What is Shaarei Kedusha: a guide to the gates
Shaarei Kedusha (“The Gates of Holiness”) is a work of Jewish ethics (mussar) and spiritual conduct by Rabbi Chaim Vital, chief disciple of the Arizal. It is organized in “gates” (shaarim), which are numbered anew in each part.
The author’s introduction
In the introduction (Hakdamah) the author presents the “hidden ladder” and the “men of elevation.”
Part one: the path of piety and separation
Six gates: the harm done by sins, the harm done by bad traits, tzaddik and hasid, the level of the tzaddik, the level of the hasid and the conduct of the hasidim.
Part two: rebukes, punishment and reward
Eight gates: rebukes; moral teachings of the sages; the reward of those who keep the Torah; the punishment of bad traits, of forbidden traits and of negative commandments; the reward of positive commandments; and repentance (teshuvah).
Part three: how to attain the spirit of holiness
Eight gates: the essence of the worlds, the essence of man, what prevents prophecy, its conditions, its nature, its levels, the spirit of holiness in our age, and a short guide.
The fourth part
The fourth part, on the modes of practice (shimush), was not printed. The Ancient Gate Press edition includes a printer’s note about it.
The edition
The Ancient Gate Press edition is bilingual: blocks of Hebrew with full vocalization alternating with the Spanish translation, with a translator’s note, a table of abbreviations, an epilogue, a sketch of the author and a glossary.