Yes definitely important to have a balance. I’m telling you- Hashem loves me. I opened my derech Mitzvosecha today and pretty much the whole page was quoting the Maharal.
I guess some of the hesitancy on learning outside hashkofa sefarim on my own, is that unless I feel I have my own derech down pat (which looks impossible until Moshiach’s coming because there’s always deeper concepts referenced everywhere you learn within Chassidus Chabad, and I can’t even look all that up), I might misapply something learned outside.
For example, The Rambam writes that Hashem’s essence is sechel (later in life the Rambam learned nistar and apparently said he would have written some things differently if he had known.) the Maharal says that he’s bang on wrong- as Hashem is way beyond any description.
The Alter Rebbe clarifies that the Rambams description applies from Atzilus and below but not above that.
So imagine I’d learn the Rambam and mistakenly think that Hashem is just the ultimate Wise one!
I guess this would be similar to a litvak who has no background in Chassidus opening a sicha to the page where The Rebbe wrote that a Rebbe is Atzmus Umehus etc. With his non knowledge of Chassidus, he would very likely take it the wrong way.
That’s why I like learning everything from within Chassidus because there’s no misapplications then. And of course because I find everything I need in Avodas Hashem within. Otherwise- I’d keep searching in the sea of Torah:)