1)

(a)Based on a Beraisa, Rebbi Yochanan states that anyone who says that Menasheh has no portion in Olam ha'Ba - weakens the position of the Ba'alei Teshuvah.

(b)The Tana informs us that Menasheh was twelve when he ascended the throne. He ...

1. ... reigned altogether for fifty-five years.

2. ... continued to reign after he did Teshuvah - for thirty-three years (in which case he sinned for twenty-two years).

(c)We learn this from the Pasuk "va'Ya'as Asheirah ka'asher Asah Achav" - which compares the period in which Menasheh sinned to that of Achav, whose sinful reign lasted twenty-two years.

(d)Rebbi Yochanan quoting Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai learns from the Pasuk "Vayishma eilav Vayechaser lo" (instead of "Vaye'aser" [although our version of the Pasuk reads "Vaye'aser"]) that - Hash-m created a special conduit to accept Menasheh's Teshuvah, so that the Midas ha'Din, which objected, should not know about it.

(e)"Vaye'aser lo" means - 'and his prayer was answered', whereas "Vayechaser lo" means 'and a tunnel was carved out on his behalf'.

2)

(a)The problem Rebbi Yochanan quoting Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai has with the Pesukim in Yirmiyah "Bereishis Mamleches Yehoyakim ben Yoshiyahu" and "Bereishis Mamleches Tzidkiyah" is that - seeing as neither concerns the creation of the world, why does the Navi write "Bereishis" (rather than 'be'Shanah Rishonah')

(b)In both cases, he explains the word "Bereishis" to mean that - due to their terrible sins (which we will explain shortly), Hash-m wanted to destroy the world, to revert to the state of "null and void" that existed at the Creation.

(c)He explains ...

1. ... "Bereishis Mamleches Yehoyakim ben Yoshiyahu" to mean that - it was the sins of Yehoyakim that led Hash-m to consider such a step, only He relented when He saw the Tzadikim of his generation (the 'Charash and the Misger' who had not yet gone into Galus with Yechonyah).

2. ... "Bereishis Mamleches Tzidkiyah" to mean that - it was the sins of the Resha'im of his generation (since the 'Charash and the Misger' were already in Galus) that led to contemplating such drastic measures, and it was the deeds of Tzidkiyahu that caused Him to relent.

(d)We reconcile this latter statement with the Pasuk (in connection with Tzidkiyahu) "Vaya'as ha'Ra be'Einei Hash-m" - by attributing the Pasuk to Tzidkiyahu's failure to rebuke the people (even though he personally, did not participate in their sins) see also Agados Maharsha.

3)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan quoting Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai said that after ...

1. ... losing the battle to the Syrians - Achaz (Chizkiyahu's father) began worshipping their gods, because he claimed, they had been responsible for their victory.

2. ... defeating Edom - Amatzyah adopted their gods.

(b)This explain the Pasuk "Ish Chacham Nishpat es Ish Evil ve'Ragaz, Sichak ve'Ein Nachas" which now means - when Hash-m punishes Yisrael (by defeating Achaz), they make Him angry, and when he 'smiles at them' (when Amatzyah wins), He gets no Nachas from them.

(c)Rav Papa cited an adage that conforms to this Pasuk - 'Irrespective of hether the wise man 'cries' at a person or 'laughs' at him, he doesn't listen. Woe to the man who doesn't know the difference between good and evil!'

4)

(a)In the Pasuk in Yirmiyah "Vayavo'u Kol Sarei Melech Bavel Vayeishvu be'Sha'ar ha'Tavech", Rebbi Yochanan quoting Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai commenting on the words "Sha'ar ha'Tavech" explains that - this was the location of the Sanhedrin (the place where Halachic decisions were made [from the word 'Chatach', to cut]), and which had now become a 'Moshav Leitzim' (the place where the officers of the King of Bavel judged).

(b)Rav Papa quotes the adage - of the base shepherd hanging up his jug (or bowl) in the exact place where the master had previously hung up his weapons.

5)

(a)The Pasuk in Mishlei discusses 'the lazy man whose field Shlomoh passed', which Rav Chisda Amar Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba connects with Achaz - who, in his 'laziness', stopped people from learning Torah and negated the Avodah in the Beis-Hamikdash.

(b)Still in connection with the same Pasuk, ...

1. ... the "Adam Chasar-Leiv", whose vineyard had been neglected, refers to Menasheh - who cut out the Names of Hash-m from the Torah and demolished the Mizbe'ach.

2. ... the thorns that overran the vineyard refers to King Amon - who burned the Torah and sacrificed a spider on the Mizbe'ach (Se Agados Maharsha).

3. ... the nettles that grew there in abundance refers to Yehoyakim - who attempted to replace the sun with super-quality gold, which shone like the sun, because, he claimed, they no longer needed Hash-m's light.

(c)And he attributed the phrase "ve'Geder Avanim Nehersah" ('the stone-wall was denolished') to Tzidkiyah, because it was in his time that the Beis-Hamikdash was destroyed, even though he himself was a Tzadik.

6)

(a)Rav Chisda Amar Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba lists four groups who will not receive the Shechinah; The group of Leitzim (mockers), the group of Shakranim (liars) - the group of flatterers and the group of slanderers (who speak Lashon ha'Ra).

(b)Discussing the Pasuk in Tehilim "Lo Se'uneh Elecha Ra'ah, ve'Nega Lo Yikrav be'Ohalecha", Rav Chisda explains the first phrase to mean that the Yetzer-ha'Ra will not have power over us, and the second - that a man will not arrive home from a journey and find his wife (whom Chazal describe as 'Bayis' [or 'Ohel') a Safek Nidah.

(c)Rav Chisda refers to a Safek Nidah (rather than to a Vaday Nidah) - because it is worse than a Vaday Nidah, since a person tends to think that his wife is probably Tehorah and that he will be waiting in vain for her to become Tahor (he does not come to terms with his situation like he does by a Vaday Nidah).

7)

(a)According to the second explanation, "Lo Se'uneh Eilecha Ra'ah" means that he will not be beset by bad dreams and evil thoughts, and "ve'Nega Lo Yikrav be'Ohalecha" that - he will not have a son or a Talmid who goes off the path.

(b)What makes us assume that the B'rachos until here refer to those issued to Shlomoh by his father David is - the fact that they are all spiritual issues that would normally concern a father.

(c)The B'rachos from ...

1. ... "Ki Malachav Yetzaveh Lach" until "Al Shachal va'Fesen Tidroch ... " were said - by his mother Bas-Sheva ...

2. ... whereas the B'rachos from there until the end of the Kapitel ("Ki Vi Chashak va'Afaltehu ... Orech Yamim Asbi'ehu ve'Areihu bi'Yeshu'asi" were said - by Hash-m.

(d)We divide the last two sections between David's mother and Hash-m respectively - because until "Al Shachal va'Fesen Tidroch ... " are issues (concerning a son's safety) that would normally concern a mother. Whereas the Lashon (said in the first person) from "Ki Vi Chashak ... " indicates that it was said by Hash-m.

8)

(a)Resh Lakish ascribes the hanging 'Ayin' in the word "me'Resha'im" (in the Pasuk in Iyov "Vayimna me'Resha'im Oram ... ") - to the ramifications of 'Rashim', that when someone who is poor (meaning that he is disliked) on earth, he is disliked in Heaven too.

(b)The Pasuk could not however, just omit the 'Ayin' altogether, because, as Rebbi Yochanan and Rebbi Elazar between them, say David and Nechemyah are exceptions to the rule. They had many enemies, yet they were beloved by Hash-m (because they were not Resha'im).

(c)The enemies of Nechemyah were - predominantly Nochrim, who were against the rebuilding of the Beis-Hamikdash (though others say that it pertains to enemies within Yisrael).

(d)Menasheh learned Toras Kohanim in depth - fifty-five times, once for each year that he reigned (during which time he would complete it annually.

(e)Achav learned it eighty-five times, and Yeravam - a hundred and three times.

9)

(a)Rebbi ...

1. ... Meir in a Beraisa states that - Avshalom lost his portion in Olam a'Ba, and he bases this on the Pasuk in Shmuel "Vayaku es Avshalom, Vayemisuhu"; "Vayaku", 'ba'Olam ha'Zeh', "Vayemisuhu", 'le'Olam ha'Ba'.

2. ... Shimon ben Elazar states that Achaz, Achazyah and all the kings of Yisrael about whom the Pasuk writes "Va'ya'as Ha'Ra be'Einei Hash-m" - will neither come back to life at Techi'as ha'Meisim, nor will they be judged.

(b)This does not extend to Amon and Yehoyakim, who (like the previous two mentioned by name) were wicked kings of Yehudah - yet there is nothing to indicate that they were punished in the same manner.

(c)According to the Chachmei Bavel, the innocent blood that Menasheh spilt in Yerushalayim, filling it from one end to the other, was that of Yeshayah. According to the Chachmei Yerushalim, it pertains to the thousand men that he killed each day - by making them carry the gigantic image that he built until it crushed them.

