Musar for Sanhedrin 205:1
בגלל מנשה דלא עבד תשובה
'because of Manasseh' — who did not repent. R. Johanan said: He who asserts that Manasseh has no portion in the world to come weakens the hands of penitent sinners. For a tanna recited before R. Johanan: Manasseh was penitent for thirty-three years, as it is written, Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem, and he made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel. How long did Ahab reign? Twenty-two years. How long did Manasseh reign? Fifty-five years. Subtract therefrom twenty-two, which leaves thirty-three.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is assumed that the verse implies that their sinning and their punishment was equal. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
Orchot Tzadikim
And they said in the Pesikta (of Rab Chana, Piska Deshuva Cant. Rabbah 1:5, letter 36. Yerushalmi ibid. And see Ta'anith 28b and Rashi ad. loc.) : If he was accustomed to eating after three hours let him eat after six, and if he used to eat after six hours let him eat after nine. And what is meant by, "And went softly" (I Kings 21:27)? Rabbi Joshua, the son of Levi, said that he walked barefoot, and from him (Ahab) every man should learn. Moreover (Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer, chap. 43), go forth and learn from Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, who did all the evil abominations in the world, yet the Holy One, Blessed be He, received him when he repented. Moreover (Sanh. 103a), Rabbi Johanan said, "Anyone who says that Manasseh has no share in the world to come weakens the hands of those who would repent. As a Tanna taught before Rabbi Johanan," Manasseh repented for thirty-three years and the Holy One, Blessed be He, received him.
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