By Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq.
Most of us think the ultimate compliment for a ba’al teshuvah is the famous Talmudic declaration (Brachos 34b): “In the place where a ba’al teshuvah stands, a completely righteous person cannot stand.”
The daf yomi that we studied on Rosh Chodesh Nissan provides a compliment on as high a plane as this one, if not higher.
However, the discussion that leads up to it does not exactly begin on the most auspicious note. The Talmud states (Sanhedrin 102) that King Menashe “has no share in the world to come.” His very name puts two strikes against him since he forgot Hashem or alternately, since he caused the Children of Israel to forget their Jewish values (102, above), and this is in addition to the fact that he worshipped an idol (Ashera) and erected altars to Baal (Melachim II 21:3).
The same discussion in the Talmud cites Rabbi Yehudah declaring that this same Menashe has a place in the World to Come as it states: “And he prayed to Him (the G-d of his fathers) and he was entreated by him” (102 above and Divrei HaYamim II 33:13), “and Hashem heard his supplication and He returned him to Jerusalem, to his kingship,” and Menashe reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem (Melachim II, 21:1 and again in Divrei HaYamim II, 33:1), which is longer than any other king in Jewish history.
Rabbi Yochanan says, “Anyone who says that Menashe has no share in the world to come discourages penitents” (Sanhedrin 103). Not only did Menashe repent, “he repented for 33 years” (Sanhedrin 103). Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai: “What is the significance of ‘And he prayed to him and vayaychoser lo (made an opening) (Divrei HaYamim II, 33:13). It should have said vayay-oser lo (and he received his entreaty).’ This comes to teach us that G-d Himself created a machteres (opening) in Heaven in order to accept his repentance (Sanhedrin 103). Rabbi Shalom Rosner, yibadel l’chaim, refers to the machteresas a tunnel.
The contradicting sentences can be explained as follows: Originally, Menashe behaved so badly that he seemed to have forfeited his place in the World to Come. But then he did such teshuvah (repentance) and not only earned a place in the World to Come, Hashem himself interfered with the nature He had created and made a special opening or tunnel through which Menashe could enter the World to Come. Quite a contrast to the tunnels of Hamas!
Now, back to the Menashe, the original member of the tribe. He was given his name for a different reason. His name also refers to forgetfulness but in a positive context. He was given this name by Joseph because Joseph stated, “Hashem made me forget all my hardship…” (Bereishis 41:51). So, in Menashe’s case, his father Joseph gave him the name Menashe, reflecting on his own life (Joseph’s), having risen so far in the world that he forgot his previous troubles associated with betrayal and evil, while in contrast, the King Menashe “forgot” the G-dly ways of his ancestors, but was able to overcome his “forgetfulness” by his sincere teshuvah, or penitence. It’s hard to imagine committing worse behavior (building altars to avodah zarah) and then being allowed to serve longer than any other Jewish king.
So, no matter how low we go, there’s always hope for penitence and redemption in this world and the World to Come. And in the spirit of Pesach, let us hope that the wicked son will do teshuvah and merit that his seat at the Seder table will have a nobler and holier designation. As the Rambam stated, “The Torah long since assured us that in the end, at the close of the period of exile, Israel will return to G‑d, and immediately they will be redeemed.” We have to look beneath the veneer and see deep within the Jew, beyond what he says or how he acts or what he professes to believe or not believe. Beyond all that, we have to look to his very core and essence, like King Menashe, who repented and Hashem Himself was obligated to create for him a special path to the World to Come.
Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq., is a New York attorney, a foundation administrator, an author, and a former editor whose books he authored, edited, and/or supplemented include biographies of Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein (The Maverick Rabbi), Harry Fischel (founder of Machon Harry Fischel and central participant in many other institutions), and Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen (also a war hero and Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem), plus an inspirational book on baseball, “Step Up to the Plate.”
