it is not to be had

[bart-leby]

Could you please help me with the meaning of this sentence?



But they could also be interpreted as revealing the human
propensity to look for spiritual fulfilment where it is not to be had.


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I do not understand the phrase it is not to be had.[/FONT]

 

[Rover_KE]

'...where it is not to be found/obtained/discovered/got'.

 

[Raymott]

Basically, it means "where spiritual fulfilment is not to be found", "where spiritual fulfilment doesn't exist."
If you are looking for fish in a bread shop, you are looking in a place where fish "are not to be had" - where you can't get them.