Sanhedrin Daf 103 סַנהֶדרִין דַף 103

In the Mishnah on Daf 90a, Menashe is listed as one of the three kings with no share in עולם הבא. Rebbe Yehudah disagrees, citing the passuk that Menashe davened to Hashem, and Hashem “returned him to Yerushalayim to his kingdom.” The Chochomim hold he was only returned to his kingdom, but not to receiving עולם הבא. Rebbe Yochanan explains they argue about the same passuk, which describes punishment for the people of Yehudah בגלל מנשה – on account of Menashe. Rebbe Yehudah holds they were punished because Menashe did repent, and they did not learn from his example. The Chochomim hold that because Menashe did not repent, and drew them after him, they were all punished. Rebbe Yochanan says: כל האומר מנשה אין לו חלק לעולם הבא – whoever says Menashe has no share in עולם הבא, מרפה ידיהן של בעלי תשובה – weakens the hands of those who want to repent (i.e., discourages them), because a Baraisa states that Menashe repented for thirty-three years, yet he still has no share in עולם הבא.

Rebbe Yirmiyah bar Abba darshened pesukim as a berachah from Dovid to his son Shlomo:"לא תאונה אליך רעה" – no evil will befall you means שלא ישלוט בהן יצר הרע – that the Evil Inclination should not rule over [you]. "ונגע לא יקרב באהלך" – nor will any plague come into your tent, meansשלא תמצא אשתך ספק נדה בשעה שתבא מן הדרך – that you should not find your wife a doubtful niddah when you come home from a journey on the road. Alternatively, the first phrase means: שלא יבעתוך חלומות רעים והרהורים רעים – that bad dreams and thoughts should not frighten you, and the second phrase means: שלא יהא לך בן או תלמיד שמקדיח תבשילו ברבים – that you should not have a son or talmid who “burns his dish” in public (i.e., behaves destructively). עד כאן ברכו אביו - Until this point [Shlomo’s] father blessed him, and the following pesukim, discussing his physical welfare (such as כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך – for Hashem will command His angels for you, to guard you in all your ways), are his mother’s blessings. The concluding pesukim, in which Hashem speaks (כי בי חשק ואפלטהו – for he has yearned for Me and I will deliver him, etc.), ברכתו שמים – Heaven (Hashem) blessed him.

The Gemara proceeds to ask why several kings are not listed as having no share in עולם הבא. Rava asked Rabbah bar Mari why יהויקים was not listed (and his wickedness is described). Rabbah bar Mari said he did not hear about kings not being listed, but did hear why מיכה, a commoner, was not listed: מפני שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים – because his bread was always available for travelers. Rebbe Nassan says that from Gerav to Shiloh was a distance of three mil, והיה עשן המערכה ועשן פסל מיכה מתערבין זה בזה – and the smoke of the [משכן’s fire on the מזבח] and the smoke of [sacrifices to] Michah’s idol intermingled with each other. בקשו מלאכי השרת לדוחפו – The מלאכים sought to push him away from this world, but Hashem said: הניחו לו שפתו מצויה לעוברי דרכים – leave him alone, because his bread is available to travelers. This caused punishment to the people during the incident of פלגש בגבעה, because Hashem said: בכבודי לא מחיתם – for My honor you did not protest (against Michah’s idol), על כבודו של בשר ודם מחיתם – yet for the honor of flesh and blood (i.e., the violation of the פלגש) you protested!