״גַּם אֵלֶּה מִשְׁלֵי שְׁלֹמֹה, אֲשֶׁר הֶעְתִּיקוּ אַנְשֵׁי חִזְקִיָּה, מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה״. וְכִי חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה לְכָל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ לִימֵּד תּוֹרָה, וְלִמְנַשֶּׁה בְּנוֹ לֹא לִימֵּד תּוֹרָה? אֶלָּא, מִכָּל טוֹרַח שֶׁטָּרַח וּמִכָּל עָמָל שֶׁעָמַל בּוֹ – לֹא הֶעֱלָהוּ לַמּוּטָּב אֶלָּא יִסּוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶל עַמּוֹ וְלֹא הִקְשִׁיבוּ. וַיָּבֵא ה׳ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת שָׂרֵי הַצָּבָא אֲשֶׁר לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת מְנַשֶּׁה בַּחֹחִים וַיַּאַסְרֻהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם וַיּוֹלִיכֻהוּ בָּבֶלָה״.

“These too are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judea, copied” (Proverbs 25:1), indicating that Hezekiah taught Torah and disseminated it to the multitudes. And is it conceivable that Hezekiah, king of Judea, taught Torah to the entire world and to Manasseh his son he did not teach Torah? Rather, Hezekiah certainly taught Manasseh much Torah; nevertheless, from all his exertion to teach him and from all his toil to teach him, it was only afflictions that elevated him to the path of good, as it is stated: “And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people but they would not heed. And the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, and bound him with chains, and carried him to Babylonia” (II Chronicles 33:10–11).

וּכְתִיב: ״וּכְהָצֵר לוֹ, חִלָּה אֶת פְּנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו, וַיִּכָּנַע מְאֹד מִלִּפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָיו, וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וַיֵּעָתֵר לוֹ, וַיִּשְׁמַע תְּחִנָּתוֹ, וַיְשִׁיבֵהוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְמַלְכוּתוֹ. וַיֵּדַע מְנַשֶּׁה כִּי ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים״. הָא, לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁחֲבִיבִין יִסּוּרִין׳״.

And it is written thereafter: “And when he was in distress, he sought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and he prayed to Him and He was entreated of him, and He heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom; then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God” (II Chronicles 33:12–13). You learned from this that afflictions are cherished.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״שְׁלֹשָׁה בָּאוּ בַּעֲלִילָה: אֵלּוּ הֵן: קַיִן, עֵשָׂו, וּמְנַשֶּׁה. קַיִן, דִּכְתִיב: ׳גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשׂוֹא׳. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: ׳רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! כְּלוּם גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנִי מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִיבּוֹא שֶׁעֲתִידִין לַחֲטוֹא לְפָנֶיךָ, וְאַתָּה סוֹלֵחַ לָהֶם׳? עֵשָׂו, דִּכְתִיב: ׳הַבְרָכָה אַחַת הִיא לְךָ אָבִי׳? מְנַשֶּׁה – בַּתְּחִילָּה קָרָא לֶאֱלוֹהוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וּלְבַסּוֹף קָרָא לֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָיו״.

Apropos Manasseh’s repentance, the Gemara cites that the Sages taught in a baraita : Three came with a demand, and these are they: Cain, Esau, and Manasseh. Cain came with a demand, as it is written: “My sin is too great to bear” (Genesis 4:13). Cain said before God: Master of the Universe, is my transgression greater than the transgression of the 600,000 who are destined to sin before You with the Golden Calf, and You will nevertheless forgive them? There should be atonement for my transgression as well. Esau came with a demand, as it is stated: “Have you but one blessing, my father?” (Genesis 27:38). With regard to Manasseh, initially he called to multiple gods, and his prayers were not answered, and ultimately he called to the God of his forefathers with the demand: If God does not answer my prayer, then apparently all the gods are equal to the God of my forefathers.

״אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר: אַף הַהוֹגֶה אֶת הַשֵּׁם בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתָיו״ וכו׳. תָּנָא: ״וּבַגְּבוּלִין, וּבִלְשׁוֹן עָגָה״.

§ The mishna teaches: Abba Shaul says: Also among those who have no share in the World-to-Come is one who pronounces the ineffable name of God as it is written, with its letters. It is taught in a baraita : This is referring to one who pronounces the name in the outlying areas outside the Temple, and in colloquial [ aga ] language, for no particular purpose.

״שְׁלֹשָׁה מְלָכִים וְאַרְבָּעָה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת״ וכו׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״יָרָבְעָם – שֶׁרִיבַּע עַם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: יָרָבְעָם – שֶׁעָשָׂה מְרִיבָה בָּעָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: יָרָבְעָם – שֶׁעָשָׂה מְרִיבָה בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. בֶּן נְבָט – בֵּן שֶׁנִּיבַּט וְלֹא רָאָה״.

