King Menasseh in the Talmud

וְכִי חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה לְכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ לִימֵּד תּוֹרָה, וְלִמְנַשֶּׁה בְּנוֹ לֹא לִימֵּד תּוֹרָה? אֶלָּא, מִכׇּל טוֹרַח שֶׁטָּרַח בּוֹ וּמִכׇּל עָמָל שֶׁעָמֵל בּוֹ, לֹא הֶעֱלָהוּ לְמוּטָב אֶלָּא יִסּוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶל עַמּוֹ וְלֹא הִקְשִׁיבוּ. וַיָּבֵא ה׳ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת שָׂרֵי הַצָּבָא אֲשֶׁר לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת מְנַשֶּׁה בַּחֹחִים וַיַּאַסְרֻהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם וַיּוֹלִיכֻהוּ בָּבֶלָה״.

לִי גִּלְעָד וְלִי מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם מָעוֹז רֹאשִׁי יְהוּדָה מְחֹקְקִי, תְּנֵינַן תַּמָּן שְׁלשָׁה מְלָכִים אַרְבָּעָה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת אֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שְׁלשָׁה מְלָכִים: יָרָבְעָם וְאַחְאָב וּמְנַשֶּׁה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מְנַשֶּׁה יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לג, יג): וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ וַיִּשְׁמַע תְּחִנָּתוֹ וַיְשִׁיבֵהוּ יְרוּשָׁלָיִם לְמַלְכוּתוֹ. אָמְרוּ לְמַלְכוּתוֹ הֱשִׁיבוֹ וְלֹא הֱשִׁיבוֹ לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

וכן מצינו במנשה בן חזקיה כבן י"ב שנה היה מנשה בן חזקיהו מלך יהודה במלכו והמליכו הקב"ה וגדלו לטובה והרבה לו שנים והרבה לו חיים מכל המלכים שהיו לפניו ולא עוד אלא שירד הקב"ה משמי השמים העליונים ממקום כבודו וגדלו ותפארתו וקדושת שמו ושכן במקדש ועמד מנשה ועשה דברים מכוערים יתרים ואמר הקב"ה יפה עשיתי שלא דרתי בשכינתי עמו על שלא עסק בכל כחו בעבודתי ותורתי ומצותי.

מְנַשֶּׁה – שֶׁנָּשָׁה יָהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מְנַשֶּׁה – שֶׁהִנְשִׁי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. וּמְנָלַן דְּלָא אָתֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי? דִּכְתִיב: ״בֶּן שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מְנַשֶּׁה בְמׇלְכוֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָים וַיַּעַשׂ אֲשֵׁרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל״. מָה אַחְאָב אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אַף מְנַשֶּׁה אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

The Gemara proceeds to discuss the third king enumerated in the mishna. He was called Manasseh [Menashe] because he forgot God [nasha yah]. Alternatively, he was called Manasseh since he caused the kingdom of Israel to forget [hinshi] their Father Who is in Heaven. And from where do we derive that Manasseh does not enter into the World-to-Come? The Gemara answers: It is derived as it is written: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem…And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord…And he made an ashera, as did Ahab king of Israel” (II Kings 21:1–3). Just as Ahab has no share in the World-to-Come, so too, Manasseh has no share in the World-to-Come.

יָרׇבְעָם, אַחְאָב, וּמְנַשֶּׁה. אַרְבָּעָה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת: בִּלְעָם, וְדוֹאֵג, וַאֲחִיתוֹפֶל, וְגֵחֲזִי.

And these are the exceptions, the people who have no share in the World-to-Come, even when they fulfilled many mitzvot: One who says: There is no resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah, and one who says: The Torah did not originate from Heaven, and an epikoros, who treats Torah scholars and the Torah that they teach with contempt. The three kings are: Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and Ahab, both of whom were kings of Israel, and Manasseh, king of Judea. Rabbi Yehuda says: Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated concerning Manasseh: “And he prayed to Him, and He received his entreaty, and heard his supplication and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13), indicating that he repented wholeheartedly and effectively.

רַב אָשֵׁי אוֹקֵי אַשְּׁלֹשָׁה מְלָכִים. אֲמַר: לִמְחַר נִפְתַּח בְּחַבְרִין. אֲתָא מְנַשֶּׁה, אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ. אָמַר: חֲבֵרָךְ וַחֲבֵירֵי דַּאֲבוּךְ קָרֵית לַן? מֵהֵיכָא בָּעֵית לְמִישְׁרֵא הַמּוֹצִיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא יָדַעְנָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מֵהֵיכָא דְּבָעֵית לְמִישְׁרֵא הַמּוֹצִיא לָא גְּמִירַתְּ, וַחֲבֵרָךְ קָרֵית לַן? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַגְמְרֵיהּ לִי, וְלִמְחַר דָּרֵישְׁנָא לֵיהּ מִשְּׁמָךְ בְּפִירְקָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מֵהֵיכָא דְּקָרֵים בִּישּׁוּלָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מֵאַחַר דְּחַכִּימַתְּ כּוּלֵּי הַאי, מַאי טַעְמָא קָא פָּלְחִיתוּ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הֲוֵת הָתָם, הֲוֵת נָקֵיטַתְּ בְּשִׁיפּוּלֵי גְּלִימָא וְרָהֲטַתְּ אַבַּתְרַאי. לִמְחַר אֲמַר לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן: נִפְתָּח בְּרַבְּווֹתָא. מְנַשֶּׁה – שֶׁנָּשָׁה יָהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מְנַשֶּׁה – שֶׁהִנְשִׁי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. וּמְנָלַן דְּלָא אָתֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי? דִּכְתִיב: ״בֶּן שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מְנַשֶּׁה בְמׇלְכוֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָים וַיַּעַשׂ אֲשֵׁרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל״. מָה אַחְאָב אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אַף מְנַשֶּׁה אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מְנַשֶּׁה יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מְנַשֶּׁה אֶל ה׳ וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וּשְׁנֵיהֶם מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּרְשׁוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּנְתַתִּים לְזַעֲוָה לְכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ בִּגְלַל מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ״. מָר סָבַר: בִּגְלַל מְנַשֶּׁה שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה וְאִינְהוּ לָא עֲבוּד, וּמָר סָבַר:

One day Rav Ashi ended his lecture just before reaching the matter of the three kings. He said to his students: Tomorrow we will begin the lecture with our colleagues the three kings, who, although they were sinners, were Torah scholars like us. Manasseh, king of Judea, came and appeared to him in his dream. Manasseh said to him angrily: You called us your colleague and the colleagues of your father? How dare you characterize yourself as our equal? Manasseh said to him: I will ask you, from where are you required to begin cutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing: Who brings forth bread from the earth? Rav Ashi said to him: I do not know. Manasseh said to him: Even this, from where you are required to begin cutting a loaf of bread when reciting the blessing: Who brings forth bread from the earth, you did not learn, and yet you call us your colleague? Rav Ashi said to Manasseh: Teach me this halakha and tomorrow I will lecture and cite it in your name during my public lecture delivered on the Festival. Manasseh said to him: One cuts the loaf from where it crusts as a result of baking. Rav Ashi said to him: Since you were so wise, what is the reason you engaged in idol worship? Manasseh said to him: Had you been there at that time, you would have taken and lifted the hem of your cloak and run after me due to the fierce desire to engage in idol worship and due to the fact that it was a common faith. The next day Rav Ashi said to the Sages as a prelude to his lecture: We will begin with the treatment of our teachers, those kings who were greater than us in Torah knowledge but whose sins caused them to lose their share in the World-to-Come. The Gemara proceeds to discuss the third king enumerated in the mishna. He was called Manasseh [Menashe] because he forgot God [nasha yah]. Alternatively, he was called Manasseh since he caused the kingdom of Israel to forget [hinshi] their Father Who is in Heaven. And from where do we derive that Manasseh does not enter into the World-to-Come? The Gemara answers: It is derived as it is written: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem…And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord…And he made an ashera, as did Ahab king of Israel” (II Kings 21:1–3). Just as Ahab has no share in the World-to-Come, so too, Manasseh has no share in the World-to-Come. § The mishna teaches that Rabbi Yehuda says: Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And he prayed to him and He was entreated of him, and heard his supplication and brought him back to Jerusalem unto his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: And both of them, Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbis, who disagree with regard to whether Manasseh has a share in the World-to-Come, interpreted one and the same verse, as it is stated: “And I will make them into a horror for all the kingdoms of the earth, on account of Manasseh, son of Hezekiah” (Jeremiah 15:4). One Sage, Rabbi Yehuda, holds that “on account of Manasseh” means that the Jewish people will be judged harshly, as ultimately, one as wicked as Manasseh repented, and they did not do so. And one Sage, the Rabbis, holds that

בִּגְלַל מְנַשֶּׁה, דְּלָא עֲבַד תְּשׁוּבָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הָאוֹמֵר מְנַשֶּׁה אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא מְרַפֶּה יְדֵיהֶן שֶׁל בַּעֲלֵי תְשׁוּבָה. דְּתָנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מְנַשֶּׁה עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה (לִשְׁלֹשִׁים) [שְׁלֹשִׁים] וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״בֵּן שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מְנַשֶּׁה בְמׇלְכוֹ וַחֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָים וַיַּעַשׂ (הָרַע) [אֲשֵׁרָה] וְכוּ׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל״. כַּמָּה מָלַךְ אַחְאָב? עֶשְׂרִין וְתַרְתֵּין שְׁנִין. מְנַשֶּׁה כַּמָּה מָלַךְ? חֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ. דַּל מִינַּיְיהוּ עֶשְׂרִים וְתַרְתֵּין, פָּשׁוּ לְהוּ תְּלָתִין וּתְלָת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּשְׁמַע אֵלָיו וַיֵּחָתֶר לוֹ״? ״וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ״ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשָׂה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמִין מַחְתֶּרֶת בָּרָקִיעַ, כְּדֵי לְקַבְּלוֹ בִּתְשׁוּבָה, מִפְּנֵי מִדַּת הַדִּין.

“on account of Manasseh” means because he did not repent, and the people followed in his footsteps. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Anyone who says that Manasseh has no share in the World-to-Come discourages penitents, as Manasseh repented and according to them is nevertheless excluded from the World-to-Come. As the tanna taught a baraita before Rabbi Yoḥanan: Manasseh repented for thirty-three years, as it is written: “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem…And he did that which was evil…And he made an ashera, as did Ahab king of Israel” (II Kings 21:1–3). How many years did Ahab reign? He reigned twenty-two years. How many years did Manasseh reign? He reigned fifty-five years. Deduct from them the twenty-two years during which he performed evil like Ahab, and thirty-three years remain for him to have repented. Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And he prayed to Him; and He made an opening for him” (II Chronicles 33:13)? Instead: And He received his entreaty, should have been written. Rather, this teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, crafted for him a type of opening in Heaven in order to accept him in repentance. It was necessary for Manasseh to enter the World-to-Come in a clandestine manner, due to the attribute of justice that sought to prevent his entry by claiming that his sentence was irreversible.