Zichru Daf Simanim
Siman - Rosh Hashanah Daf 3
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  • An alternative source that the Rosh Hashanah for kings is Nissan

The Gemara brings a different source to show that the years of the king’s reign are counted from Nissan. Rebbe Elazar said that it is derived from here: "ויחל לבנות בחדש השני בשני בשנת ארבע למלכותו" – He (Shlomo HaMelech) began to build (the Beis Hamikdash) in the second month (Iyar) in the second, in the fourth year of his reign. What does the passuk mean by repeating “in the second”? לאו שני לירח שמונין בו למלכותו – Does it not mean the second month after the month from which the king’s reign is counted? That is, Iyar is the second month of the king’s reign, which begins in Nissan. We see from here that Nissan is the Rosh Hashanah for kings.

  • The Rosh Hashanah for non-Jewish kings is Tishrei

With regard to the Mishnah’s ruling that Nissan is the Rosh Hashanah for kings, Rav Chisda said: לא שנו אלא למלכי ישראל אבל למלכי אומות העולם מתשרי מנינן – They taught this ruling only with respect to kings of Yisroel, but with respect to the kings of the other nations of the world we count their reigns from Tishrei. Since in referring to an incident with Nechemiah that took place in Kislev, the passuk describes it as occurring in the twentieth year, and in referring to an incident that took place later, in Nissan, the passuk also describes it as occurring in the twentieth year, מכלל דראש השנה לאו ניסן הוא – evidently, the Rosh Hashanah with respect to the king’s reign is not Nissan. Once we know it is not Nissan, it stands to reason that it begins in Tishrei, which marks the new year in many other contexts.

  • Counting the years in the reign of Daryavesh before and after he soured

When Rav Yosef challenged Rav Chisda’s ruling that the reign of non-Jewish kings is reckoned from  reign, Rebbe Yitzchak answered, כורש מלך כשר היה לפיכך מנו לו כמלכי ישראל – Koresh, (referring to Daryavesh), was a virtuous king, therefore, they reckoned his reign as they would for kings of Yisrael, from Nissan. When later passukim are brought that demonstrate that Nissan did not trigger the next year of his reign, Rebbe Yitzchak answered that it was not a kasha. כאן קודם שהחמיץ - Here, in the parsha about the resumption of the Temple’s construction, which reckons Daryavesh’s second year as beginning in Nissan, the reference is to the period before he soured, כאן לאחר שהחמיץ – whereas here, in the parsha which does not reckon his seventh year as beginning in Nissan, the reference is to the period after he soured.  The Gemara on the next Daf will discuss how Daryavesh soured.

Siman – Camel. The camels competing in the great annual Camel Race taking place in the second month in the second, raced past the non-Jewish king whose reign was counted in Tishrei, and who was beginning to look sour as he realized he was about to lose his massive bet.

Rabbi Avraham Goldhar

Rabbi Avraham Goldhar has been designing and teaching Jewish literacy courses for over thirty years. His knowledge frameworks for Biblical mastery, Jewish History, Talmudic Law & Jewish Holidays enable students of all backgrounds to better integrate Jewish concepts and learn systematically. After serving as the Educational Director of Aish HaTorah New York, Avraham launched GoldharSchool.com, Home of Big Picture Jewish Education, featuring Jewish literacy content for schools and individuals. He is the developer of the Goldhar Method, a revolutionary learning system that integrates memory into the learning process and has trained over 80,000 students, teachers and professionals. He lectures internationally on the topic of academic mastery and the solutions required to raise the bar in education. Avraham learned in Aish HaTorah, Mir, and Chaim Berlin and received his ordination under the tutelage of Rabbi Yitzchok Berkovits in Jerusalem.