Written by Moses Cordovero (the Ramak), this work lays out the essential foundations of Kabbalistic study, clarifying who may engage in the secrets of the Torah — and under what conditions.

In the first five chapters, Cordovero warns against the dangers of approaching Kabbalah without proper preparation. He emphasizes ethical integrity, intellectual rigor, and unwavering commitment to Jewish law, rooted in deep study of the Talmud, Zohar, Bahir, and classical sources. Kabbalah, he insists, elevates only those already grounded in revealed wisdom.

The final chapter provides a disciplined entry into Kabbalistic thought, introducing the Sefirot and Divine Names as ordered principles through which the structure of Creation may be contemplated.

This book does not offer shortcuts or promises of illumination. It defines the conditions under which illumination becomes possible.