Sanhedrin 205

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. ');">¹</span>

א"ר יוחנן כל האומר מנשה אין לו חלק לעוה"ב מרפה ידיהן של בעלי תשובה דתני תנא קמיה דר' יוחנן מנשה עשה תשובה (ל) שלשים ושלש שנים דכתיב (מלכים ב כא, א) בן שתים עשרה שנה מנשה במלכו וחמשים וחמש שנה מלך בירושלים ויעש (הרע) [אשרה] כאשר עשה אחאב מלך ישראל כמה מלך אחאב עשרין ותרתין שנין מנשה כמה מלך חמשים וחמש דל מינייהו עשרים ותרתין פשו להו תלתין ותלת

R. Johanan said on the authority of R. Simeon b. Yohai: What is meant by, And he prayed unto him, and an opening was made for him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXXIII, 13, reading [H]. ');">²</span> Should not 'and was entreated of him' rather have been written?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] wa-ye'tar. In our text this is indeed the reading, and was so cited supra, 90a and 101b; perhaps R. Simeon b. Yohai's text differed; v. Tosaf. Shab. 55b. s.v. [H] who draws attention to the fact that the Talmudic text of the Bible does not always correspond to ours. [Yad Ramah preserves a variant: What is the meaning of [H] seeing that it is written, and he heard his supplication? This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, made him a kind of opening: thus taking [H] as equivalent to [H] the [H] and [H] being interchanging letters.] ');">³</span>

א"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י מאי דכתי' (דברי הימים ב לג, יג) וישמע אליו ויחתר לו ויעתר לו מיבעי ליה מלמד שעשה לו הקב"ה כמין מחתרת ברקיע כדי לקבלו בתשובה מפני מדת הדין

— This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, made him a kind of opening in the Heavens, in order to accept him with his repentance, on account of the Attribute of Justice.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Attribute of Justice urged that his repentance should not be accepted. ');">⁴</span> R. Johanan also said on the authority of R. Simeon b. Yohai: Why is it written, In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXVI, 1. ');">⁵</span>

וא"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י מאי דכתיב (ירמיהו כו, א) בראשית ממלכות יהויקים בן יאשיהו וכתיב (ירמיהו כח, א) בראשית ממלכת צדקיה וכי עד האידנא לא הוו מלכי

and in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVIII, 1: his difficulty is, why is the word [H] bereshith used here to denote the beginning instead of simply 'In the first year'. ');">⁶</span> were there then no kings until then? But [it teaches that] the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to hurl the world back into chaos<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'formlessness and emptiness'. ');">⁷</span>

אלא בקש הקב"ה להחזיר את העולם כולו לתוהו ובוהו בשביל יהויקים נסתכל בדורו ונתקררה דעתו

on account of Jehoiakim, but that He gazed at [the rest of] his generation, and His mind was appeased.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the use of [H] which, being the same word with which the Creation story is introduced — 'in the beginning ([H]) God created' — intimates that He wished to plunge the world into chaos, as it was at the beginning. — Though Jehoiakim was wicked, the rest of his generation was righteous. ');">⁸</span> The Holy One, blessed be He, [also] desired to hurl the world back into chaos because of Zedekiah's generation, but that He gazed at Zedekiah [himself] and his mind was appeased. But in the case of Zedekiah too it is written, And he did that which was evil in the sight of God?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XXIV, 19. ');">⁹</span>

בקש הקב"ה להחזיר את העולם כולו לתוהו ובוהו בשביל דורו של צדקיה נסתכל בצדקיה ונתקררה דעתו בצדקיה נמי כתיב (מלכים ב כד, ט) ויעש הרע בעיני ה' שהיה בידו למחות ולא מיחה

— [That denotes] that he could have stemmed [the evil of others], and did not. R. Johanan also said on the authority of R. Simeon b. Yohai: What is meant by, If a wise man contend with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXIX, 9. ');">¹⁰</span>

וא"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י מאי דכתיב (משלי כט, ט) איש חכם נשפט את איש אויל ורגז ושחק ואין נחת אמר הקב"ה כעסתי על אחז ונתתיו ביד מלכי דמשק זיבח וקיטר [לאלהיהם] שנאמר (דברי הימים ב כח, כג) ויזבח לאלהי דרמשק המכים בו ויאמר [כי] אלהי מלכי ארם הם מעזרים אותם להם אזבח ויעזרוני והם היו [לו] להכשילו ולכל ישראל

— The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'I was wrath with Ahaz, and delivered him into the hands of the kings of Damascus, whereupon he sacrificed burnt incense to their gods, as it is written, For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXVIII, 23. ');">¹¹</span> I smiled upon Amaziah and delivered the kings of Edom into his hand, so he brought their gods, and prostrated himself before them, as it is written, Now it came to pass, that after Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXV, 14. ');">¹²</span>

שחקתי עם אמציה ונתתי מלכי אדום בידו הביא אלהיהם והשתחוה להם שנאמר (דברי הימים ב כה, יד) ויהי אחרי (כן) בא אמציה מהכות את אדומים ויבא את אלהי בני שעיר ויעמידם [לו] לאלהים ולפניהם ישתחוה ולהם יקטר אמר רב פפא היינו דאמרי אינשי בכיי ליה למר דלא ידע חייכי למר דלא ידע ווי ליה למר דלא ידע בין טב לביש

R. Papa commented: Thus men say, 'Weep for him who knows not his fortune, laugh for him who knows not his fortune. Woe to him who knows not the difference between good and bad.' And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Sha'ar hatok. Jer. XXXIX, 3. ');">¹³</span>

