Quotes from introduction to shar hakdomos (rabbi chaim vital)

These people make torah into a desert, since they do not bother to learn the wisdom of Kabbalah. They cause the fountain of wisdom to be removed. Woe is to them, they cause poverty, destruction, ravage, death and loss in this world.

-Even those people that do learn Torah nowadays, do so only for their own selfishness. Especially in current times where they use the Torah as a personal tool. They use it to become Rosh Yeshivas and members of Bais Din and to have their stench spread throughout the land. These people are similar to the generations of the flood and the tower of Bavel.

-The Zohar talks about the five different levels of Erev Rav. One of the groups are the Giborim, those who try to make for themselves a name. They build Bati Kinasot and Bati Medroshot, they do this not for its sake but for their own honor. The Gemarah in Brochos says regarding these people, “It would have been better if they would have died during childbirth.” However, these people pretend to be righteous and humble they make it seem as if they learn Torah for its sake.

-There will be no complete unification until the Erev Rav are wiped out of the world.

-Regarding the importance of Kabbalah one hundred books won’t contain it all. Those who are wise will see how right I am regarding the study of Kabbalah.

-A person should not be amazed when he sees that the Zohar calls the Mishnah a shifcha (maidservant) and part of the klipos. The Zohar is referring to those that learn only the outside layer the, Pshat.

-When one only learns Mishna and Talmud on a simple level, and does not enter the mysteries of the Torah, this is like a body that sits in the darkness without a living soul.

-If it is hard and heavy for a person to analyze Talmud, it is better that he should stay away from it and busy himself with the wisdom of truth.

-The sin of Adom with the tree of knowledge was that he did not choose the tree of life, which is the wisdom of Kabbalah. This is also the sin of the Erev Rav.

-There are those that mistakenly think learning Kabbalah will make them die young, this is not true.

-In the future Yisroel will get to eat from the tree of life which is the book of Zohar, which will take them out of exile. The tree of good and evil which is Halacha will not rule over Yisroel anymore.

-This sin (of not fully occupying oneself with Kabbala) started with Adom and lasted until now. When we shall repent and start studying this wisdom with love, Yisroel shall be redeemed.

-This sect of people who only study Pshat and refuse to learn the wisdom of truth which is called the tree of life and the life of the world, instead they read stories on their simple level and say there is nothing but Pshat in the Torah, G-d does not help them out. They turn good into bad, they defile the pure and many mistakes come out from them.

-There is no doubt that the people who only study Talmud by itself are like blind people stumbling into a wall. They do not have eyes to see the mysteries hidden in it (Talmud). It is therefore not surprising that they decree impure to be pure and prohibited to be permissible.

-Those that are busy with the Mishna by itself without its mysteries are surely blind. Because one busy with Pshat is called a slave.

-Woe is to all creatures because of the embarrassment of the Torah. For when they deal only with Pshat and stories, the Torah dons her clothes of a widow and she dresses in a sack. All the nations then tell Yisroel why are you better than us, our torah is like your Torah. Our torah also contains many empty worldly stories. There is no greater embarrassment for the Torah then this. Woe to the creatures that do not study Kabbalah that gives honor to the Torah. For they lengthen the exile and cause all the bad happenings occurring in the world.

-Foolish people of the world, they only look at the outer garments of the Torah.

-There are those that actually fear G-d and learn Torah for his sake. However, they remain in darkness from their youth, for they never studied the mysteries of the Torah and are afraid to approach them. These people have no light, they sit in darkens and will not leave from there.

-What are they going to do these insects of our times. They considered themselves wise and happy with their little knowledge.

-For when the young students see the elders chasing day and night the simple meaning, staying far away from the true wisdom, they will surely get ruined. These students rust and get defiled with dirt, they start to not believe in the true wisdom.

-Every thing is dependent on the study of Kabbalah. Our holding back from dealing with it delays the building of the Bais Hamidkash.

-It is stated explicitly even in the words of the Tanaim that a person does not free himself from his obligations by only learning Mishna Chumash and Talmud. He is obligated to study the mysteries of the Torah to the best of his ability.

-G-d has no pleasure from anything he created, only when his children occupy themselves in the mysterious of the Torah. By doing this they recognize his beauty and greatness. For in the Pshat level of Torah, the stories and laws taken on a simple level will cause no knowledge and recognition for their creator. In fact it is just the opposite there are many rules and laws that make no sense.

-If the whole Torah is Pshat, where is the glory of the Torah, its beauty and greatness.

-A person was only created so he can study the wisdom of Kabbalah. All the mitzvos are only to purify him so he can understand the mysteries.