Array ( [0] => {{Short description|French rabbi and commentator (1040–1105)}} [1] => {{Redirect|Shlomo Yitzhaki|the economist|Shlomo Yitzhaki (economist)}} [2] => {{Other uses|Rashi (disambiguation)}} [3] => {{Infobox person [4] => | name = Rashi
{{Script/Hebrew|רשי}} [5] => | image = Rashi.JPG [6] => | image_size = [7] => | caption = 16th-century depiction of Rashi [8] => | birth_date = February 22, 1040 [9] => | birth_place = [[Troyes]], [[County of Champagne]], [[France in the Middle Ages|France]] [10] => | death_date = {{Death date and age|1105|7|13|1040|2|22}} [11] => | death_place = [[Troyes]], [[County of Champagne]], [[France in the Middle Ages|France]] [12] => | resting_place = [[Troyes]] [13] => | resting_place_coordinates = [14] => | nationality = French [15] => | other_names = [16] => | known_for = Writing commentaries, grammarian [17] => | occupation = Traditionally a vintner (recently questioned, see article) [18] => | spouse = [19] => | children = [[Rashi's daughters|3 daughters]] [20] => | parents = [21] => | relatives = [22] => | signature = [23] => | website = [24] => | footnotes = [25] => }} [26] => '''Shlomo Yitzchaki''' ({{lang-he|רבי שלמה יצחקי}}{{lrm}}; {{lang-la|Salomon Isaacides}}; {{lang-fr|Salomon de Troyes}}, 22 February{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} 1040 – 13 July 1105), generally known by the acronym '''Rashi''', was a [[France in the Middle Ages|medieval French]] [[rabbi]], the author of comprehensive commentaries on the [[Talmud]] and [[Hebrew Bible]]. [27] => [28] => Acclaimed for his ability to present the basic meaning of the text in a concise and lucid fashion, Rashi's commentaries appeal to both learned scholars and beginning students, and his works remain a centerpiece of contemporary [[Torah study]]. A large fraction of [[rabbinic literature]] published since the [[Middle Ages]] discusses Rashi, either using his view as supporting evidence or debating against it. His commentary on the [[Talmud]], which covers nearly all of the Babylonian Talmud, has been included in every edition of the Talmud since its first printing by [[Daniel Bomberg]] in the 1520s. His commentaries on the [[Hebrew Bible|Tanakh]]—especially his commentary on the [[Chumash (Judaism)|Chumash]] (the "Five Books of Moses")—serves as the basis of more than 300 "supercommentaries" which analyze Rashi's choice of language and citations, penned by some of the greatest names in [[rabbinic literature]].{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/476620/jewish/Rashis-Method-of-Biblical-Commentary.htm |last=Miller|first=Chaim|title=Rashi's Method of Biblical Commentary|publisher=chabad.org|year=2013}} [29] => [30] => ==Name== [31] => Rashi's surname, Yitzhaki, derives from his father's name, Yitzhak. The acronym "Rashi" stands for '''Ra'''bbi '''Sh'''lomo '''Y'''itzhaki, but is sometimes fancifully expanded as '''Ra'''bban '''Sh'''el '''Y'''Israel which means the "Rabbi of Israel", or as '''Ra'''bbenu '''SheY'''ichyeh (Our Rabbi, may he live). He may be cited in Hebrew and Aramaic texts as (1) "Shlomo son of Rabbi Yitzhak", (2) "Shlomo son of Yitzhak", (3) "Shlomo Yitzhaki", and myriad similar highly respectful derivatives.{{cite journal |last1=HaCohen-Kerner |first1=Yaakov |last2=Schweitzer |first2=Nadav |last3=Mughaz |first3=Dror |year=2011 |title=Automatically Identifying Citations in Hebrew-Aramaic Documents |journal=Cybernetics and Systems |volume=42 |issue=3|pages=180–197 |doi=10.1080/01969722.2011.567893 |s2cid=40235689 |quote=For example, the Pardes book written by Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, known by the abbreviation Rashi, can be cited using the following patterns: (1) "Shlomo son of Rabbi Yitzhak", (2) "Shlomo son of Yitzhak", (3) "Shlomo Yitzhaki", (4) "In the name of Rashi who wrote in the Pardes}} [32] => [33] => In older literature, Rashi is sometimes referred to as ''Jarchi'' or ''Yarhi'' ({{Script/Hebrew|ירחי}}), his abbreviated name being