In the mishna, the tanna enumerated three kings and four commoners who have no share in the World-to-Come. The Sages taught in a baraita : Jeroboam [ Yorovam ] is an abbreviation for one who debased the Jewish people [ riba am ]. Alternatively, Yorovam is an abbreviation for one who engendered strife among the people [ meriva ba’am ], causing the schism between the kingdoms of Judea and Israel. Alternatively, Yorovam is an abbreviation for one who engendered strife between the Jewish people [ meriva bein ha’am ] and their Heavenly Father, as he instituted the worship of the golden calves (I Kings 12:28–31). He is called son of Nebat because he is the son who looked [ nibat ] in an effort to assess the situation but did not see the situation accurately.

תָּנָא: ״הוּא נְבָט, הוּא מִיכָה, הוּא שֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי. נְבָט – שֶׁנִּיבַּט וְלֹא רָאָה, מִיכָה – שֶׁנִּתְמַכְמֵךְ בַּבִּנְיָן, וּמַה שְּׁמוֹ – שֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי שְׁמוֹ״.

It is taught in a baraita : Based on a homiletic interpretation of their names, these three biblical figures are deemed to be the same person. He is called Nebat, he is called Micah, and he is called Sheba, son of Bichri. Nebat, who looked [ nibat ] but did not see, believed that he was destined for greatness, and that was achieved only by his son. Micah, who was crushed [ nitmakhmekh ] in the building of the storage cities of Pithom and Raamses, was miraculously saved. And what is his actual name? His name is Sheba, son of Bichri.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״שְׁלֹשָׁה נִיבְּטוּ וְלֹא רָאוּ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: נְבָט, וַאֲחִיתוֹפֶל, וְאִיצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה״.

The Sages taught in a baraita : Three looked but did not see and as a result were mistaken in their prognostications. And these are they: Nebat, and Ahithophel, and the astrologers of Pharaoh.

נְבָט רָאָה אֵשׁ שֶׁיּוֹצֵאת מֵאַמָּתוֹ. הוּא סָבַר אִיהוּ מָלֵיךְ, וְלָא הִיא – יָרָבְעָם הוּא דִּנְפַק מִינֵּיהּ.

The Gemara elaborates: Nebat saw fire that emerges from his penis. He thought that it meant that he would rule. But that is not so. It meant that it would be Jeroboam who would emerge from him and rule.

אֲחִיתוֹפֶל רָאָה צָרַעַת שֶׁזָּרְחָה לוֹ עַל אַמָּתוֹ, הוּא סָבַר אִיהוּ מָלַךְ, וְלָא הִיא – בַּת שֶׁבַע בִּתּוֹ הוּא דְּנָפְקָא מִינָּהּ שְׁלֹמֹה.

Ahithophel saw leprosy that glowed on his penis and he thought that he would rule. But it is not so. Instead from Bathsheba his daughter, i.e., his son’s daughter, came Solomon the king.

אִיצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה – דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה״? הֵמָּה שֶׁרָאוּ אִיצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה וְטָעוּ. רָאוּ שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמַּיִם הוּא לוֹקֶה, אָמַר: ״כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ״. וְהֵן לֹא יָדְעוּ שֶׁעַל עִסְקֵי מֵי מְרִיבָה לוֹקֶה.

The astrologers of Pharaoh saw and were mistaken, as Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “These are the waters of contention” (Numbers 20:13)? These are the waters that the astrologers of Pharaoh saw, and they erred concerning them. As they saw in the stars that the savior of Israel would be stricken by water, Pharaoh said: “Every son that is born you shall cast into the river” (Exodus 1:22), assuming that any potential savior would be drowned. And they did not know that it was over matters involving the waters of Meribah that Moses would be stricken and would not be allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael.

וּמְנָא לָן דְּלָא אָתֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי? דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְהִי בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְחַטַּאת בֵּית יָרָבְעָם וּלְהַכְחִיד וּלְהַשְׁמִיד מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה״. ״לְהַכְחִיד״ – בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, ״וּלְהַשְׁמִיד״ – לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

The Gemara resumes its discussion of Jeroboam. And from where do we derive that Jeroboam does not enter into the World-to-Come? It is derived from a verse, as it is written: “And by this matter there was a sin to the house of Jeroboam, and to eradicate it and to destroy it from off the face of the earth” (I Kings 13:34). It can be interpreted to mean: To eradicate it in this world, and to destroy it for the World-to-Come.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִפְּנֵי מָה זָכָה יָרָבְעָם לְמַלְכוּת? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוֹכִיחַ אֶת שְׁלֹמֹה. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נֶעֱנַשׁ? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוֹכִיחוֹ בָּרַבִּים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר הֵרִים יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ: שְׁלֹמֹה בָּנָה אֶת הַמִּלּוֹא, סָגַר אֶת פֶּרֶץ עִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״דָּוִד אָבִיךָ פָּרַץ פְּרָצוֹת בַּחוֹמָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָרֶגֶל. וְאַתָּה גָּדַרְתָּ אוֹתָם כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת אַנְגַּרְיָא לְבַת פַּרְעֹה״?