(d)The Chachmei Bavel's interpretation bears out a statement of Rabah bar bar Chanah, who says that - the Neshamah of a Tzadik is equivalent to the whole world (meaning the whole of Yerushalayim in this case).

10)

(a)Initially, Menasheh's image had only one face. He changed it to four - so that, from whichever direction Hash-m would enter the Heichal, He would see it (Kevayachol), and become angry.

(b)Achaz (his grandfather, who it seems, originally built it) placed the image in one of the attics of the Beis-Hamkdash. First - Menasheh moved it to the Heichal, then King Amon placed it in the Kodesh Kodshim.

(c)Given that the "ha'Matza" (which means 'a sheet' [referring to the husband/wife relationship between Hash-m and Yisrael]) to the Beis-Hamikdash, Rebbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni Amar Rebbi Yonasan explains the Pasuk "Ki Katzar ha'Matza mi'Le'histarer" to mean that - there is no place there for two rivals (it is either Hash-m or the image [who will live together with Yisrael]).

(d)Rebbi Yonasan burst out crying when he read the continuation of the Pasuk "ve'ha'Masechah Tzarah" - because, he exclaimed, how is it possible that a molten image should have become a rival of the One about whom the Navi writes "He gathers the water of the sea into a mound"!

11)

(a)Achaz permitted adultery, Menasheh committed incest with his sister and - Amon, with his mother.

(b)When Amon's mother expressed surprise at the fact that he derived any pleasure from 'the place from which he was born', he replied that - his objective was to anger Hash-m with his sins (not to derive pleasure from them).

(c)When Yehoyakim arrived, he decided to outdo all his predecessors, so he set about replacing the sun with Zahav Parvayim (and asking Hash-m to please remove His sun, which they did not need). When the people cited the Pasuk "Li ha'Kesef ve'Li ha'Zahav, Ne'um Hash-m Tzevakos" - they meant to ask him, that even if Hash-m would take His sun away, and Yehoyakim were to use his gold instead, he would still be using what was essentially Hash-m's property to light up the world.

(d)He replied that - Hash-m had given all the contents in the world to man, as the Pasuk writes in Tehilim "ha'Shamayim Shamayim la'Hashem ve'ha'Aretz Nasan li'Venei Adam".

12)

(a)Rava's problem with Yehoyakim was - why he was not included among the three kings who lost their portion in the World to Come.

(b)Rebbi Yochanan and Rebbi Elazar argue over Yehoyakim's speciality. One of them says that he engraved the name of an Avodah-Zarah on his Makom ha'Milah - out of devotion to the Avodah-Zarah.

(c)The other one said that - he engraved the Name of Hash-m there, in order to denigrate it.

(d)When Rava asked Rabah bar Mari his Kashya he replied that - he had not heard a good reason for Yehoyakim's omission from the list.

(e)He had however, heard an explanation as to why the Tana omitted Michah (whom we are about to discuss) from the list of Hedyotos - namely, because (like Avraham Avinu), he gave generously of his 'bread' to whoever passed by.

13)

(a)Michah obtained the golden plate containing the Name of Hash-m with which he made the Eigel - after Moshe had written it and thrown it into the River Nile to bring up Yosef's coffin.

(b)According to Rebbi Yochanan the Pasuk in Zecharyah "ve'Avar ba'Yam Tzarah" is referring to Pesel Michah. If Pesel Michah was not the golden plate to which we just referred - it was an image that Michah himself built and took with him out of Egypt.

(c)The image of Michah was later set up in Garav, which was - three Milin from Shiloh (where the Mishkan was situated).

(d)When the smoke from Michah's sacrifices mingled with the smoke from the Mizbe'ach, and the angels came to kill him, Hash-m responded - by stopping them, due to Michah's high level of Hachnasas Orchim.

14)

(a)On account of Pesel Michah, Yisrael was punished by the incident of Pilegesh be'Giv'ah. When the rest of the tribes came to fight with Binyamin - they lost the first two battles.

(b)In spite of the fact that they were in the right, they were punished so severely - because they avenged the honor of a human being, but not that of Hash-m (seeing as Pesel Michah was then being worshipped, and they did nothing about it).

15)

(a)What Rebbi Yochanan quoting Rebbi Yossi ben Kisma, praised the virtues of 'Legimah' - offering one's guests (or anybody else) a bite to eat.

(b)The two nations that it (or lack of it) caused to become rejected are Amon and Mo'av, who have been rejected ...

(c)... from ever fully entering into K'lal Yisrael ...

(d)... because they failed to offer Yisrael food in the desert.