interpreted as '''R'''abbi '''Sh'''lomo '''Y'''arhi. This was understood to refer to the Hebrew name of [[Lunel, Hérault|Lunel]] in [[Provence]], popularly derived from the [[Occitan language|occitan]] ''luna'' "moon", in Hebrew {{Script/Hebrew|ירח}},{{cite book |last=Ockley |first=Simon |year=1707 |title=History of the Present Jews Throughout the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xpc9AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA74 |page=74}} in which Rashi was assumed to have lived at some time{{cite book |last=Abraham |first=Philip |year=1879 |title=Curiosities of Judaism |publisher=By and for the author |url=https://archive.org/details/curiositiesjuda00abragoog |page=[https://archive.org/details/curiositiesjuda00abragoog/page/n57 2]}} or to have been born, or where his ancestors were supposed to have originated.{{cite book |year=1857 |title=The Literary Churchman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gc4FAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA286 |page=286}} Later Christian writers [[Richard Simon (priest)|Richard Simon]]{{cite book|language=fr|title=Histoire critique du Vieux Testament|author=Simon, R.|date=1685|publisher=chez Reinier Leers|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AjVF5yTpfCQC|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AjVF5yTpfCQC/page/n588 545]|access-date=2015-08-01}} and [[Johann Christoph Wolf]]{{cite book |last=Wolf |first=Johann Christoph | year=1715 |chapter=R. Schelomo ben Isaac |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zQIVAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1057 |title=Bibliotheca Hebræa |language=la |volume=1 |location=Hamburg & Leipzig |pages=1057–1058|lccn=01010257}} claimed that only Christian scholars referred to Rashi as Jarchi, and that this epithet was unknown to the Jews. [[Bernardo de Rossi]], however, demonstrated that Hebrew scholars also referred to Rashi as Yarhi.{{cite book|title=Histoire littéraire de la France: Treizième siècle|author1=Benedictinos. Congregación de Santo Mauro (Francia)|author2=Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (Francia)|author3=Treuttel et Wü rtz (Estrasburgo)|date=1824|language=fr|volume=16|publisher=Firmin Didot|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CQBbc1vhiysC&pg=PA337|page=337|access-date=2015-08-01}} In 1839, [[Leopold Zunz]]{{cite book|language=de|title=Israelitische Annalen|date=1839|publisher=J.D. Sauerländer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b6EXAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA328|page=328|access-date=2015-08-01}} showed that the Hebrew usage of Jarchi was an erroneous propagation of the error by Christian writers, instead he interpreted the abbreviation as: '''R'''abbi '''Sh'''lomo '''Y'''itzhaki. The evolution of this term has been thoroughly traced.{{cite book|author=Mayer I. Gruber|title=Rashi's Commentary on Psalms|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nsl2NrA6v6gC&pg=PA1|date=10 October 2007|publisher=Jewish Publication Society|isbn=978-0-8276-0872-6|pages=1–}}{{cite book|author=John Kitto|title=A Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature|url=https://archive.org/details/cyclopaediaofbib03kitt|year=1876|publisher=Black|pages=[https://archive.org/details/cyclopaediaofbib03kitt/page/643 643]–}} [34] => [35] => ==Biography== [36] => ===Birth and early life=== [37] => Rashi was an only child born at [[Troyes]], [[County of Champagne|Champagne]], in northern France. His mother's brother was [[Simeon bar Isaac]], rabbi of [[Mainz]].{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishgen.org/rabbinic/infofiles/avotaynu.htm |title=Index to Articles on Rabbinic Genealogy in ''Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy'' |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=Avotaynu }}[[s:he:שבת פה ב#רש"י|Shabbat 85b]]: "And I found support on the foundation of Rabbi Simon the Elder, my mother's brother." Simon was a disciple of [[Gershom ben Judah]],See Rashi's comments in ''[[Shabbat (Talmud)|Shabbat]]'' 85b. who died that same year. On his father's side, Rashi has been claimed to be a 33rd-generation descendant of [[Johanan HaSandlar]], who was a fourth-generation descendant of [[Gamaliel]], who was reputedly descended from the [[Davidic line]].