Our Gemara on Amud Aleph describes how God circumvented the regular channels of prayer to allow Menashe’s repentance to be accepted. Apparently, the unparalleled bloodshed of his regime—among other despotic and wicked acts—was so severe that the normal process of prayer and repentance was blocked. A supernatural, extra-legal intervention was required, directly orchestrated by God.

Let us examine the Gemara’s precise wording:

Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And he prayed to Him; and He made an opening for him” (II Chronicles 33:13)? Instead, it should have stated: “And He received his entreaty.” Rather, this teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, crafted for him a type of opening in Heaven in order to accept him in repentance. It was necessary for Menashe to enter the World-to-Come in a clandestine manner, due to the attribute of justice that sought to prevent his entry, claiming his sentence was irreversible.

What does it mean that “God crafted for him a type of opening in Heaven”? Ben Yehoyada offers a brilliant explanation: In this context, Heaven represents the celestial constellations and the zodiac, which symbolize a person’s natural fate. By creating an opening, God allowed Menashe to transcend his predestined nature—his deeply ingrained inclinations and attitudes—so that through sincere repentance, he could overcome what seemed an unchangeable destiny.

This idea is strikingly relevant even today. While modern society often dismisses astrology as superstition, we frequently embrace pseudoscientific notions that reduce human potential to genetic predispositions. We hear claims that certain traits—whether behavioral, psychological, or moral—are inescapably dictated by DNA or early environment. While nature and nurture certainly shape us, Menashe’s story reminds us that free will and spiritual transformation can break through even the strongest deterministic forces.

An Alternative Interpretation: The Underground Tunnel

Notwithstanding Ben Yehoyada’s compelling peshat, I would like to suggest another allegorical reading. The word used by the Gemara to describe how God carved a pathway for Menashe’s prayers is machteres—a tunnel or underground chamber. This very term is used in the Torah’s Castle Doctrine, one of the foundational legal principles that was later incorporated into British common law and much of Western legal tradition.

The Castle Doctrine establishes the intrinsic right to defend one’s home, even using lethal force if necessary, based on a fundamental presumption:

A thief who tunnels into a home does so knowing the risk of confrontation, and he is prepared to resort to violence. Therefore, the homeowner has the right to preemptively strike.

This is stated explicitly in Shemos (22:1-2):

If a thief is seized while tunneling (machteres) and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt in that case.

However, the next verse presents an exception:

If the sun had already risen, there is bloodguilt in that case…

The Gemara in Sanhedrin (72a) explains that “the sun had already risen” is a metaphor. Rashi elaborates: If it is absolutely clear that the intruder has no murderous intent—such as a father stealing from his son—then lethal force is forbidden. Even if the father’s actions are twisted and criminal, there remains a deep-rooted presumption that he would never harm his child. Thus, if a son finds his father sneaking into his home at night, he may not strike him lethally.

God’s Tunnel for Menashe: A Father’s Mercy

With this in mind, perhaps the Gemara’s metaphor of machteres—God tunneling a hidden path for Menashe’s prayers—conveys a similar idea. Just as a father, no matter how estranged or immoral, still harbors an inherent bond with his child, so too did God, as Menashe’s Father, refuse to abandon him.

Despite Menashe’s horrific sins, he was still God’s son—as we all are. The Castle Doctrine assumes that a father will never strike a death blow against his child. Likewise, even when strict justice demanded Menashe’s punishment, God’s paternal love created an exception, carving out a secret tunnel through which his repentance could be accepted.

This powerful lesson extends beyond Menashe. In moments when we feel unworthy of God’s mercy, when we believe we have fallen too far, we must remember: A loving Father always leaves open a hidden tunnel for His child to return.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com