Fifty Gates and Redemption
Bina · Moses · Redemption · Future Geulah · Fifty Gates
איתא בזוה"ק נ' זמנין אידכר יצ"מ בתורה כו' כמ"ש האריז"ל שזה הי' החפזון שלא יכנסו ח"ו לשער הנ' שבטומאה.
“It is stated in the Zohar that the Exodus is mentioned fifty times in the Torah, as the Arizal writes, because there was haste so that Israel would not, Heaven forbid, enter the fiftieth gate of impurity.”
The Sefat Emet teaches that the repeated mentions of the Exodus reflect a spiritual rush necessary to prevent Israel from descending into the deepest level of impurity.
דאיתא נ' שערי בינה בעולם וכולם נמסרו למרע"ה חוץ מאחד ותחסרהו מעט כו'.
“There are fifty gates of understanding in the world, and all were given to Moses except one, as it is written: ‘You have made him lack but little.’”
Moses received almost all spiritual comprehension, but one gate remained beyond him.
ולכן הי' מרע"ה מוכן לגאולה.
“Therefore Moses was prepared for redemption.”
His spiritual stature made him inherently suited to lead Israel out of Egypt.
כי כל שער יש לו דלת והסתר.
“For each gate has a door and a concealment.”
Every spiritual level includes an obstacle that must be overcome before entering.
ולא היו יכולין לכנוס בשערי קדושה עד שיעברו ההסתר המוכן לכל שער.
“And they could not enter the gates of holiness until they passed through the concealment prepared for each gate.”
Progress into holiness requires penetrating the unique veil of each spiritual stage.
ולכן נזכר בתורה נ' זמנין יצ"מ שבאותן המקומות הוצרך להיות יצ"מ וא"א להשיג התורה רק בפתיחת אלה השערים.
“Thus the Torah mentions the Exodus fifty times, because at those points an Exodus was required, and Torah can only be attained through opening these gates.”
The repeated recall of the Exodus reflects fifty spiritual openings necessary for receiving Torah.
ולפי שנחסר א' למרע"ה.
“And because one gate was lacking to Moses.”
Moses lacked access to the final, fiftieth level.
אם היו נכנסין בשער הנ' לא הי' יכול לגאלם.
“If Israel had entered the fiftieth gate, he would not have been able to redeem them.”
Had Israel fallen that far, Moses’ spiritual level would not have sufficed to save them.
ולכן אמר מרע"ה מי אנכי כו'.
“Therefore Moses said: ‘Who am I?’”
This expresses Moses’ fear of encountering a level beyond his reach.
כי ירא מזה שיכנסו בשער הנ'.
“For he feared that they might enter the fiftieth gate.”
Moses worried that Israel’s spiritual descent would exceed his ability to uplift them.
רק הקב"ה עשה נס וגאל אותנו קודם הזמן.
“But the Holy One performed a miracle and redeemed us before the time.”
God intervened early, preventing Israel from reaching irredeemable depths.
אבל לעתיד כ' לא בחפזון כו'.
“But in the future it is said: ‘Not in haste…’”
The redemption to come will not require the urgency of the Exodus.
שנראה שלמשיח יתגלה גם שער הנ'.
“For it appears that to the Messiah even the fiftieth gate will be revealed.”
The future redeemer will possess the complete set of gates, surpassing Moses’ level.
כדכ' ונשא וגבה מאוד יותר ממרע"ה לכן לא בחפזון כו'.
“As it is written: ‘He shall be exalted and lifted very high,’ higher than Moses; therefore it will not be in haste.”
The Messiah’s exalted stature removes the need for urgent deliverance.
ולכן אמר מרע"ה שלח כו' ביד תשלח ביד המשיח שעתיד לגאול אותנו שלא בחפזון כנ"ל:
“Thus Moses said: ‘Send, I pray, whomever You will send,’ meaning the Messiah, who will redeem us without haste.”
Moses deferred the ultimate redemption to the future redeemer, who will operate with completeness and calm.
The Sefat Emet links the fifty mentions of the Exodus to the fifty spiritual gates, explaining Moses’ limits, the need for early redemption, and the future wholeness of messianic deliverance.