nom – whether learning mussar is a kiyum of talmud torah or not is an old machlokes. I can find the sources if you’d like, but many hold that if you’re not working on understanding the maamarei chazal that are mentioned, and are learning the words to fix your middos, then you’re mekayam es Hashem elokecha tirah, i.e. yiras shomayim, and ve’halachta be’drachav if you’re learning about middos bein odom lechavero.
Some, however, especially many baalei mussar, held that you’re mekayam talmud torah, because you’re learning “halachos” of yiras shomayim and bein odom lechavero.
For torah she’baal peh, understanding is necessary to be mekayam the mitzvah, according to the gaoin and many others. For mikroh, this isn’t the case.
kabalah, which is definitely torah she baal peh, if learned on the level of understanding that one has for other parts thereof, i.e. gemara, mishnah…one is definitely mekayam talmud torah with it.
But chasidus says that it’s not kabalah study, rather it’s using kabalah for mussar, giving sifrei chasidus the same status as sifrei mussar, which as noted, is a machlokes if one is mekayam talmud torah when learned.
And if someone thinks that they’re studying the zohars and kisvei ari that are quoted in sifrei chasidus on a level of mekubalim….he’s just as delusional as a messianic man who doesn’t sleep in a sukkah because he imagines feelings of discomfort over not being uncomfortable, and who thinks that a deceased rebbe hears his thoughts and grants his wishes..
oh, wait..