{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Yehiel Ben Shlomo Heilprin - (Circa 5420-5506; 1660-1746)|url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112344/jewish/Rabbi-Yehiel-Ben-Shlomo-Heilprin.htm|access-date=2020-06-28|website=www.chabad.org|language=en}} In his voluminous writings, Rashi himself made no such claim at all. The main early rabbinical source about his ancestry, Responsum No. 29 by [[Solomon Luria]], makes no such claim either.{{cite book |last=Hurwitz |first=Simon |author-link=Solomon Luria |title=The Responsa of Solomon Luria |language=en| year=1938 |location=New York, New York |pages=146–151}}{{cite journal|title=Can We Prove Descent from King David?|journal=Avotaynu|year=1992|first=David|last=Einsiedler|volume=VIII|issue=3(Fall) |page=29 |url=http://www.jewishgen.org/Rabbinic/journal/descent.htm|access-date=2008-06-11}} [38] => [39] => ===Legends=== [40] => His fame later made him the subject of many legends. One tradition contends that his parents were childless for many years. Rashi's father, Yitzhak, a poor [[winemaker]], once found a precious jewel and was approached by non-Jews who wished to buy it to adorn their idol. Yitzhak agreed to travel with them to their land, but en route, he cast the gem into the sea. Afterwards he was visited by either the [[Voice of God]] or the prophet [[Elijah]], who told him that he would be rewarded with the birth of a noble son "who would illuminate the world with his Torah knowledge."{{Cite web|url=http://torahdownloads.com/shiur-19191.html|title=Shiur 08 - Rashi, Tosfos, And The Development Of Ashkenazi Jewry - Rabbi Menachem Levine - TD19191|website=torahdownloads.com|access-date=2018-12-17}} [41] => [42] => Another legend also states that Rashi's parents moved to [[Worms, Germany]] while Rashi's mother was pregnant. As she walked down one of the narrow streets in the Jewish quarter, she was imperiled by two oncoming carriages. She turned and pressed herself against a wall, which opened to receive her. This miraculous niche is still visible in the wall of the [[Worms Synagogue]].Liber, Maurice. [https://books.google.com/books?id=KzG4TzOlaVQC&q=Rashi ''Rashi''], Kessinger Publishing, 2004. pg. 18–19. {{ISBN|1-4191-4396-4}} [43] => [44] => Additional legends, particularly in [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] literature, postulate that Rashi's tremendous works and accomplishments were inspired by the [[Holy Spirit]], the ''Shekhinah,'' as no mere human could produce such immense works. One text goes so far as to claim that Rashi was beyond human; the author proposes that he never died a natural death, but rather ascended to Heaven alive like the immortal prophet [[Elijah]].{{Cite book |last=Wiesel |first=Elie |title=Rashi: A Portrait |publisher=Schocken Books Inc |year=2009 |isbn=9780805242546 |location=New York, NY |pages=1-14 |language=English}} [45] => [46] => ===Yeshiva studies=== [47] => [[Image:V10p325001 Rashi Synagogue.jpg|thumb|130px|[[Rashi Shul|Rashi Synagogue]], [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]]] [48] => According to tradition, Rashi was first brought to learn Torah by his father on [[Shavuot]] day at the age of five. His father was his main Torah teacher until his death when Rashi was still a youth. At the age of 17 he married and soon after went to learn in the [[yeshiva]] of [[Yaakov ben Yakar]] in [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], returning to his wife three times yearly, for the [[Days of Awe]], [[Passover]] and [[Shavuot]]. When Yaakov died in 1064, Rashi continued learning in Worms for another year in the yeshiva