Description
Sha’ar HaGilgulim, Volume 2
It will be assumed that those who have acquired this volume of the English translation of the Arizal’s Sha’ar HaGilgulim have already read the introduction to the first volume. It provides an explanation of the entire project and important notes and guidelines regarding this translation.
As Rav Shmuel Vital points out, the official end of Sefer Sha’ar HaGilgulim is after “Introduction 37,” or “Chapter 37 in this work.” As the editor of the work Rav Shmuel chose to include additional sections based upon manuscripts from his father, Rav Chaim Vital, that he later found and had remained unpublished. As a result, there is much repetition of earlier chapters in Chapter 38, even though it is often presented as if the reader is seeing the information for the first time.
However, there is also a lot of new information as well in these sections, as well as additional information regarding previous discussions. Great effort has been made to provide as much information as possible while trying to strike a balance between clarity and brevity.
This is, however, Kabbalah, the “secrets of God” meant for those who fear Him (Tehillim 25:14).
This means approaching the information with reverence and the knowledge that a full understanding is part of an ongoing intellectual journey into the depths of God’s Torah.
