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1) THE SOURCE OF NISAN AS THE NEW YEAR FOR KINGS (cont.)

(a) Proof that Sichon survived Aharon's death:

1. The Pasuk states that "the Cana'ani, King of Arad, heard" that Aharon died.
2. The Pasuk telling that Israel "*saw* that Aharon died" is also read as "they *feared* because Aharon died" (in accordance with Resh Lakish's teaching that "Ki" can mean 'if," "perhaps," "rather," and "because" [as in this case]).

(b) Question: We need to know about Sichon, but the verse speaks of Arad and not Sichon!
(c) Answer: Sichon, Arad and Cana'an are all the same person.

1. He was named "Sichon" because he was as wild as a foal ("Si'ach"); "Cana'an" was his kingdom; and "Arad" was his name.
2. Alternatively, he was named "Arad" because he was as wild as a wild ass ("Arod"); "Cana'an" was his kingdom; and "Sichon" was his name.

(d) Question: Maybe the years from the Exodus are counted from Iyar?
(e) Answer: The verse about the completion of the Mishkan in Nisan and the subsequent lifting of the cloud in Iyar of that year show that Iyar can't be the new year.
(f) Question: Maybe the years from the Exodus are counted from Sivan?
(g) Answer: If so, the encampment at Sinai in Sivan would be dated as "the second year" (the more significant date) rather than as "the third month."
(h) Question: Maybe the years from the Exodus are counted from Tamuz, Av or Adar?

(a) Answer (R. Elazar): The new year for kings is learned from a Pasuk stating that Shlomo began building the Beis haMikdash in Iyar, "in the second," which surely means that Iyar follows the month from which the king's years are counted - namely, Nisan.
(b) Question (Ravina): Maybe it means the second of the month?
(c) Answer: It would then have said so.
(d) Question: Maybe it means the second day of the week?
(e) Answer: Firstly, the Torah does not speak in such terms; secondly, it is connected to the adjacent word "second" which refers to the second month, Iyar, and must also be referring to a month.
(f) A cited Beraisa is identical to R. Yochanan's exegesis (on Daf 2, 3a).

(a) R. Chisda: Non-Jewish kings count from Tishrei (based on a Pasuk which speaks of Artachshasta's Kislev in the 20th year and another Pasuk speaks of the subsequent Nisan which is also in the 20th year).
(b) Question: How do we know that the first Pasuk is counting from Artachshasta's reign?

(c) Answer (R. Papa): The identical phrase of "the twentieth year" in each Pasuk shows (as a Gezerah Shavah) that they are both being counted from Artachshasta's reign.
(d) Question: How do we know that the Kislev event is referring to the Kislev before the Nisan event and not the reverse?
(e) Answer: A Beraisa states that Chanani's statements to Nechemyah in Kislev (the first Pasuk) were repeated to the King in Nisan (the second Pasuk).

(a) Question (R. Yosef): A Pasuk concerning the reign of Daryavesh speaks of Elul in his second year, and another Pasuk speaks of the subsequent month Tishrei; if Tishrei begins the new year, it should date it as "the third year"!
(b) Answer (R. Avahu): Koresh was so called because he was a kosher king; therefore his years are dated from Nisan, like a Jewish king.
(c) Question #1 (R. Yosef): We find a Pasuk speaking about Adar of the sixth year of Daryavesh, and another Pasuk speaks about the month Av fifteen months later as being in the seventh year; if Nisan began the years of Daryavesh, it should have been dated as the eighth year!
(d) Question #2 (R. Yosef): We are discussing Daryavesh, not Koresh!?
(e) Answer to question #2: Koresh, Daryavesh and Artachshasta are all the same person (he was named Koresh because he was a kosher king, Artachshasta was the name of his kingdom, and Daryavesh was his name).
(f) Answer to question #1: His years were counted from Tishrei after he turned evil.