Sanhedrin 103a

סנהדרין ק״ג ע״א

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Topic

מנשה's תשובה, aggadot about the last kings of יהודה, and רב חסדא's teachings on משלי and תהלים 91

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a view that מנשה never did תשובה. רבי יוחנן rejects it: saying מנשה has no share in עולם הבא discourages people who repent. A ברייתא uses the years of his reign to show he repented for thirty-three years. The odd word 'ויחתר' teaches that הקב״ה dug a kind of tunnel in heaven to accept him, getting around מדת הדין. Next, רבי שמעון בן יוחי explains why 'בראשית' is used for יהויקים and צדקיהו: the world nearly went back to תוהו ובוהו in their days and was saved. He also shows that wicked kings like אחז and אמציה turned to idols whether הקב״ה punished them or was kind to them. He then explains that the princes of בבל sat in the very place where הלכות were decided. After a סימן, רב חסדא gives three teachings: the neglected field as five kings who ruined the kingdom, the four groups who do not greet the שכינה, and the blessings of תהלים 91, which are split into the father's, the mother's, and finally Heaven's. That last blessing continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (27)

1. ResponseEnd of an explanation: because מנשה did not repent
2. StatementSaying מנשה has no share discourages people who repent
3. ProofA ברייתא: מנשה repented for thirty-three years
4. ProofThe math: 55 minus 22 equals 33
5. QuestionWhy does the פסוק say 'ויחתר' instead of 'ויעתר'?
6. Responseהקב״ה dug a tunnel in heaven to accept מנשה
7. QuestionWhy 'at the beginning of the reign' only for יהויקים and צדקיהו?
8. ResponseThe world was almost destroyed because of יהויקים
9. ResponseThe world was almost destroyed because of צדקיהו's generation
10. ChallengeBut the פסוק says צדקיהו did evil
11. ResolutionHis 'evil' was not protesting
12. QuestionWhat does the פסוק about the wise man and the fool mean?
13. ResponseAnger at אחז led him to idols
14. ResponseKindness to אמציה also led him to idols
15. Proofרב פפא's folk saying about the master who can't tell good from bad
16. StatementThe princes of Babylon sat where the סנהדרין used to rule
17. ProofA popular saying: where the master hung his weapons, the lowly shepherd hangs his jug
18. StatementA memory aid for the next teachings
19. QuestionWhat does the פסוק about the lazy man's field mean?
20. ResponseFive kings who ruined the kingdom step by step
21. StatementFour groups who will not greet the שכינה
22. ProofA פסוק for each of the four groups
23. QuestionWhat does the פסוק about no evil and no plague mean?
24. ResponseFirst explanation: no evil inclination, no doubtful נדה
25. ResponseSecond explanation: no bad dreams, no child who sins in public
26. StatementThe father's blessing ends and the mother's blessing begins
27. StatementThe mother's blessing ends and Heaven's blessing begins