The Stages of the Creative Process
from God's Infinite Light to Our Physical World
| Introduction Or Ein Sof ("God's Infinite Light") Sod Ha'Tzimtzum ("The Secret of 'Contraction'") Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man") Akudim, Nekudim, Brudim ("Binding, Points, Connection")  Keter D'Atzilut ("The 'Crown' of Emanation")Olam Ha'Atzilut ("The World of Emanation") ABiYA (The Four Worlds: Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah) |
Keter D'Atzilut ("The 'Crown' of Emanation") | |||
| Introduction: Partzufei Ha'Keter (The "Figures of the Crown") | |||
| Atik Yomin | Arich Anpin | Reisha D'lo Ityada | Reisha D'Ayin |
| Reisha D'Arich | Gulgalta | Mocha Stima'ah | Dikna |
Resha D'Lo Ityada–Radla
"The Unknowable Head"
In the Zohar, the full phrase for "the Unknowable Head" is "the Head which neither knows nor is known." This implies that this level of keter is neither conscious of its own inner being nor is known to any consciousness outside of itself.
In Kabbalah and Chassidut it is explained that this level, the highest of the three supreme "heads" of the keter of Atzilut, is the source of the soul of Mashiach. Initially, before being coronated as King of Israel, the Mashiach neither knows of his own inner potential nor is recognized publicly.
The level of Radla includes the three higher sefirot (keter, chochmah, binah) of the partzuf Atik Yomin, the inner partzuf of keter. Whereas the lower seven sefirot of the partzuf Atik Yomin are "enclothed" within the partzuf Arich Anpin (as a soul within a body), the three higher sefirot of Radla are not "enclothed" within any subsequent level of partzuf whatsoever. For this reason, Radla is referred to as "the Revealed Head," not because it is revealed in consciousness, but because it is inherently in no way "concealed" or "covered" by any other reality.
In the soul of Israel, the Radla is the origin of each and every Jew's pure and simple faith in God. In the innate faith if Israel inheres a deep existential sense of the infinite pleasure of the world to come. This explains why Radla is the head of Atik Yomin, the inner partzuf of keter, which, in general, corresponds to the superconscious pleasure of the soul.