of his relative, [[Isaac ben Eliezer Halevi]], who was also chief rabbi of Worms. Then he moved to [[Mainz]], where he studied under another of his relatives, Isaac ben Judah, the rabbinic head of Mainz and one of the leading sages of the [[Lorraine (province)|Lorraine]] region straddling France and Germany. [49] => [50] => Rashi's teachers were students of [[Rabbeinu Gershom]] and [[Eliezer Hagadol]], leading Talmudists of the previous generation. From his teachers, Rashi imbibed the oral traditions pertaining to the Talmud as they had been passed down for centuries, as well as an understanding of the Talmud's logic and forms of argument. Rashi took concise, copious notes from what he learned in yeshiva, incorporating this material in his commentaries. He was also greatly influenced by the exegetical principles of [[Menahem Kara]].{{Citation|last=Grossman|first=Avraham|title=4. Menahem ben Helbo|date=2000-11-12|url=https://www.vr-elibrary.de/doi/abs/10.13109/9783666535079.331|work=Hebrew Bible / Old Testament. I: From the Beginnings to the Middle Ages (Until 1300). Part 2: The Middle Ages|volume=Band 001|pages=331–332|series=Hebrew Bible / Old Testament|publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht|doi=10.13109/9783666535079.331|isbn=978-3-525-53507-3|access-date=2020-06-17}} [51] => [52] => ===Rosh yeshiva=== [53] => He returned to Troyes at the age of 25, after which time his mother died, and he was asked to join the Troyes ''[[Beth din]]'' (rabbinical court). He also began answering [[Halakha|halakhic]] questions. Upon the death of the head of the ''Bet din'', [[Zerach ben Abraham]], Rashi assumed the court's leadership and answered hundreds of halakhic queries. [54] => [55] => [[File:Anbau_des_vormaligen_Frauenbethauses_der_Synagoge_Worms_(a).jpg|thumb|left|200px|Exterior of Rashi's Synagogue, Worms, Germany]] [56] => At some time around 1070 he founded a yeshiva which attracted many disciples. It is thought by some that Rashi earned his living as a [[vintner]] since Rashi shows an extensive knowledge of its utensils and process, but there is no evidence for this.{{cite journal |url=https://seforimblog.com/2007/08/mayer-i-gruber-how-did-rashi-make/ |title=How Did Rashi Make a Living? |author=Mayer I. Gruber |publisher=the Seforim blog}} Most scholars and a Jewish oral tradition contend that he was a vintner.Maurice Liber, ''Rashi'', trans. Adele Szold (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1906), p 56; Irving Agus, ''The Heroic Age of Franco-German Jewry'' (New York: Yeshiva University Press, 1969), 173; Israel S. Elfenbein, "Rashi in His Responsa", in ''Rashi, His Teachings and Personality'', ed. [[Simon Federbusch]] (New York: Cultural Division of the World Jewish Congress, 1958), p 67; Salo W. Baron, "Rashi and the Community of Troyes", in ''Rashi Anniversary Volume'', ed. H. L. Ginsberg (New York: American Academy for Jewish Research, 1941), p 60. "Rashi was a vintner who grew grapes and sold wine." The only reason given for the centuries-old tradition that he was a vintner being not true is that the soil in all of Troyes is not optimal for growing wine grapes, claimed by the research of [[Haym Soloveitchik]]. There exists a reference to a seal said to be from his vineyard.Oxford Bodleian Ms. Oppenheim 276, p. 35a, cited by [[Avraham Grossman]], The Early Sages of France, 132; 135, n. 45. [57] => [58] => Although there are many legends about his travels, Rashi likely never went further than from the [[Seine]] to the [[Rhine]]; his furthest destinations were the yeshivas of Lorraine. [59] => [60] => In 1096, the [[People's Crusade]] swept through the Lorraine, murdering 12,000 Jews and uprooting whole communities. Among those murdered in Worms were the three sons of Isaac ben Eliezer Halevi, Rashi's teacher. Rashi wrote several ''[[Selichot]]'' (penitential poems) mourning the slaughter and the destruction of the region's great yeshivot. Seven of Rashi's ''Selichot'' still