Most of us think that the ultimate compliment for baalei teshuva is the famous Talmudic declaration: “B’makom she’baalei teshuva omdim ein tzadikim gemurim yecholim la’amod bo – In the place where a baal teshuva stands, a completely righteous person cannot stand” (Berochos 34b). The daf that we studied on Rosh Chodesh Nisan provides a compliment on as high a plane as this one, if not higher!
The discussion leading up to it does not exactly begin on a most auspicious note.
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 102) states that Menashe (the king referred to in Melachim II Chapter 21 and in Divrei Hayamim II Chapter 33; not the original member of the tribe) “has no share in the world to come.” His very name puts up two strikes against him – (1) since he forgot G-d (102, above), or alternately (2) since he caused the Children of Israel to forget (their Jewish values) (102, above), and this is on top of the fact that (3) he worshipped an idol (Ashera) (102, above, and 103, Melachim II, 21:3) and erected altars to Baal (Melachim II 21:3).
Nevertheless, this same discussion in the Talmud cites Rabbi Yehuda declaring that this same Menashe indeed has a place in the world to come, as it is stated, “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 [G-d] heard his supplication, and He returned him to Jerusalem, to his kingship” – and he reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem (Melachim II, 21:1 and again in Divrei Hayamim II, 33:1), more years than any other king in Jewish history.
(For those who are curious as to the world record holder, it was Louis XIV of France, who ruled for over 72 consecutive years, beginning with when he was 4 years old. Menashe, by comparison, was a relatively mature 12 years of age (still not bar mitzvah) when he began to serve (Melachim II, 21:1; Divrei HaYamim II, 33:1). In recent times, Queen Elizabeth II reigned for “only” 70 years (and change), but all 70 were as an adult by today’s standards.)
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, but “he repented for 33 years” (103). There’s more: Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yohai, 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 – an opening – in Heaven in order to accept his repentance (103). Rabbi Shalom Rosner refers to the machteres as a tunnel (and he did so in a lecture probably delivered about 7½ or 15 years ago), presumably based on a nuance in the Talmud Yerushalmi.
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 teshuva that not only did he earn a place in the World to Come, but G-d himself interfered with the nature He had created and made a special opening or tunnel through which Menashe could come into the World to Come.
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 that “G-d has 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, by contrast, the King Menashe “forgot” the G-dly ways of his ancestors (giving him the benefit of the doubt), but was able to overcome this terrible “forgetfulness” by his sincere teshuva. It is hard to imagine worse behavior (actually building altars to false gods) or greater heights (going on to serve longer than any other Jewish king).
So no matter how low we go, there is always hope for penitence and redemption – in this world and the next! Let us hope that we will live to see – and soon – our worst and seemingly most hopeless enemies repent and then serve as positive examples for humankind, although most of us would be happy to settle for our enemies simply stopping their barbaric and hypocritical behavior, for any reason or combination of reasons, whether they repent or not!
And as we transition into the spirit of Pesach, may we figure out ways to convince the wicked son to join the ranks of the baalei teshuva, so his seat at the Seder table will no longer have that designation in the future.
