Question:
1) I have begun to learn about the concept of the Radl”a, the Reisha d’lo isyada, the “unknowable head.” Are there “masculine” and “feminine” sides to the Radl”a?
Answer:
Yes. [The Radl”a has two sides to it, a ‘front’ and a ‘back’]. The “front side” of the Radl”a is masculine and the “back” side of the Radl”a is feminine. The front and back of Radl”a are connected to each other back-to-back (achor b’achor) but they appear entirely as the “front”, with two fronts/faces to it.
Question:
2) What are the masculine and feminine expressions of Radl”a?
Answer:
The Radl”a is the illogical level where opposites are integrated. The masculine side of this integration of opposites is the Chochmah of Radl”a, which is when one reaches integration of the opposites through bittul (self-nullification) or p’shitus (non-logical simplicity). The feminine side of integration of opposites is Binah of Radl”a, which is reached through hisbonenus, binah (contemplation).
Question:
3) At that point of Radl”a, do we become integrated with Hashem (as it were) and is that the place where Hashem “knows” us?
Answer:
Yes. There is also daas which extends from there, but at the point of Radl”a itself there is no daas.
Question:
4) When we reach that place of Radl”a, is that where we know what our true “I” is? Or is that the place where our daas become integrated in the Torah?
Answer:
There is no daas there at all.
Question:
5) Until we get to that place of Radl”a where our ani (I) is included in ayin (nothingness), are we able to have any understanding of Radl”a at all?
Answer:
There are levels within Radl”a: The Binah, Chochmah and Keser levels that are all within Radl”a. The total level of bittul ani (nullifying the “I” completely) is at Keser d’Radl”a.
Question:
6) Are we able to have any true daas if we didn’t yet reach that place of Radl”a?
Answer:
Yes. There is an extension that comes from the light of Radl”a, and that is called daas. But it is not the essence of Radl”a itself.
Question:
7) If we cannot reach daas if we haven’t yet reached Radl”a, does that mean that our entire I (as long as we haven’t integrated our ani/I within ayin/nothingness) is all being completely imagined, and our entire sense of I is experienced through the desires of the body which we are tied to?
Answer:
Compared to our level, our perception of our “I” is true, but compared to a higher level, the perception of our “I” is being imagined.
Question:
8) Is the reason why the Torah explains to us what the mistake of Amalek, Balak, Esav, Yishmael, the sins of the Spies and Korach and the tribes and Zimri and more, all so that we should recognize how we can stumble through our “I” and that all of the aforementioned ones should have nullified their “I” through bittul, through having bitachon and through davening?
Answer:
It is also because of that.
Question:
9) Is entering the place of Radl”a the source of healing for all our problems?
Answer:
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the light of the Geulah (the Redemption)!
[Editor's Note: Elsewhere in a response about the different approaches of Chassidus, the Rav explained that Chochmah of Radl”a is explained in the path of Chabad (i.e. Tanya, Torah Ohr, Reshab) whereas Binah of Radl”a is explained in the path of Breslev. As for Keser d’Radl”a, this will be an integration of all paths together, and it will be revealed by Mashiach.]
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