QUESTION:
1)It is famously said that learning sefer Zohar will take us out of Galus. Many Gedolim held that learning Kaballah is for everyone and that the conditions that were always needed are no longer needed in our generation, while other Gedolim stayed far away from learning Kaballah because of all the conditions that are needed to learn it. I would like to know if the Rav can clarify this topic for me. What are the conditions needed for learning Kaballah in today’s generation, and which conditions are not needed?
ANSWER:
Every person has to look for their unique cheilek (share) in Torah, and that is the main thing a person should be searching for [regarding his learning].
QUESTION
2) I am young in my twenties and I’m very drawn towards learning this part of Torah, but I never learned it in an organized fashion. How can I know if I am ready to learn Kaballah?
ANSWER
You have to know what’s drawing you towards learning it, and after you see which factors are drawing you into it, you should examine if it’s proper or not.
QUESTION
3) What is the way to start learning this part of Torah? And which sefarim should I use?
ANSWER
The Chofetz Chaim and Chazon Ish both recommended people to learn Niglos HaZohar. The Chazon Ish said that this is the best mussar sefer. After learning it, a person should read through it just for the sake of reading it and learning it superficially, and gradually a person can purify his soul and his character and his body, and then he can start to learn Otzros Chaim.
QUESTION
4) Since a person needs to be in a state of purity when learning Kaballah, does washing the hands 40 times with kavanah about Hashem help for this?
ANSWER
Only when there is no other alternative.
QUESTION
5) If I do not need to go the mikveh, do I need to go to the mikveh each day before learning Kaballah?
ANSWER
It is more proper to do that.
QUESTION
6) Which sefarim of Kaballah am I allowed to learn if I didn’t go to the mikveh yet [when I am obligated to go the mikveh due to tevilas Ezra reasons]?
ANSWER
You can read [Zohar] without trying to understand it.
QUESTION
7) Does Kaballah have to be learned from a Rebbi or can I learn it from sefarim?
ANSWER
If one is using sefarim to learn Kaballah, he needs either ruach hakodesh to understand it, or he needs giluy neshamah (revelation of the soul), which is also a kind of ruach hakodesh.
QUESTION
2) I am young in my twenties and I’m very drawn towards learning this part of Torah, but I never learned it in an organized fashion. How can I know if I am ready to learn Kaballah?
ANSWER
You have to know what’s drawing you towards learning it, and after you see which factors are drawing you into it, you should examine if it’s proper or not.
QUESTION
3) What is the way to start learning this part of Torah? And which sefarim should I use?
ANSWER
The Chofetz Chaim and Chazon Ish both recommended people to learn Niglos HaZohar. The Chazon Ish said that this is the best mussar sefer. After learning it, a person should read through it just for the sake of reading it and learning it superficially, and gradually a person can purify his soul and his character and his body, and then he can start to learn Otzros Chaim.
QUESTION
4) Since a person needs to be in a state of purity when learning Kaballah, does washing the hands 40 times with kavanah about Hashem help for this?
ANSWER
Only when there is no other alternative.
QUESTION
5) If I do not need to go the mikveh, do I need to go to the mikveh each day before learning Kaballah?
ANSWER
It is more proper to do that.
QUESTION
6) Which sefarim of Kaballah am I allowed to learn if I didn’t go to the mikveh yet [when I am obligated to go the mikveh due to tevilas Ezra reasons]?
ANSWER
You can read [Zohar] without trying to understand it.
QUESTION
7) Does Kaballah have to be learned from a Rebbi or can I learn it from sefarim?
ANSWER
If one is using sefarim to learn Kaballah, he needs either ruach hakodesh to understand it, or he needs giluy neshamah (revelation of the soul), which is also a kind of ruach hakodesh.
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