(ירמיהו לט, ג) ויבאו כל [שרי] מלך בבל (ויבאו) [וישבו] בשער התוך א"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י מקום שמחתכין בו הלכות אמר רב פפא היינו דאמרי אינשי באתרא דמריה תלא ליה זייניה תמן קולבא רעיא קולתיה תלא

R. Johanan said on the authority of R. Simeon b. Yohai: It was the place where halachot are decided upon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] ('cut', 'decide') with which, by a play upon words, [H] is connected. ');">¹⁴</span> R. Papa observed: Thus men say, 'Where the master hangs up his weapons, there the mean shepherd hangs up his pitcher.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where the Jews decided upon their laws, there Nebuchadnezzar issued his decrees. ');">¹⁵</span>

(סימן על שדה בתים לא תאונה)

[Mnemonic: <i>By the field, houses, nought shall befall</i>.] R. Hisda said in the name of R. Jeremiah's b. Abba: What is meant by the verse, I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,' And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXIV, 30f. ');">¹⁶</span>

אמר רב חסדא אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא מאי דכתיב (משלי כד, ל) על שדה איש עצל עברתי ועל כרם אדם חסר לב והנה עלה כולו קמשונים כסו פניו חרולים וגדר אבניו נהרסה על שדה איש עצל עברתי זה אחז ועל כרם אדם חסר לב זה מנשה והנה עלה כולו קמשונים זה אמון כסו פניו חרולים זה יהויקים וגדר אבניו נהרסה זה צדקיהו שנחרב בית המקדש בימיו

— I went by the field of the slothful — this refers to Ahaz;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Who forbade the study of the Law, v. infra.] ');">¹⁷</span> and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding — this denotes Manasseh;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Who destroyed the altar, v. infra.] ');">¹⁸</span>

ואמר רב חסדא אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא ארבע כיתות אין מקבלות פני שכינה כת לצים כת שקרנים כת חניפים כת מספרי לשון הרע כת לצים דכתיב (הושע ז, ה) משך ידו את לוצצים כת שקרנים דכתיב (תהלים קא, ז) דובר שקרים לא יכון לנגד עיני כת חניפים דכתיב (איוב יג, טז) כי לא לפניו חנף יבוא כת מספרי לשון הרע דכתיב (תהלים ה, ה) כי לא אל חפץ רשע אתה לא יגורך רע צדיק אתה ולא יהיה במגורך רע

And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, — to Amon;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Who allowed the altar to he covered with spiderwebs. v. infra.] ');">¹⁹</span> and nettles had covered the face thereof — to Jehoiakim;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Who declared that he could dispense with the light of God, v. infra.] ');">²⁰</span>

ואמר רב חסדא אמר רבי ירמיה בר אבא מאי דכתיב (תהלים צא, י) לא תאונה אליך רעה ונגע לא יקרב באהלך לא תאונה אליך רעה שלא ישלוט) בהן יצר הרע ונגע לא יקרב באהלך שלא תמצא אשתך ספק נדה בשעה שתבא מן הדרך

and the stone wall thereof was broken down, — this alludes to Zedekiah, in whose days the Temple was destroyed. R. Hisda also said in the name of R. Jeremiah b. Abba: Four classes will not appear<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'receive the presence of.' ');">²¹</span>

דבר אחר לא תאונה אליך רעה שלא יבעתוך חלומות רעים והרהורים רעים ונגע לא יקרב באהלך שלא יהא לך בן או תלמיד שמקדיח תבשילו ברבים [כגון ישו הנוצרי]

before the presence of the <i>Shechinah</i>, — the class of scoffers, the class of liars, the class of hypocrites, and the class of slanderers. 'The class of scoffers' — as it is written, He withdrew His hand from the scoffers.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hosea VII, 5. ');">²²</span> 'The class of liars' — as it is written, He that telleth lies, shall not tarry in my sight.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CI, 7. ');">²³</span>

עד כאן ברכו אביו מכאן ואילך ברכתו אמו (תהלים צא, יא) כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך על כפים ישאונך וגו' על שחל ופתן תדרוך וגו'

'The class of hypocrites' — as it is written, For an hypocrite shall not come before him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XIII, 15. ');">²⁴</span> 'The class of slanderers — as it is written, For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. V, 5. ');">²⁵</span>

עד כאן ברכתו אמו מכאן ואילך ברכתו שמים

[which means] Thou art righteous, and hence there will not be evil<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., slander, as defined by the context, cf. verses 7, 10. ');">²⁶</span> in thy abode. R. Hisda also said in the name of R. Jeremiah b. Abba: What is meant by the verse, There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XCI, 10. ');">²⁷</span> 'There shall no evil befall thee,' the Evil Impulse<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. Yezer Hara'. [H] ');">²⁸</span> shall have no power over thee; 'neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling' — thou wilt not find thy wife a doubtful <i>niddah</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. If a woman observed a reddish stain upon her garments and does not know whether it is blood or not, she is a doubtful niddah, and is forbidden cohabitation. ');">²⁹</span> when thou returnest from a journey. Another interpretation: 'There shall no evil befall thee' — thou wilt not be affrighted by nightmares and dread thoughts; 'neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling' — thou wilt not have a son or a disciple who publicly burns his food.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [By the addition of too much salt; A metaphor for the open acceptance of heretical teachings. v. Hereford, op. cit., pp. 60f.] ');">³⁰</span> Thus far his father blessed him: beyond this, his mother blessed him:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These blessings, 'there shall no evil befall thee etc.' were David's blessings to Solomon. Those that follow 'For he shall give his angels etc.' are a mother's blessings. ');">³¹</span> For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands etc.&nbsp;… Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 10f. ');">³²</span> Thus far his mother blessed him, beyond this, Heaven blessed him: