In Kabbalah, Binah (Understanding) is the third sephira on the Tree of Life, representing the divine intellect, discernment, and the womb of creation where form emerges from the formless wisdom of Chokhmah (Wisdom).
The "Fifty Gates of Binah" (Nun Sha'arei Binah or Chamishim Sha'arei Binah) refer to fifty levels or portals of divine understanding and wisdom, symbolizing progressively deeper insights into Torah, creation, and God's essence. This concept originates in the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 21b and Nedarim 38a), where sages Rav and Shmuel state that "fifty gates of understanding were created in the world," all given to Moses except the fiftieth.
The gates are not literal doors but metaphorical stages of comprehension, often linked to the seven days of creation multiplied by seven (49), plus one ultimate gate, reflecting the Omer count leading to Shavuot (the giving of the Torah). They embody the intellectual and spiritual ascent through Binah's domain, allowing one to grasp the Torah's mysteries and use creation as intended by God. Binah's feminine nature associates the gates with intuitive, maternal understanding—women are said to have a unique affinity for the fiftieth gate, contrasting men's alignment with Chokhmah.
Moses and the Gates: Moses ascended to the 49th gate during his revelation on Sinai, receiving profound Torah insights. The 50th gate, however, remains inaccessible in this world, reserved for God, the Messianic era, or ultimate liberation. It symbolizes perfect oneness (Yichud), the "secret of secrets," or G-dly health and spiritual wellness beyond human perception. In one narrative, Moses appealed to the 50th gate for guidance on the inheritance rights of the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27), receiving divine revelation when lower gates failed.
The 49 gates correspond to attainable levels of Binah, facilitating ethical living, prophecy, and Torah study. The 50th gate represents transcendence from reincarnation (gilgulim) and the empty tomb of resurrection, embodying absolute unity with the Divine (Yahweh Is). Even today, all Torah insights are said to flow through Moses via these gates.