Right from the start the yeshiva was planned with broad vision. When first opened it comprised a Talmud Torah, a yeshiva ketanoh, a yeshiva gedolah and a kollel for married students.
The condition for joining the yeshiva for mekubalim was extensive knowledge of the revealed Torah. Only those who had already "ingested their fill (milei kereiso)" of Shas and poskim, and were solidly grounded in Torah and yiras Shomayim were admitted. To this day, alongside the shiurim in kabboloh, the yeshiva offers daily shiurim in Shas, poskim, Halochoh and aggodoh that are attended by scores of talmidei chachomim and laymen.
The yeshiva is still the main address for Ashkenazim who wish to study kabboloh. Half the day must be spent learning revealed Torah and, as a matter of principle, all students are strictly forbidden to make any use whatsoever of "practical kabboloh" or any related techniques.
Shaar HaShomayim took the lead in making the public aware of the Arizal's yahrtzeit on 5 Av and of the custom of visiting his burial place then, and also of the tikkunim carried out once a week during the annual Shovovim period (between Teves and Adar).
The word Shovovim is made up of the first letters of the parshos of that period: Shemos, Voeiro, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, Mishpotim. In a leap year, the weeks of Terumoh and Tetzaveh are added, and it is then called Shovovim Tat. Today, one can encounter well known roshei yeshiva attending the special Thursday tefillas minchahs that are held in the yeshiva during the Shovovim weeks, among the large crowd that always comes.
Various other tikkunim and pidyonos are still held in the yeshiva, such as tikkun almonoh and others, but these are conducted quietly and without publicity. The yeshiva has also published many kabboloh works.
Talmidim tell the story of one of the yeshiva's scholars who started to pray wearing tefillin prepared according to the halachic requirements of the author of Shimusha Rabboh. He found that while wearing the tefillin he was unable to concentrate his thoughts in the way that he had learned. He could not understand what had happened until he had the tefillin checked and discovered that they were posul!
