Many who immerse themselves in Kabbalah without a proper foundation often misunderstand it, using it as an escape or a way to feel superior to others. True mastery of Kabbalistic teachings requires a solid grounding in fundamental Torah study.

Before delving into Kabbalah, one should first study Tanach, the entire Talmud (Shas), Shulchan Aruch, and the principles of Jewish thought (hashkafa) and ethics (mussar). Without this foundation, Kabbalistic concepts will not be properly understood.

That being said, there are ways to engage with Kabbalah without going astray. Learning Ramban’s commentary on the Torah on Shabbos, reading simplified works on Kabbalistic ideas—such as those authored by Rav Yaakov Hillel—and browsing the Zohar with a reliable translation can be beneficial. However, making life and religious decisions based on a discipline we barely understand is unwise.

Kabbalah is not about mystical “magic,” as some mistakenly believe. Rather, it is the study of God’s nature and the spiritual structure of the world. Approaching it without first mastering the basics of Torah learning is like trying to study trigonometry before understanding simple arithmetic.