Sanhedrin 102: Learning of the World-to-Come Through Psalms, Kings, Chronicles, Job, and more

We are told stories from Kings II.  These teach us about Yarovam's Torah learning, which was excellent.  Why did that learning not protect him from his other sinful behaviour?  The rabbis decide that for Torah learning to be protective, it must be done for its own sake, Torah lishma.  We are told a number of connected stories from I Kings and II Chronicles that teach how critical it is, even for kings and people who do great things, to always remember the presence of G-d.  The rabbis debate: did King Ahab and Manasseh enter the World-to-Come or not?  Different deeds suggest to the rabbis that they may or may not have been rewarded at the end of their lives.

What is the point of repentance if we cannot earn our way back into the World-to-Come?  Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai speaks of one creating an opening in himself through prayer.  That opening creates a different type of opening in Heaven so that he could be accepted there in repentance.  Rabbi Yochanan argues that when sentences are irreversible through repentance, there might be a clandestine way to enter Heaven.

Rabbi Yochanan repeats another adage of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether he is angry or laughs, there is no rest".  Again we are told of a battle where the idols of the losing people are taken and worshipped by the so-called Jewish community.  

The rabbis interpret a number of verses from Psalms and Job.  Each word or phrase is said to refer to a specific part of a story - the story of Ahaz, of Manasseh, of Amon, of Yehoyakim.  An example (without a specific story reference): "No evil shall befall you nor shall any plague come near your tent" (Psalms 91:10) might mean that the evil inclination will not overcome them.  Also that one will never find his wife in a state of uncertainty regarding her halachic status of 'menstruating woman' when you return from a journey.  Or, it could mean that you will not be fearful of bad dreams nor evil thoughts.  And that you will not have a child or student who overcooks his food in public - meaning one who sins in public and causes others to sin, like Jesus the Nazarene.*

We end with information about Solomon and his father David informed by Psalms.  Until this point in the psalm, Solomon was blessed by David with blessings appropriate from father to son.  From then on, Solomon's mother blessed him with blessings appropriate to a mother blessing a son. From (91:11-13) forward, Solomon is blessed by G-d in Heaven, for G-d is spoken of in the first person.

*The rabbis note that this is not Jesus of Nazareth.