(Ezra 6:9) “Whatever is needed–young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem–must be given them daily without fail” [which shows he was a good king to the Jews]!

Rabbi Yitzchak said to him: 

Rabbi, from your very source [I will prove you are wrong]. …

(Ezra 6:10) “…so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.” …

And someone who does this is not considered worthy? …

But it is taught [in a baraita]: …

Someone who says, ‘This sela [coin] is for charity, so that my son shall live, and so that I will merit life in the world to come,’ behold he is [considered] a completely righteous person! …

This is not a difficulty. …

Here [when someone gives money to charity for the wrong reasons] is a case of a Jew. Here [when Koresh gave towards the building of the Temple for the wrong reasons] is a case of a gentile.

Alternatively, [a different answer]. 

How do we know that he turned bad? As it is written, (Ezra 6:4) “With three rows of great stones, and a row of new wood: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house.” Why did he do it thusly [and order wood]? 

He thought, 

‘If the Jews rebel, I’ll light it on fire.’ …

Do you really think Solomon didn’t do the same thing? …

But it is written, (I Kings 6:36) “And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone, and a row of cedar beams.” …

Solomon put it [i.e. the wood] on top and he [i.e. Koresh] put it on the bottom. …

Solomon put it inside the building, he put it outside the building. 

Solomon coated it with plaster, and he did not coat it with plaster.

Rav Yosef, and some say it was Rabbi Yitzchak, said, …

How do we know that he turned bad? From here, (Nehemiah 2:6) “And the king said to me, and the ‘shegel’ was sitting next to him…”

What is this ‘shegel’? 

Rabbah bar Leima said in the name of Rav: 

It is the dog [and it was there for illicit purposes]. 

But can this be? Isn’t it written, (Daniel 5:23) “But have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you, and your lords, your wives, and your ‘shegels’, have drunk wine from them…”

And if ‘shegel’ means the dog, does a dog drink wine?

This is not a difficulty, for they trained it and it drank.

But can this be? For it is written, (Psalms 45:10) “The daughters of kings will visit you; the ‘shegel’ will stand at your right with golden jewelry from Ophir.” 

If the ‘shegel’ is the dog, what is the message to Israel? [Is it that dogs will be wearing jewelry? No, but you can read it allegorically.]

This is how it should be read:

For Israel having loved the Torah like the gentiles [love] the dog, they will merit “golden jewelry from Ophir.”

Alternatively, [a different answer].

Really ‘shegel’ means ‘queen’, and Rabbah bar Leima [who said it meant ‘dog’] had a tradition for [his position].

Why refer to [the queen] as a ‘shegel’? For she is as beloved for him [the king] as a dog.

Alternatively, [a different answer]. 

Because she is sat down where the dog sits.

Alternatively, [a different answer]. 

How do we know that [Artachshasta] went bad? From here, (Ezra 7:22) “Up to a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.”

Originally, it was an endless [supply], but then it was limited! 

But perhaps originally he [just] didn’t decide on a limit? 

Rather, it is clearly how we taught first [and this is not a good proof].

“And for the holidays” [of Pesach, Shevuot, and Sukkot]:

[Does the beginning of the year for] holidays [start] on the 1st of Nissan? 

It’s the 15th of Nissan [starting with Pesach]! …

Rav Chisda said: …

[‘In Nissan’ means] the holiday that is in it, is the beginning of the year for holidays.

The practical difference is for someone who makes a vow [of donating something for holy purposes], when do we place upon him [the violation] of “do not delay” [for having delayed in fulfilling it]. And [the Mishnah’s opinion] is that of Rabbi Shimon.

For it is taught [in a baraita]: 

Whether one makes a vow, or sanctifies [an object for holy use], or promises someone [else’s] value [to the Temple], once the 3 holidays have passed, he violates (Deuteronomy 23:22) “do not delay”. 

Rabbi Shimon says, 

‘The three holidays, in their order, and the holiday of Pesach is first. 

And so, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, 

‘For holidays, sometimes it can be 3, sometimes it can be 4, sometimes it can be 5 [holidays before he violates “do not delay”]. 

How so?

[If] someone takes a vow before Pesach, it is 3 [holidays before he violates “do not delay” because Pesach starts it, so it is Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot]. Before Shavuot, 5 [which are Shavuot, Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot]. Before Sukkot, 4.

Our rabbis taught [in a baraita]: 

The obligations of: one who promises his own value [to the Temple], or someone else’s value [to the Temple], setting aside objects [for the Temple], sanctifying objects [for the Temple], [someone obligated in] sin sacrifices, guilt sacrifices, burnt sacrifices, peace sacrifices, charity, first-born and animal tithes, and tithes, the Pesach sacrifice,