- Hashem urges ירבעם to do teshuvah, and walk together with Him and Dovid in גן עדן
The passuk says: אחר הדבר הזה לא שב ירבעם מדרכו הרעה – After this matter, Yarovam did not turn back from his wicked way. Rebbe Abba explains what this was “after”: אחר שתפשו הקדוש ברוך הוא לירבעם בבגדו – after Hashem seized Yarovam by his garment, ואמר לו חזור בך – and said to him, “Turn back and repent! ואני ואתה ובן ישי נטייל בגן עדן – And I, you and (Dovid) the son of Yishai will stroll together in Gan Eden.” ירבעם asked: מי בראש – “Who will be at the head?” Hashem replied: בן ישי בראש – “The son of Yishai will be at the head.” To this, ירבעם responded: אי הכי לא בעינא – If so, I do not want it.”
- In a dream, Menashe describes to Rav Ashi the powerful desire for עבודה זרה during his time
Rebbe Abahu used to lecture about the three kings who have no share in עולם הבא. Once, he fell deathly ill and committed to stop lecturing about them. When he recovered, he resumed, explaining: אינהו מי הדרו בהו דאנא אהדר בי – Did they repent, that I should repent? Rav Ashi once announced that they would begin the subject about “our colleagues,” the three kings with no share in עולם הבא. Menashe appeared to him in a dream and challenged him if he knew from where to break bread after the berachah, and Rav Ashi said he did not know. Menashe said, “You did not learn (even) this law, and you call us your colleagues?!” Rav Ashi asked him to teach it to him, and pledged to quote him in his lecture, and Menashe told him. Rav Ashi asked him, “Since you are so learned, why did you worship idols?” Menashe replied: אי הות התם הות נקיטנא בשיפולי גלימא ורהטת אבתראי – Had you been there at that time, you would have lifted the bottom of your garment and run after me to worship with me!” The next day, Rav Ashi said to the Rabbis: נפתח ברבוותא – “We will begin the subject of our teachers, the three kings.”
- Achav’s wickedness, and why it was “difficult” to punish him
The Gemara discusses Achav, the second king with no share in עולם הבא. His name signifies אח לשמים אב לעבודה זרה – “woe to Heaven,” and “father to idolatry.” The passuk says that "הנקל" – the smallest of his misdeeds was following ירבעם’s path, teaching: קלות שעשה אחאב כחמורות שעשה ירבעם – the light sins which Achav committed were equal to the severe sins which Yarovam committed. [Still, the wickedness of later kings is always referenced to ירבעם, because he was תחילה לקלקלה – the beginning of the corruption.] There was not a single furrow in Eretz Yisroel upon which Achav did not erect an idol and bow to it. Rav Nachman says Achav was שקול – equal in his good and bad deeds, because when Hashem asked who would entice Achav so he would fall at Ramos Gilead, the passuk says “one said thus, and another said thus,” indicating the great difficulty of punishing him. Rav Yosef objected that the passuk says there was never anyone like Achav, who sold himself to do what was evil in Hashem’s eyes, and you say he was equal?! Rather, אחאב וותרן בממונו היה – Achav was generous with his money, ומתוך שההנה תלמידי חכמים מנכסיו – and because he benefited Torah scholars from his assets, כיפרו לו מחצה – half his sins were forgiven.