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: For what virtue was Jeroboam privileged to ascend to monarchy? It is due to the fact that he rebuked Solomon for his sins. And for what misdeed was he punished and lost everything? It is due to the fact that he rebuked Solomon and humiliated him in public, as it is stated: “And this was the cause that he lifted his hand against the king: Solomon built the Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father” (I Kings 11:27). Jeroboam said to Solomon: David, your father, created breaches in the wall so that the Jewish people could ascend for the pilgrimage Festival, and you sealed them in order to marshal forced labor [ angarya ] for the daughter of Pharaoh, your wife.

וּמַאי ״וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר הֵרִים יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ״? אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: שֶׁחָלַץ תְּפִילָּיו בְּפָנָיו. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ בְּיָרָבְעָם טְרָדַתּוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר יָרָבְעָם בְּלִבּוֹ עַתָּה תָּשׁוּב הַמַּמְלָכָה לְבֵית דָּוִד. אִם יַעֲלֶה הָעָם הַזֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת זְבָחִים בְּבֵית ה׳ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, וְשָׁב לֵב הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל אֲדֹנֵיהֶם, אֶל רְחַבְעָם מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, וַהֲרָגֻנִי, וְשָׁבוּ אֶל רְחַבְעָם מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה״.

And what is the meaning of the phrase “and this was the cause that he lifted his hand against the king”? Rav Naḥman says: He removed his phylacteries before Solomon, Rav Naḥman says: The arrogance that existed in Jeroboam drove him from the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And Jeroboam said in his heart: Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the House of the Lord in Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam, king of Judea, and they shall kill me and return to Rehoboam, king of Judea” (I Kings 12:26–27).

אָמַר, ״גְּמִירִי: דְּאֵין יְשִׁיבָה בָּעֲזָרָה אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית יְהוּדָה בִּלְבַד, כֵּיוָן דְּחָזוּ לֵיהּ לִרְחַבְעָם דְּיָתֵיב וַאֲנָא קָאֵימְנָא, סָבְרִי: הָא מַלְכָּא וְהָא עַבְדָּא. וְאִי יָתֵיבְנָא – מוֹרֵד בַּמַּלְכוּת הֲוַאי, וְקָטְלִין לִי, וְאָזְלוּ בַּתְרֵיהּ״. מִיָּד: ״וַיִּוָּעַץ הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁנֵי עֶגְלֵי זָהָב, וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם, רַב לָכֶם מֵעֲלוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הָאֶחָד בְּבֵית אֵל וְאֶת הָאֶחָד נָתַן בְּדָן״.

Jeroboam calculated and said: It is learned as a tradition that sitting in the Temple courtyard is permitted only for kings of the house of Judah alone. Once they see Rehoboam, who is sitting, and they see me standing, they will think: This, Rehoboam, is king, and that, Jeroboam, is the servant. And if I sit there, I will be considered a traitor against the throne, and they will kill me and follow him. Immediately, the following took place: “And the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said to them: It is too much for you to ascend to Jerusalem; behold your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. And he placed the one in Bethel and the other he placed in Dan” (I Kings 12:28–29).

מַאי ״וַיִּוָּעַץ״? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: שֶׁהוֹשִׁיב רָשָׁע אֵצֶל צַדִּיק, אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״חָתְמִיתוּ עַל כָּל דְּעָבִידְנָא״? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: ״הֵין״. אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״מַלְכָּא בָּעֵינָא לְמֶיהֱוֵי״. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: ״הֵין״. כָּל דְּאָמִינָא לְכוּ עֲבִידְתּוּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: ״הֵין״. ״אֲפִילּוּ לְמִפְלַח לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ צַדִּיק: ״חַס וְחָלִילָה״! אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק: ״סָלְקָא דַּעְתָךְ דְּגַבְרָא כְּיָרָבְעָם פָּלַח לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? אֶלָּא לְמִינְסִינְהוּ הוּא דְּקָא בָּעֵי, אִי קַבְּלִיתוּ לְמֵימְרֵיהּ״.

What is the meaning of the phrase “and the king took counsel”? Rabbi Yehuda says: It means that he assembled the elders of the kingdom of Israel and seated a wicked person alongside a righteous person and consulted them. He said to the elders: Do you sign a writ of authorization for all that I am doing? They said to him: Yes. He said to them: I want to be the king. They said to him: Yes. Jeroboam said to them: Will you do everything I tell you to do? They said to him: Yes. He said to them: Even to worship idols? A righteous man said: Heaven forfend; idol worship is unacceptable. The wicked man seated alongside him said to the righteous man: Does it enter your mind that a man like Jeroboam would worship idols? Rather, he merely seeks to test those sitting here, to determine if they accept and will obey his pronouncements.