QUESTION: The Gemara says that Koresh was an upright king, and therefore the
years of his reign were counted like the years of a Jewish king, from the
month of Nisan. From the verses that the Gemara cites it is clear that the
Gemara is discussing Darius II, the king who ruled over the Persian empire
after Achashverosh. The Gemara implies that had he not been an upright king,
his years would have been counted from Tishrei since he is not Jewish.
In addition, the Gemara later (4a) implies that he was not Jewish. The
Gemara concludes that he became corrupt, and therefore the years of his
reign after that point were counted from Tishrei. The Gemara proves that he
became corrupt from the verses which describe how he made considerable
donations to the Beis ha'Mikdash, but he told the Kohanim to pray for him in
return for the donations. The Gemara says that giving Tzedakah with such a
condition is a mark of wickedness when a Nochri does it. Only for a Jew is
it an admirable trait.
TOSFOS (3b, DH Shnas) calls this king "Darius the son of Esther," based on
the Midrash (Vayikra Raba 13:5) that says that he was born from the union of
Esther and Achashverosh. If his mother, Esther, was a Jew, then he should
also be considered a Jew! Why, then, does the Gemara say that he was not
Jewish?
ANSWERS:
(a) Even if Koresh had a legal status as a Jew, the years of his reign can
only be counted from Nisan if his kingdom is a Jewish kingdom (or an upright
kingdom that was kind to the Jews). Since his kingdom was not Jewish, even
though he was himself Jewish the years of his reign were counted from
Tishrei.
As far as giving Tzedakah for personal benefit, TOSFOS (4a, DH Bishvil)
explains that the reason why giving Tzedakah with intention to personally
benefit is considered a wrongdoing when a Nochri does so is because the
Nochri gives *only* in order to receive something in return. In contrast, a
Jew gives Tzedakah in order to give, and he only appends a prayer for
himself as an aside. If not given his wish, he will not regret the Tzedakah
that he gave. Since Darius was raised in an environment that did not espouse
Jewish values, he had the traits of any other Nochri in this regard.
(b) RASHI (4a, DH Kalbesa) explicitly calls Darius a "ben Noach." It is
possible that Rashi learns that our Sugya follows another opinion which
argues with the Midrash in Vayikra Raba and holds that Darius was *not* the
son of Esther (see Esther Raba 8:3).
(c) There is a Machlokes in the Gemara in a number of places whether a child
born from a union between a Nochri and a Jewish woman is considered a Mamzer
or is Kasher (of pure lineage). Some Rishonim explain that the opinion which
says that the child is Kasher hold that the child is a proper *Nochri* and
not a Jew at all, and that *when he converts* he will not be considered a
Mamzer (RASHI, Kidushin 68b, DH Leima; TOSFOS, Yevamos 23a, DH Kasavar --
this is not the Halachic opinion). According to those Rishonim, our Gemara
might be following those Tana'im who say that the child is Kasher, which
means that he is a Kasher *Nochri*. (See also BEIS YITZCHAK, Even ha'Ezer
1:29:8.)