It all begins with the poignant question: “Who fulfilled the mitzvah," the good deed, "of separating from a woman at the time of her discharge?” The answer? A surprising figure: Yekhonyahu, son of Yehoyakim.

Now, this isn't just a simple tale; it’s woven into the tumultuous period of Jerusalem's siege by Nebuchadnezzar. Imagine the scene: Nebuchadnezzar, poised to destroy Jerusalem, encamps at Daphne at Antioch. The Great Sanhedrin, the high court, approaches him, desperately asking if the time for the Temple's destruction has truly come. Nebuchadnezzar deflects, claiming that Yehoyakim, the king, has rebelled.

What follows is a grim sequence of events, a political and moral quagmire. Yehoyakim is handed over to Nebuchadnezzar, and the accounts of his death are varied and brutal. Rabbi Eliezer suggests he was lowered alive into a cage, referencing Ezekiel 19:9, which speaks of hooks (baḥaḥim), linking it to the Hebrew word for alive (baḥayim). Rabbi Shimon, however, believes he was already dead. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi offers a compromise: he was lowered alive but, being delicate, died in their hands.

The indignities don't end there. Rabbi Yehuda says Nebuchadnezzar paraded Yehoyakim through Judah, judging and executing him before stuffing him into a donkey carcass – fulfilling the prophecy in Jeremiah 22:19, "He will be buried in the burial of a donkey." Rabbi Neḥemya paints an even more gruesome picture: his flesh torn and fed to dogs. It's a stark reminder of the brutal realities of power and conquest.

Rabbi Yoḥanan adds layers to Yehoyakim's wickedness, suggesting he consorted with his own mother, daughter-in-law, and father’s wife! He "entered the entrance through which he had emerged." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi claims he established "biraniyot" in Jerusalem, places of violence where husbands were killed, wives ravaged, and their wealth seized. Ezekiel 19:7 laments, "He ravaged its widows."

But the story doesn't end with Yehoyakim's demise. Nebuchadnezzar crowns his son, Yekhonya, only to be immediately cautioned by the Babylonians: "Do not raise a good puppy from a bad dog." Heeding their advice, Nebuchadnezzar returns and demands Yekhonya.

Yekhonya, faced with this impossible situation, gathers the Temple keys, ascends to the roof, and, in a moment of profound despair, relinquishes them to God, acknowledging their failure as custodians. Two versions exist: one says a fiery hand descends to take the keys; the other says they simply vanish into the sky. Isaiah 22:1 poignantly captures the despair of the people: “What, indeed, is with you, that you all went up to the roofs?” Young Israelites, in their grief, were throwing themselves from the rooftops.

Nebuchadnezzar imprisons Yekhonya, and, as Isaiah 14:17 says, "never released his prisoners homeward.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana uses a powerful image from Jeremiah 22:28: "Is [this man Konya] a despised, shattered idol [ha’etzev]?" He compares Yekhonya to a bone [ka’etzem] shattered beyond repair.

But here's where the story takes an unexpected turn. The Great Sanhedrin, in exile with Yekhonya, seeks to intervene. They appease Gadelet, the nursemaid of Nebuchadnezzar's queen's nursemaid (talk about going up the chain!). They hope she will influence the queen, who in turn will sway the king. According to Rav Huna, Nebuchadnezzar's wife was named Shemiram, or according to Rabbi Avin, Shemiramot.

The queen, recognizing Yekhonya's inherent right as a king, challenges Nebuchadnezzar: "You are a king; is Yekhonya not a king? You seek your position; does Yekhonya not seek his position?” She demands that Yekhonya be granted conjugal rights.

Here's the crucial moment: When Yekhonya and his wife reunite, she experiences menstrual bleeding, or "I saw [blood] like a red rose." Yekhonya, despite his circumstances, withdraws from her, observing the laws of purity. She then purifies herself and immerses.

And here's the payoff, the unexpected grace: God acknowledges Yekhonya's piety in exile, contrasting it with the lack of observance in Jerusalem. As Zechariah 9:11 proclaims, "You too, for the blood of your covenant, I have released your prisoners from the pit.” Rabbi Shabetai even suggests that Yekhonya received atonement for all his sins at that very moment. "All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you," from Song of Songs 4:7, signifies this cleansing. A Divine Voice then proclaims, "Return, wayward children, I will heal your deviances" (Jeremiah 3:22).

So, what do we take away from this intricate tale? It's a reminder that even amidst the darkest periods of history, acts of faithfulness and adherence to halakha, Jewish law, can bring about unexpected redemption. It's a story of flawed individuals, devastating consequences, and the enduring power of faith, even in the face of utter despair. It asks us: how do we maintain our values when everything around us is crumbling? And can even the smallest acts of devotion pave the way for healing and forgiveness?