this illusion.
Practical Implications
Awareness of Ein Sof transforms one’s relationship to:
- Evil and suffering — if Ein Sof is all, evil is ultimately a form of concealment, not a rival power
- Personal importance — the self shrinks in comparison to the infinite; bittul becomes natural
- Joy — if one is truly connected to Ein Sof, there is no real lack; simcha (joy) becomes possible regardless of circumstances
Sources
- Tanya, Part II (Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah)
- Alter Rebbe, Torah Or, Likkutei Torah
- Tzemach Tzedek, Sefer HaChakirah