exist,R. Halperin, ''Rashi: Chayav u'Ferushav'', vol. 1 (Tel Aviv: Hekdesh Ruach Yaakov, 1997), 107-22. Referred to in Yonatan Kolatch, ''Masters of the Word: Traditional Jewish Bible Commentary from the First Through Tenth Centuries'' (Brooklyn NY: KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 2006), 18. {{ISBN|088125939X}}, 9780881259391 including ''Adonai Elohei Hatz'vaot'', which is recited on the eve of [[Rosh Hashanah]], and ''Az Terem Nimtehu'', which is recited on the [[Fast of Gedalia]]. [61] => [62] => ===Death and burial site=== [63] => Rashi died on July 13, 1105 ([[Tammuz (Hebrew month)|Tammuz]] 29, 4865) at the age of 65.Grossman, Avraham (2012). ''Rashi'', p.12 He was buried in Troyes. The approximate location of the cemetery in which he was buried was recorded in ''[[Seder ha-Dorot]]'', but over time the location of the cemetery was forgotten. A number of years ago, a [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]] professor discovered an ancient map depicting the site of the cemetery, which lay under an open square in the city of Troyes. After this discovery, French Jews erected a large monument in the center of the square—a large, black and white globe featuring the three Hebrew letters of רשי artfully arranged counterclockwise in negative space, evoking the style of Hebrew [[Micrography|microcalligraphy]]. The granite base of the monument is engraved: ''Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki — Commentator and Guide''. [64] => [65] => In 2005, [[Yisroel Meir Gabbai]] erected an additional plaque at this site marking the square as a burial ground. The plaque reads: "''The place you are standing on is the cemetery of the town of Troyes. Many [[Rishonim]] are buried here, among them Rabbi Shlomo, known as Rashi the holy, may his merit protect us''".{{cite news |url=http://www.chareidi.org/archives5765/mattos/MTS65features.htm |title=The Discovery of the Resting Places of Rashi and the Baalei Hatosfos |author=Y. Friedman| publisher=Dei'ah Vedibur |date=2005-07-25}} [66] => [67] => ===Descendants=== [68] => {{main|Rashi's daughters}} [69] => [70] => Rashi had no sons. All of his [[Rashi's daughters|three children]] were girls, named Yocheved, Miriam and Rachel. He invested himself in their education; his writings and the legends which surround him suggest that his daughters were well-versed in the [[Torah]] and the [[Talmud]] (at a time when women were not expected to study) and would help him when he was too weak to write. His daughters married his disciples; most present-day [[Ashkenazi]] rabbinical dynasties can trace their lineage back to his daughters Miriam or Yocheved.{{cite book|last=Shereshevsky|first=Ezra|title=Rashi - the Man and His World|publisher=Sepher-Hermon|year=1982}} [71] => [72] => A late-20th century legend claims that Rashi's daughters wore [[tefillin]]. While a few women in medieval Ashkenaz did wear tefillin, there is no evidence that Rashi's daughters did.[[Avraham Grossman]]. ''Pious and Rebellious: Jewish Women in Medieval Europe''. Brandeis University Press, 2004.) [73] => [74] => * Rashi's oldest daughter, Yocheved, married [[Meir ben Samuel]]; their four sons were Shmuel ([[Rashbam]]; born 1080), Yitzchak ([[Rivam]]; born 1090), Jacob ([[Rabbeinu Tam]]; born 1100), and Shlomo the Grammarian, all of whom were among the most prolific [[List of Tosafists|Tosafists]]. Yocheved's daughter, [[Hannah bat Meir|Channah]], is reputed to have instructed the local women to recite the blessing after [[Shabbat candles|candle lighting]] (instead of before). [75] => * Rashi's middle daughter, Miriam, married [[Judah ben Nathan]], who completed the commentary on the Talmud [[Makkot]].