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?
Another matter, “and a woman, if her bloody discharge will flow.” Who fulfilled the mitzva of [separating from a woman at the time of her] discharge? It was Yekhonyahu son of Yehoyakim. They say that when Nebuchadnezzar ascended to destroy Jerusalem, he ascended and encamped at Daphne at Antioch, and the Great Sanhedrin descended to greet him. They said to him: ‘Has the time arrived for this house to be destroyed?’ He said to them: ‘No. But Yehoyakim rebelled against me. Give him to me and I will go.’ They came to Yehoyakim and said to him: ‘Nebuchadnezzar wants you.’ He said to them: ‘Is this how one acts? Does one disregard one life in favor of another life? Do [you] disregard my life in order to sustain your lives? It is written: “You shall not deliver a slave to his master”’ (Deuteronomy 23:16). They said to him: ‘Did your ancestor not do so to Sheva ben Bikhri?’39See II Samuel Chapter 20. Since he did not heed them, they rose, took him, and lowered him to [Nebuchadnezzar]. How did they lower him? Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Eliezer ben Rabbi Natan said: They lowered him alive, just as it says: “They placed him in a cage with hooks [baḥaḥim]” (Ezekiel 19:9); “alive [baḥayim]” is written.40The word as written in this verse is baḥaḥim. Some suggest that the midrash derives the connection between “with hooks [baḥaḥim]” and “alive [baḥayim]” from the fact that in Ezekiel 29:4 the word hooks [ḥaḥim] is written with two yods, such that it could be read ḥaḥayim (HaTirosh). Rabbi Shimon said: They lowered him to him dead, just as it says: “So that his voice would be heard no longer” (Ezekiel 19:9). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: I will uphold the statement of both of them. They lowered him alive, but he was delicate and he died at their hands. What did Nebuchadnezzar do to him? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: He took him and brought him around to all the cities of Judah, and he sat and judged him in a show trial and executed him. He tore open a donkey and placed him in it. That is what is written: “He will be buried in the burial of a donkey” (Jeremiah 22:19). Rabbi Neḥemya said: He took him and brought him to all the cities of Israel and executed him. He would cut from him [pieces of flesh the size of] olive bulks and cast them to the dogs. That is what is written: “He will be buried in the burial of a donkey.” Where is a donkey buried, is it not in the innards of a dog? It is he whom the prophet castigates and says: “The rest of the matters of Yehoyakim, and everything that he did” (II Kings 24:5).41Some suggest that the reference should be to the following verse: “The rest of the deeds of Yehoyakim, and his abominations that he performed, and that which was found about him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah” (II Chronicles 36:8) (Rashash). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were three amora’im;42Three amora’im offered interpretations as to the actions he performed that are alluded to in the phrase “and that which was found about him” – see previous footnote. one said that he wore diverse kinds, one said that he pulled his foreskin,43He attempted to conceal that he was circumcised. one said that he had a tattoo engraved on his flesh. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is that he consorted with his mother, his daughter-in-law, and his father’s wife, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The truth of the matter is that he entered the entrance through which he had emerged. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is that he settled biraniyot in Jerusalem. What are biraniyot? Empty [bairan] and bound [tzairan], as he would kill the husbands, ravage the wives, and place their money in the royal treasury. That is what is written: “He ravished its widows” (Ezekiel 19:7). Once Nebuchadnezzar killed him, he crowned his son, Yekhonya, in his stead and descended to Babylon. All the citizens of Babylon emerged to laud him. They said to him: ‘What did you do?’ He said to them: ‘Yehoyakim rebelled against me. I killed him and crowned his son Yekhonya in his stead.’ They said to him: ‘The parable says: Do not raise a good puppy from a bad dog, and a bad puppy from a bad dog, all the more so.’ Immediately, he heeded them and ascended and encamped at Daphne at Antioch. The Great Sanhedrin descended to greet him. They said to him: ‘Has the time arrived for this house to be destroyed?’ He said to them: ‘No. However, the one whom I crowned, give him to me and I will go on my way.’ They went and said to Yekhonya: ‘Nebuchadnezzar wants you.’ What did he do? He stood and collected all the keys to the Temple and ascended to the rooftop. He said: ‘Master of the universe, since we did not merit to be treasurers before You; until now we have been faithful custodians before You, from here on, here are Your keys before You.’ Two amora’im; one said,a sort of fiery hand descended and took them from him, and one said, from the moment that he threw them, they did not descend again. What were the youths of Israel doing? They were ascending to their rooftops and falling and dying. That is what is written: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision: What, indeed, is with you, that you all went up to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). What did Nebuchadnezzar do? He took him and incarcerated him in prison. Anyone who was incarcerated in his days would never emerge from there, based on: “Who never released his prisoners homeward” (Isaiah 14:17). Yehoyakhin44Yehoyakhin, Yekhonya, and Konya are all varieties of the same name and refer to the same individual. was exiled and the Great Sanhedrin was exiled with him. That is what is written: “Is [this man Konya] a despised, shattered idol [ha’etzev]?” (Jeremiah 22:28). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Like this bone [ka’etzem] with marrow, that once you shatter it, it is not good for anything…until “She’altiel” (I Chronicles 3:17). The Holy One blessed be He consulted [shaal] with His supernal court and they annulled His oath.45See Vayikra Rabba 10:5. At that moment, the Great Sanhedrin convened to deliberate and said: In our day, the kingdom of the House of David will cease, in whose regard it is written: “His throne will be as the sun before Me” (Psalms 89:37). What shall we do? Let us go and appease Gadelet,46Gadelet was the nursemaid of Nebuchadnezzar’s queen’s nursemaid. and Gadelet [will appease] the queen, and the queen [will appease] the king. They went and appeased Gadelet, and Gadelet, the queen, and the queen, the king. What was the name of Nebuchadnezzar’s wife? Rav Huna said: Her name was Shemiram. Rabbi Avin said: Her name was Shemiramot. The Rabbis say: Her name was Shemiraam, because she was born in thunder. When Nebuchadnezzar came to consort with her, she said to him: ‘You are a king; is Yekhonya not a king? You seek your position; does Yekhonya not seek his position?’47Yekhonya, as a king, deserves to be treated with some degree of respect, even in prison. In particular, he should be granted his position, meaning conjugal rights. Immediately he issued a decree and they gave him his wife. How did they lower her to him? Rabbi Shabetai said: They lowered her to him through the skylights. The Rabbis say: They opened the roof and lowered her to him. When he came to consort with her, she said to him: ‘I saw [blood] like a red rose.’48She experienced menstrual bleeding. He withdrew from her. Immediately, she went, counted, became purified, and immersed. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In Jerusalem you did not fulfill the mitzva of discharge, but now you are fulfilling it, as it is stated: “You too, for the blood of your covenant, I have released your prisoners from the pit” (Zechariah 9:11). You remembered that blood of Sinai;49The blood of the covenant (see Exodus 24:8). therefore, “I have released your prisoners.”’50Yehoyakhin was eventually released (see II Kings 25:27–28). Rabbi Shabetai said: He did not move from there until the Holy One blessed be He granted him atonement for him of all his iniquities. Regarding that moment it says: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: “Return, wayward children, I will heal your deviances” (Jeremiah 3:22).
