The Torah is comprised of four languages: The Bible, the Halacha and Talmud, which is like a legal language, the language of the Agada, which is a language of proverbs and tales, and the language of Kabbalah. All four languages deal with the same spiritual processes, and in fact with one thing only – how to approach the Creator and attain the purpose of creation. When a person begins to study, he thinks he can understand only the language of the Bible and the language of the Talmud. The language of the Agada is more difficult for him to understand, because it is based on fables, and the language of the Kabbalah is completely incomprehensible.
But it is important to remember that behind each language there is a spiritual act. If we read the biography of Abraham the Patriarch’s family, and take things in their literal meaning, we would be better off putting those descriptions aside until we learn the language of the Kabbalah. Kabbalah can help us see that there are spiritual acts behind each and every description that the Torah speaks of.
Thus, when we read in the Torah, we will not bring it down to the level of our world, but raise it – because we will see that it relates solely to spirituality. Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of Shulchan Aruch (the Jewish code of laws) and disciple of the holy Ari, wished to make the study of the Mitzvot easier, so that Kabbalists would be able to dedicate most of their time to spiritual work. For that purpose he collected all the laws to one book and called it Shulhan Aruch.