Most of us think that the ultimate compliment for baalei teshuva is the famous Talmudic declaration: “In the place where a baal teshuva stands, a completely righteous person cannot stand” (Brochos 34b).The daf yomi 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 states (Sanhedrin 102) that Menashe (the king referred to in Melachim II, Ch. 21 and in Divrei Hayamim II, Ch. 33); not the head of the tribe (Bereishis Chapters 41 and 48) “has no share in the world to come.” His very name suggests that there were two strikes against him: (1) He forgot God (ibid.)), or alternately (2) He caused the Children of Israel to forget [their Jewish values] (ibid.), and this is on top of the fact that (3) he worshipped an idol (Ashera) (Sanhedrin 102 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 (the king) has a place in the world to come, as it is stated, “And he prayed to Him (the God of his fathers) and he was entreated by him” (Sanhedrin 102 and Divrei HaYamim II, 33:13), “and [God] heard his supplication, and He returned him to Jerusalem, to his kingship,” Moreover, he reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem (Melachim II, 21:1 and Divrei HaYamim II, 33:1), longer than any other king in Jewish history.

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” (Sanhedrin 103). Rabbi Yochanan asks 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 God Himself created a machteres — an opening — in Heaven in order to accept his repentance (Sanhedrin 103). Rabbi Shalom Rosner, yibadel l’chaim, refers to the machteres as a tunnel.

The contradicting sentences (pun intended) 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 (repentance) that not only did he earn a place in the World to Come, but God Himself altered nature and made a special opening or tunnel through which Menashe could come into the World to Come.

Now, back to Menashe, the original head 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 “God 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 Godly ways of his ancestors, but was able to overcome this terrible “forgetfulness” by his sincere teshuva or penitence. 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 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!

P.S. 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.

The writer can’t claim to be a baal teshuva but has written, edited and/or supplemented a variety of books including biographies of leaders who influenced many people to become baalei teshuva – Harry Fischel (40 Years of Struggle for a Principle – augmented edition), Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein (The Maverick Rabbi), and Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen.

Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq., writes, edits, and/or supplements books on leaders who have asked many of the right questions, come up with inspiring and useful answers, and acted upon them – and encouraged others to do the same — for the betterment of their fellow Jews and, in many cases, non-Jews as well.