Emunas: “in fact, it’s a chiyuv on everyone to learn all parts of the Torah that he is able to. There are many mekubalim, including non-chassidim, who have written this.”
So it’s the mekubalim who hold one should learn Kabbalah. What a surprise!
Where I come from, and hang around, learning Kabbalah as a limud is virtually non-existent for those who don’t have Shas and Poskim “in their pockets”. I believe it is because of the inherent dangers of someone whose mind is not fully attuned to Torah when he comes face to face with esoteric concepts in depth. It can lead to hagshama, and, as I have posted elsewhere, I believe that that is where many Lubavichers have fallen prey.
“Without chassidus/kaballah, it is virtually impossible in today’s generation to maintain a true connection with Hashem.”
What a terrible sweeping claim. Every Shomer Torah uMitzvos can, on his level, have a true connection with Hashem. Although I am of the chassidishe velt, and I am certainly not enamored of the Litvishe velt (sorry to all the Litvishe out there), I certainly believe that there are multitudes of Litvaks who never learn chassidus/Kabalah and who have a true connection to Hashem.