The Secret of Menashe's Teshuvah and the Tears of Rachel Imeinu

Class No. 222 | Cassette 222 Sunday, Parashas Vayeitzei, the eve of 6 Kislev 5760 - Awakening Gathering in Bnei Brak at the King David Halls Wednesday, Parashas Vayishlach, the eve of 16 Kislev 5760 - Distribution of certificates and scholarships at the Breslov Kollel for young men

A fascinating article on the immense power of teshuvah (repentance), illustrating how even a wicked person like Menashe, King of Judah, was accepted in the final moment of his life. Through the mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) of Rachel Imeinu and the tunneling beneath the Throne of Glory, the promise is revealed that every Jew is destined to return to their Father in Heaven.

The Destruction of the Temple and the Cry of the Patriarchs

The Temple is burnt. Plumes of smoke and clouds billow upwards, and everything has turned into smoking embers. The holy Patriarchs and Matriarchs begin to roll in the ashes, all of them crying and crying out: "Master of the Universe, how did this happen?"

Hashem said to them: "They all nullified the covenant of circumcision; there was not a single Jew who circumcised himself." Avraham Avinu had nothing to answer, and similarly Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sarah, Rivkah, and Leah.

Until it was the turn of Rachel Imeinu, who was the last of them all. Rachel asked: "Master of the Universe, what did my children do that You brought upon them the sword, famine, captivity, and destruction? You burned down their Temple and exiled them from their land; what is their sin and what is their transgression?"

The Wondrous Teshuvah of Menashe, King of Judah

Hashem answered her: "They brought My rival into My home. Achaz set up an idol in the Courtyard, Menashe set up an idol in the Sanctuary, and Amon brought it into the Holy of Holies."

Menashe reigned for fifty-five years, twenty-two of which he spent worshipping idols. He was the chief of the wicked; there was no idolatry in the world that he did not worship. He had a massive idol weighing as much as a thousand men, and he would sacrifice a thousand people to this idol every single day. For twenty-two years he murdered millions of Jews, exactly like the greatest oppressors in history.

Yet despite all this wickedness, in the end, even Menashe did teshuvah (repentance). How did this happen? The King of Assyria captured him, placed him inside a copper cauldron, and set it over a fire to roast him alive. Menashe began calling out to every idol in the world, but he was not answered.

Tunneling Beneath the Throne of Glory

As he felt himself being roasted, in the very last second of his life, he cried out: "Master of the Universe! I remembered that I know You from my father. There is a God in the world, there is a God of Israel; Hashem is King, Hashem was King, Hashem will be King forever and ever! If You save me—I will thank You, and if not—I will say that You are just like all the idols."

The angels on high immediately closed all the gates of Heaven. They covered all the firmaments so that his prayer could not tunnel through and break its way upward. But then, Hashem in all His glory personally dug a tunnel for him beneath the Throne of Glory, and accepted his prayer.

A mighty storm wind carried Menashe upward, flew him to the Land of Israel, and seated him back on his throne in Jerusalem. Thus, after twenty-two years of terrible wickedness, even Menashe did teshuvah. The holy Zohar says about this that today, Menashe stands at the head of the heavenly hall of the baalei teshuvah (returnees to the faith).

There is No Jew Who Will Not Do Teshuvah

Regarding this, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov says: Come and learn, there is no wicked person who will not do teshuvah. There is no such reality! The entire world will do teshuvah. There is no Jew who will not do teshuvah, because in every Jew, teshuvah burns in the heart; every Jew truly wants to return to Hashem.

Although right now people invent excuses, blame others, and say, "This religious person behaves such and such a way," all these excuses will soon fall away. They will fade like a morning cloud and like dissipating fog. Not a single Jew will remain who will not do teshuvah, and the entire Jewish nation will return to their Father in Heaven.

In the Merit of Rachel's Mesiras Nefesh

Let us return to the claim of Rachel Imeinu. After Hashem told her that they had set up an idol in the Holy of Holies, moved the Ark and the Cherubim, and brought impurity into the most sanctified place, Rachel answered Him:

"Master of the Universe, and did I not do more than this? After all, You are the living and enduring God, King of the Universe, and I am merely flesh and blood. Yet despite this, I brought my rival into my home and handed over the signs to my sister Leah!"

The Ben Ish Chai says that in the merit of this self-sacrifice of our Mother Rachel, who handed over the signs to Leah and relinquished her place, the Geulah (Redemption) will come. As it is stated in the Prophet:

"Thus said Hashem: Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your accomplishment... and they will return from the enemy's land."

The entire Jewish people will return in teshuvah (repentance), and the entire future Geulah (Redemption) will be in the merit of the tears and self-sacrifice of our Mother Rachel.

Part 2 of 3 — Lesson No. 222

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