The Divine Mirror: Discovering the Self through God
Knowledge of God and self-knowledge, though closely interconnected, differ in their essence and method of realization. According to one authoritative saying, when a person begins to truly know God, he simultaneously encounters himself and acknowledges his own limitations:"— By knowing God, he also came to know himself and humbled himself even to the level of earth and dust... Thus, through the knowledge of God, a person comes to know himself. The wise say that through knowing oneself, a person comes to know God, and the more one realizes his insignificance, the more he gets to know God. Both types of knowledge—the knowledge of God and the knowledge of oneself—are inseparable, and where one is present, so is the other, even though sometimes one may precede the other." (source: link txt)Thus, the knowledge of God is understood not as abstract information or a distant hypothesis, but as a deep, personal experience during which a person sees not only the grandeur and infinity of God but also his own often limited and incomplete essence. Self-knowledge, in turn, is expressed in an awareness of one's weaknesses and inner poverty. Without this internal recognition and humility, the knowledge of God may remain superficial.Another source emphasizes that complete understanding, whether of God or oneself, occurs through a relationship akin to true union, which is possible only in an atmosphere of deep love and mutual understanding. Just as in marriage true understanding of the other person is achieved through the fullness of love and time, knowing God requires the same deep, personal union—one that reveals not only divine qualities but also the true state of one’s own "self" in the face of the infinite.In summary, knowing God involves experiencing an encounter with the infinite and the Divine, which inevitably leads to the awareness of one’s own finiteness and need for the Divine presence. Meanwhile, self-knowledge without this revelation remains limited, as it is only through encountering God that the true picture of one’s own essence is unveiled.Supporting citation(s):"— By knowing God, he also came to know himself and humbled himself even to the level of earth and dust... Thus, through the knowledge of God, a person comes to know himself. The wise say that through knowing oneself, a person comes to know God, and the more one realizes his insignificance, the more he gets to know God. Both types of knowledge—the knowledge of God and the knowledge of oneself—are inseparable, and where one is present, so is the other, even though sometimes one may precede the other." (source: link txt)"The greatest understanding of one another among people occurs in marriage because within marriage there is the fullness of love. Spouses learn about each other with soul, spirit, and body over many years until they know each other thoroughly. [...] It is only by loving God that one can know God." (source: link txt)