King Menashe's Sins and Repentance

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּתֽוֹעֲבֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיָּ֗שׇׁב וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִבַּ֖ד חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּחֹ֜ת לַבַּ֗עַל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אֲשֵׁרָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה אַחְאָב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ לְכׇל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם׃ וְהֶעֱבִ֤יר אֶת־בְּנוֹ֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְעוֹנֵ֣ן וְנִחֵ֔שׁ וְעָ֥שָׂה א֖וֹב וְיִדְּעֹנִ֑ים הִרְבָּ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִֽיס׃ וְגַם֩ דָּ֨ם נָקִ֜י שָׁפַ֤ךְ מְנַשֶּׁה֙ הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־מִלֵּ֥א אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם פֶּ֣ה לָפֶ֑ה לְבַ֤ד מֵֽחַטָּאתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱטִ֣יא אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

He did what was displeasing to GOD, following the abhorrent practices of the nations that GOD had dispossessed before the Israelites. He rebuilt the shrines that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he erected altars for Baal and made a sacred post, as King Ahab of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the host of heaven and worshiped them, He consigned his son to the fire; he practiced soothsaying and divination, and consulted ghosts and familiar spirits; he did much that was displeasing to GOD—and provoked anger. Moreover, Manasseh put so many innocent persons to death that he filled Jerusalem [with blood] from end to end—besides the sin he committed in causing Judah to do what was displeasing to GOD.

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כְּתֽוֹעֲבוֹת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיָּ֗שׇׁב וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִתַּ֖ץ יְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּח֤וֹת לַבְּעָלִים֙ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֲשֵׁר֔וֹת וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ לְכׇל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם׃ וְהוּא֩ הֶעֱבִ֨יר אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו בָּאֵשׁ֙ בְּגֵ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם וְעוֹנֵ֤ן וְנִחֵשׁ֙ וְֽכִשֵּׁ֔ף וְעָ֥שָׂה א֖וֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִ֑י הִרְבָּ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִיסֽוֹ׃ וַיֶּ֣תַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה אֶת־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת רָ֔ע מִ֨ן־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הִשְׁמִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ} וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א הִקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

He did what was displeasing to GOD, following the abhorrent practices of the nations that GOD had dispossessed before the Israelites. He rebuilt the shrines that his father Hezekiah had demolished; he erected altars for the Baals and made sacred posts. He bowed down to all the host of heaven and worshiped them, He consigned his sons to the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, and he practiced soothsaying, divination, and sorcery, and consulted ghosts and familiar spirits; he did much that was displeasing to GOD in order to provoke anger. Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray into evil greater than that done by the nations that GOD had destroyed before the Israelites. GOD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not pay heed,

וּכְהָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ חִלָּ֕ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מְאֹ֔ד מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלָ֗יו וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ וַיְשִׁיבֵ֥הוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לְמַלְכוּת֑וֹ וַיֵּ֣דַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֥וּא הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

In his distress, he entreated the ETERNAL his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. He prayed to [God], who granted his prayer, heard his plea, and returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the ETERNAL alone was God.

ובתרעא דהאי היכלא, קאים מנשה מלך יהודה דקביל ליה קב"ה בתיובתא שלימתא וחתר ליה חתירא לקבלא ליה ובפתח ההיכל עומד מנשה מלך יהודה, שעשה תשובה שלימה על חטאיו, והקב"ה קבל תשובתו וחתר לו חתירה מתחת כסא הכבוד לקבל אותו, כלומר שהסתיר אותו כמו בתוך חתירה מעין המקטריגים שלא יקטרגו עליו.

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.

יָרׇבְעָם, אַחְאָב, וּמְנַשֶּׁה. אַרְבָּעָה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת: בִּלְעָם, וְדוֹאֵג, וַאֲחִיתוֹפֶל, וְגֵחֲזִי. גְּמָ׳ וְכׇל כָּךְ לָמָּה? תָּנָא:

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. The Rabbis said to Rabbi Yehuda: He regretted his actions, and his repentance was effective to the extent that God restored him to his kingdom, but God did not restore him to his share in life in the World-to-Come.

