It almost seems certain to me that the etymology of the word 'Sof' as in 'Ein Sof' (Hebrew: אין סוף) is 'Self' for its root survives in the Dutch/Flemish word 'Zig/Zich', the German word 'zich/selbst' (hence zich selbst) and the French word 'Soi' hence 'Soi-Même'. The definition of the term 'Ein Sof' thus literally translates into 'One's Self', 'One Self' or 'Oneself' which corresponds to the Kabbalistic conception of God prior to Self-manifestation. What it means is thus that Self itself always is, i.e., Self itself exists. It is said that some questions are better left unanswered but not in this case. The answer to the question as to what is Self is Love. That is, Self is the need to love and be loved that self-exists. We can thus deduce that Love Self-Exists for G-d is Sof (God is Self). Here thus we have the fundamental essence of Self's own beingness; Love. Verily Love is Self and Self is Love; Love (it)Self Is; Love Self Is.
~ Wald Wassermann