Heaven. Rather, he reaches the throne of glory.
The Teshuva of Menashe:
Chazal say (Yerushalmi Sanhedrin, Pirkei D’Rebbe Eliezar Perek 43, Pesikta page 162): Rebbe Yehoshua says that we can learn power of teshuva from Menashe, the son of Chizkiyahu. He did every disgusting sin in the world and even offered his children as sacrifices to idols. He engaged in all sorts of sorcery and did many terrible acts in order to anger Hashem. When Menashe refused to listen to Hashem, He sent the army of the king of Ashur against him. They captured Menashe and bound him in iron chains and shackles and paraded him as their prisoner.
What did Menashe do? He took a barrel of copper and made holes in it. He lit a fire under it and began to use it to call to all idols, asking them to save him. When he saw that none of his idols were helping him at all, he said: I remember that my father told me that when one is in trouble, he should return to Hashem. I will call to Hashem with all my strength.
The malachim closed all the windows to Heaven so that Menashe’s tefillos should not ascend on high. Hashem said: If I do not accept his teshuva, I will be closing the door to those who want to repent! What did Hashem do? He dug a tunnel under His throne and allowed Menashe’s prayers to come in that way. Hashem heard his prayers and returned him to Yerushalaim. And Menashe then recognized that Hashem is the true G-d. He now knew that “there is judgment and there is a judge”, and he later became the head of all ba’alei teshuva in Gan Eden.
The Teshuva of Achav:
We find a similar story about Achav. It is stated (Malachim 1:21) that Achav killed a man named Navos so that he could take his orchard. When he did this, Eliyahu rebuked him and spoke very harsh words to him about the terrible thing he did. Achav accepted the rebuke. He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He took off his shoes and walked barefoot as a sign of his contrition.
Hashem then told Eliyahu: Look at this good thing that I created. A person who has sinned can do teshuva and I will accept him. Because of his teshuva, Hashem promised that nothing bad would happen in his days. This is as Chazal say (Avos 4:4) that teshuva is like a shield that protects a person from danger.
Teshuva Through the Power of Shabbos:
The Chida zt”l (Sefer Kisei Dovid, Drush 27) explains the pasuk that speaks about returning until Hashem is referring to the day of Shabbos. Chazal say (Shabbos 118B): “If someone keeps Shabbos according to halacha, even if worshipped idols like the generation of Enosh, he will be forgiven.” He explains the pasuk to be saying that even if one sins “until Hashem”, meaning that he did an aveirah that was a personal affront to Hashem, such as worshipping idols, there is still hope for him. Through observing Shabbos, he can be forgiven.
Enthusiastically Fulfilling His Will:
The Chida (Ahavas Dovid, Drush 4) explains this pasuk by quoting the Gemara (Bava Basra 9A) that says: “Tzedakah is equal to all other mitzvos.” He says that this is because the soul of a Jew wants to give tzedakah, but the yeitzer hara tries to convince him not to. Therefore, one must run with enthusiasm to give tzedakah before the yeitzer hara can stop him.
He says that the words of the pasuk “this thing is very close to you” can be explained in this manner. The word “me’od”, very, also is used to refer to money (as the Gemara says in Brachos 54A). Accordingly, the pasuk can be understood to be talking about tzedakah and saying that it is something that is very close to the soul of a Jew. However, it has to be “in your mouth and in your heart” – meaning that is has to be done quickly, before the yeitzer hara can spoil it.
A piece of advice is said in the name of great tzadikim. Sometimes someone wants to give tzedakah, but he doesn’t have anyone to give the money to right now. He should put the money in an envelope right away and label it with the name of the tzedakah he wants to donate to. Once he does this, he probably won’t regret his action and he won’t take the money out of the envelope. Once the money has been put away like this, the yeitzer hara won’t be able to stop the individual from sending it out.
Words Lead to Joy:
Rav Moshe Midner zt”l (Sefer Kisvei Rav Moshe Mendel) explains by quoting the words we recite in davening on Shabbos: “Yismechu b’malchuscha. We shall rejoice in Your kingship.” He asks: Why do we say these words? If we are happy to be under Hashem’s kingship, why do we have to say it? If we are not happy, what will it help to say it?
He answers that we say the words in order to arouse our hearts to be happy. As the saying goes: “The mouth is the quill of the heart” (Chovos Halevavos, Shar Habechinah, Perek 8).
He quotes the Rov of Kobrin zy”a as using this concept to explain the pasuk’s words that “the thing is very close, in your mouth and in your heart.” How can we make our emunah in Hashem close to our hearts? By talking about it with our mouths. If we constantly reiterate it with our mouths by speaking about it, our hearts will come to have genuine emunah.
