Attainment of the Torah Begins with Sod [Secret] and Ends with Peshat [Literal]
Who would dare extract it from the heart of the masses and scrutinize their ways, when their attainment is incomplete in both parts of the Torah called Peshat (literal) and Drush (interpretation)? In their view, the order of the four parts of the Torah (PARDESS) begins with the Peshat, then the Drush, then Remez (insinuated), and in the end the Sod (Secret) is understood.
However, it is written in the Vilna Gaon prayer book that the attainment begins with the Sod. After the Sod part of the Torah is attained it is possible to attain the Drush part, and then the Remez part. When one is granted complete knowledge of these three parts of the Torah, one is awarded the attainment of the Peshat part of the Torah.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book,
Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Item 1
The concealed Torah implies that the Creator hides in the Torah, hence the name, “the Torah of the hidden.” Conversely, it is called “revealed” because the Creator is revealed by the Torah.
Therefore, the Kabbalists said, and we also find it in the prayer book of the Vilna Gaon (GRA), that the order of attainment of the Torah begins with the concealed and ends with the revealed. This means that through the appropriate labor, where one first delves into the Torah of the hidden, he is thus granted the revealed Torah, the literal. Thus, one begins with the concealed, called Sod (secret), and when he is rewarded, he ends in the literal.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study
of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 103
Great merit is required in order to understand the Peshat of the texts, since first we must attain the three internal parts of the Torah, which the Peshat robes, and the Peshat will not be parsed...
It is the opposite of the argument of the negligent in attaining the interior, who say to themselves: “We settle for attaining the Peshat. If we attain that, we will be content.” Their words can be compared to one who wishes to step on the fourth step without first stepping on the first three steps.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book,
Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Item 1
Now you will understand the truth in the words of the Vilna Gaon in the prayer book, in the blessing for the Torah. He wrote that the Torah begins with Sod (secret), meaning the revealed Torah of Assyia, which is considered hidden, since the Creator is completely hidden there.
Then he moves on to the Remez (intimation), meaning that He is more revealed in the Torah of Yetzira. Finally, one attains the Peshat (literal), which is the Torah of Atzilut. It is called Peshat, for it is Mufshat (stripped) of all the clothes that conceal the Creator.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study
of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 148