[[s:he:מכות יט ב#רש"י|Makkot 19b]]: One printed edition of the Talmud states: "Our master's body was pure, and his soul departed in purity, and he did not explain any more; from here on is the language of his student Rabbi Yehudah ben Nathan." Their daughter Alvina was a learned woman whose customs served as the basis for later halakhic decisions. Their son [[Yom Tov ben Judah of Falaise|Yom Tov]] later moved to Paris and headed a yeshiva there, together with his brothers Shimshon and Eliezer. [76] => * Rashi's youngest daughter, Rachel, married (and divorced) Eliezer ben Shemiah. Little else is known about her. [77] => [78] => {{Rashi family tree}} [79] => [80] => ==Works== [81] => ===Commentary on the Tanakh=== [82] => [[Image:Sapirstein Rashi.jpg|thumb|200px|A modern translation of Rashi's commentary on the [[Chumash (Judaism)|Chumash]], published by [[Artscroll]]]] [83] => Rashi's commentary on the Tanakh—and especially his commentary on the [[Chumash (Judaism)|Chumash]]—is the essential companion for any study of the Bible among [[Orthodox Jews]]. Drawing on the breadth of Midrashic, Talmudic and [[aggadata|Aggadic]] literature (including literature that is no longer extant), as well as his knowledge of Hebrew grammar and [[halakhah]], Rashi clarifies the "simple" meaning of the text so that a bright child of five could understand it.{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org.il/Magazines/Article.asp?ArticleID=3822&CategoryID=957 |title=רבן של ישראל (Hebrew) |author=Mordechai Menashe Laufer|language=he}} At the same time, his commentary forms the foundation for some of the most profound legal analysis and mystical discourses that came after it. Scholars debate why Rashi chose a particular Midrash to illustrate a point, or why he used certain words and phrases and not others. [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]] wrote that "Rashi's commentary on Torah is the 'wine of Torah'. It opens the heart and uncovers one's essential love and fear of G-d."{{cite web|url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/476620/jewish/Rashis-Method-of-Biblical-Commentary.htm |title=Rashi's Method of Biblical Commentary - Rashi's Method of Biblical Commentary, and the Rebbe's approach to Rashi's works - Jewish History |publisher=chabad.org|access-date=2015-08-01}} [84] => [85] => Scholars believe that Rashi's commentary on the Torah grew out of the lectures he gave to his students in his yeshiva, and evolved with the questions and answers they raised on it. Rashi completed this commentary only in the last years of his life. It was immediately accepted as authoritative by all Jewish communities, [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi]] and [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardi]] alike.{{dubious|date=July 2022}} [86] => [87] => The first dated Hebrew printed book was Rashi's commentary on the Chumash, printed by Abraham ben Garton in [[Reggio di Calabria]], [[Italy]], 18 February 1475. (This version did not include the text of the Chumash itself.){{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/amed/guide/hs-books.html|title=The Books of the People of the Book - Hebraic Collections: An Illustrated Guide (Library of Congress - African & Middle Eastern Division)|website=www.loc.gov|access-date=2019-11-03}} [88] => [89] => Rashi wrote commentaries on all the books of TanakhI.Gruber, Mayer. ''Rashi's Commentary on Psalms'', Brill - The Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-8276-0872-6}} except [[Books of Chronicles|Chronicles I & II]], and [[Ezra–Nehemiah]].Eran Viezel, The Commentary on Chronicles Attributed to Rashi, Jerusalem: The Hebrew University Magnes Press, 2010 His commentary to [[Book of Job|Job]] is incomplete, ending at 40:25.