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:

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

בִּירוּשָׁלִַם יִהְיֶה שְּׁמִי לְעוֹלָם. הַפָּסוּק קוֹבֵל: זֶה מְנַשֶּׁה שֶׁבָּנָה מִזְבְּחוֹת לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בַּבַּיִת שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֲנִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁיִּשְׁכּוֹן שְׁמִי שָׁם. וְגַם פָּסוּק שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ לְשׁוֹן קוֹבְלָנָא הוּא: וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת פֶּסֶל הַסֶּמֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּבֵית הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ׳, וְגַם הַפָּסוּק וְלֹא אוֹסִיף לְהָסִיר אֶת רֶגֶל: וְעָשָׂה אוֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִי. מָלֵא בְּוָי״ו, לְפִי שֶׁהִרְבָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת; וְהוּא הוֹסִיף עַל פֶּסֶל הַסֶּמֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה: וַיִּזְבַּח עָלָיו זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים וְתוֹדָה. שֶׁהֵבִיא קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה, וְהִתְוַדָּה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהֱשִׁיבוֹ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וּלְמַלְכוּתוֹ: וְהֵעָתֶר לוֹ. וְהֵשִׁיבוֹ עַל מַלְכוּתוֹ:

“In Jerusalem, My name shall be forever” Scripture decries Manasseh, who built altars to pagan deities in the very House concerning which the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I wish My name to rest there.” The verse stated after this (verse 7) is also an expression of decrying: “And he placed the graven image of the idol that he made in the House of God, concerning which, etc.” And also the verse (8): “And I will not continue to remove Israel’s feet, etc.” and those who divine by the jidoa bone - Heb. יִדְּעוֹנִי spelled in full with a “vav,” because he did much [evil], and he added to the graven image of the idol that he made. They would take the bone of an animal known as jidoa, and place it in their mouths, whence it would speak. and he sacrificed upon it peace-offerings and thanksgiving offerings He brought a thanksgiving offering and thanked the Holy One, blessed be He, for restoring him to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. and its acceptance and his return to his kingdom.

זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. אֲפִלּוּ עָבַר כָּל יָמָיו וְעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה בְּיוֹם מִיתָתוֹ וּמֵת בִּתְשׁוּבָתוֹ כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו נִמְחָלִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת יב ב) "עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהָאוֹר וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִים וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגֶּשֶׁם" שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הַמִּיתָה. מִכְּלָל שֶׁאִם זָכַר בּוֹרְאוֹ וְשָׁב קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּמוּת נִסְלַח לוֹ:

A person who confronts the same situation in which he sinned when he has the potential to commit [the sin again], and, nevertheless, abstains and does not commit it because of his Teshuvah alone and not because of fear or a lack of strength. Even if he transgressed throughout his entire life and repented on the day of his death and died in repentance, all his sins are forgiven as [Ecclesiastes, op. cit.:2] continues: "Before the sun, the light, the moon, or the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain..." - This refers to the day of death. Thus, we can infer that if one remembers his Creator and repents before he dies, he is forgiven.

בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא כְּשֶׁמֵּת בְּלֹא תְּשׁוּבָה אֲבָל אִם שָׁב מֵרִשְׁעוֹ וּמֵת וְהוּא בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה הֲרֵי זֶה מִבְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה. אֲפִלּוּ כָּפַר בָּעִקָּר כָּל יָמָיו וּבָאַחֲרוֹנָה שָׁב יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נז יט) "שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר ה' וּרְפָאתִיו". כָּל הָרְשָׁעִים וְהַמּוּמָרִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן שֶׁחָזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה בֵּין בְּגָלוּי בֵּין בְּמַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ג יד) "שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים".

חלה ויתפלל. חלות פנים הוא להסיר קצפו, והתפלה להפיק רצון: