Question:
I want to ask a question concerning one who wishes to begin learning sefer Eitz Chaim. What are the necessary prerequisites that a person needs for this? What inner work and what knowledge does a person need to have, before he begins learning [the study of Kaballah]? What soul preparation does one need, and which sefarim does one need to learn, in order to gather the necessary amount of knowledge before entering this study? And, after that, can a person begin right away with learning the Rav’s shiurim on Eitz Chaim? Or should a person first learn alone, using commentaries? For beginners, which commentaries should a person learn? I have read the Rav’s preface to the sefer Eitz Chaim, and I am aware of the Rav’s prerequisite conditions [before beginning to study Kaballah], but I am asking this question for the sake of gaining greater clarity. Many thanks, and a gmar chasimah tovah.Answer:
There is a way to learn [Kaballah] in a manner of emotional awakening [meaning that one studies the sefarim of Kaballah] in order to awaken his soul to holiness, but without plumbing to the depths of its wisdom. This manner of study has been deemed by many as a permissible manner in which anyone can learn [Kaballah]: when one is aware that he is involved in something that is lofty and wondrous.
The other way [to learn Kaballah] is through in-depth study of its wisdom. There are several conditions for this manner of study: 1) Repaired deeds. 2) Repaired character traits, especially the repair of one’s worst character trait. 3) To be immersed in learning the depth of the wisdom of the holy Torah. 4) One needs to have an integrated approach (tefisas achdus) towards the wisdom of the Torah, meaning that he is aware that all of the Torah is one piece [Ed. Refer to Bilvavi Part 8]. The entire Torah shapes man. All opposing concepts in the Torah bear one root. 5) In every “garment” [manifestation of any given concept], one needs to see its root wisdom. 6) To see each thing as a potential force, as opposed to an active force. For the word “chochmah” (wisdom) stands for “koach mah”: to know “what is the potential force” here? 7) One needs to be aware of the concept of “movement” in each thing, from where it has moved and to where it is moving towards [Ed. To better understand the Rav’s answers of 5-8, refer to Da Es Nishmatecha, “Torah Way To Enlightenment”].
On a practical level, the order of one’s learning should be: Sefer Otzros Chaim, with one of the contemporary commentaries. One should review it several times, until he is intellectually aware of the general picture of the information, even if he doesn’t remember all the details. It is possible for one to make this review through learning sefer Pischei Chochmah V’Daas of the Ramchal. Then one can learn sefer Eitz Chaim, with the commentaries “Yafah Shaah” and “Shemen Sasson”. Along with this, one should listen to the shiurim on Eitz Chaim for beginners, and one should make a summary of each section. It should all be done from a desire to grow, deeply, whenever one is learning these sefarim. It is also proper to do teshuvah before each learning session.
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