Nissan is considered to be the Rosh Hashana l'chadashim, meaning it is the first month of the year. The Ritva is bothered, according to R' Eliezer that the world was created in Tishrei, the count of the months began in Tishrei, shouldn't Tishrei be the first month? The Ritvah explains that until Yetzias Mitzrayim, Tishrei was considered to be the first month. Only after the exodus "gazar hakadosh baruch hu limnos m'nissan zeicher l'yitzias mitzrayim". Therefore, when the Torah was given (post yetzias mitzrayim), it considers the first month to be Nissan rather than Tishrei. This was introduced in mitzrayim when Hashem said "Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim, rishon hu lachem l'chadshei hashana", meaning for you it is the first of months, but Adam Harishon counted from Tishrei. The same idea is apparent from the Ramban in Bo, but the Ramban is not as clear in describing that prior to yetzias mitzrayim we counted from Tishrei. The Rashbam in Bo also expresses the same idea, that Nissan is the first month for the Jews, but the rest of the world counts from Tishrei (or at least should count from Tishrei). This is the reason we count for Jewish kings from Nissan, but non-jewish kings from Tishrei (3a). The Ran (2a) elaborates that without yetzias mitzrayim there would be no possibility of a Jewish kingdom, therefore we connect the malchus of Shlomo to yetzias mitzrayim, since yetzias mitzrayim introduced the possibility of a Jewish king, so all Jewish kings commemorate this by renewing their year in Nissan.
3 comments:
I haven't commented in a while, but related to this post (specifically the Ramban) there is an interesting machlokes haposkim as to whether we may refer to the secular months by their numbers or counting them is a violation of the Ramban that only Nissan may be our first month. I am linking to an article I wrote on the topic that appears on my shul's website:
http://www.bknw.org/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=70
Reb Arye - nice article - you can also see some of what we posted regarding this topic here and here
One more addition, although it is more derush than peshat.
The gemara says that Daryavesh (Koresh II) was originally "kasher" and therefore counted from Nissan like malchei yisroel, and then was "hichmitz" so his count was from Tishrei like malchei umos ha'olam. The gemara gives a few peshatim in him being "hichmitz". Most of the peshatim have to do with a change of heart in regard to the beis hamikdash (i.e. not donating whole heartedly to the beis hamikdash, or making it flammable, or limiting his gifts).
The Ramban in hakdamah to shemos explains that yetzias mitzrayim was only completed by "v'asu li mikdash". The recognition of the Beis Hamikdash, is tantamount to understanding the value of Yetzias Mitzrayim.
Now, the definition of a "kasher" king, is a king who recognizes the significance of the beis hamikdash, and therefore deserves to be counted from Nissan since he recognizes the purpose of yetzias mitzrayim. Daryavesh deserved the right to be counted from Nissan since he allowed the building of the Beis Hamikdash. But, "hichmitz" means no longer fully recognizing the importance of the beis hamikdash, so from then on he no longer deserves the Nissan count, and falls back to the Tishrei count.
I am still struggling to fit in dog interpretation of "hichmitz" and why that should affect whether he is counted from Nissan or Tishrei. Any ideas? (may have to do with "lo yechratz kelev l'shono").
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