{{Cite journal |last=Penkower |first=Jordan S. |date=2003 |title=The End of Rashi's Commentary on Job. The Manuscripts and the Printed Editions (with three appendices) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40753321 |journal=Jewish Studies Quarterly |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=18–48 |doi=10.1628/0944570033029194 |jstor=40753321 |issn=0944-5706}} [90] => [91] => A main characteristic of Rashi's writing was his focus on grammar and syntax. His primary focus was on word choice, and "essentially [he acts] as a dictionary where he defines unusual Hebrew words." He searches for things that may not be clear to the reader and offers clarification on the inconsistency that may be present. Rashi does so by "filling in missing information that [helps] lead to a more complete understanding" of the Torah.Levy, Steven, and Sarah Levy. “Introduction.” The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 2017, pp. xv-xx. JSTOR ([http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1wvwdqs.4 link]) A portion of his writing is dedicated to making distinctions between the ''[[peshat]]'', or plain and literal meaning of the text, and the ''aggadah'' or rabbinic interpretation. [[Rashbam]], one of Rashi's grandchildren, heavily critiqued his response on his "commentary on the Torah [being] based primarily on the classic midrashim (rabbinic homilies)."Viezel, Eran. "“The Anxiety of Influence”: Rashbam's Approach to Rashi's Commentary on the Torah." AJS Review 40.2 (2016): 279-303. Print. [92] => [93] => Rashi himself explained his method as utilizing both ''peshat'' and ''derash'': "I, however, am only concerned with the plain sense of Scripture (''peshuto shel mikra'') and with such Agadoth that explain the words of Scripture in a manner that fits in with them."{{Alhatorah|Genesis|3:8|Rashi}} In one place, he quotes a midrash and then states "But this midrash cannot be reconciled with Scripture for several reasons... Therefore I say: let scripture be reconciled according to its simple meaning, clearly, and the midrash may also be expounded, as is said: 'Is not My word... like a hammer which shatters the rock?'{{Bibleverse|Jeremiah|23:29|HE}} - it is divided into many fragments."{{Alhatorah|Exodus|6:9|Rashi}} [94] => [95] => ===Commentary on the Talmud=== [96] => [[File:Rashi's Talmud Commentary.jpg|250px|thumb|right|An early printing of the Talmud ([[Ta'anit]] 9b); Rashi's commentary is at the bottom of the right column, continuing for a few lines into the left column. [Note: According to [[Zvi Hirsch Chajes|R' Zvi Chajes]], the "Rashi" commentary on Ta'anit was not written by Rashi]]] [97] => [98] => Rashi wrote the first comprehensive [[Talmud#Commentaries|commentary on the Talmud]], covering nearly all of the Babylonian Talmud (a total of 30 out of 39 [[Masekhet|tractate]]s, due to his death). The commentary, drawing on his knowledge of the entire contents of the Talmud, attempts to provide a full explanation of the words and of the logical structure of each Talmudic passage. Unlike other commentators, Rashi does not paraphrase or exclude any part of the text, but elucidates phrase by phrase. Often he provides punctuation in the unpunctuated text, explaining, for example, "This is a question"; "He says this in surprise", "He repeats this in agreement", etc. [99] => [100] => As in his commentary on the Tanakh, Rashi frequently illustrates the meaning of the text using analogies to the professions, crafts, and sports of his day. He also translates difficult Hebrew or [[Aramaic]] words into the spoken [[French language]] of his day, giving latter-day scholars a window into the vocabulary and pronunciation of [[Old French]]. [101] => [102] => Rashi's Talmud commentary spread quickly, reaching Jews as far as [[Yemen]] by mid-12th century.{{cite news|last=Hoffman|first=Yair|title=Interview with Professor Haym Soloveitchik by Rabbi Yair Hoffman|url=http://www.5tjt.com/interview-with-professor-haym-soloveitchik-by-rabbi-yair-hoffman/|date=January 3, 2014|agency=Five Towns Jewish Times}} It has been included in every version of the Talmud since its first printing in the fifteenth century. It is always situated towards the middle of the opened book display; i.e., on the side of the page closest to the binding. [103] => [104] => Some of the other printed commentaries which are attributed to Rashi were composed by others, primarily his students. [[Akiva Eger]] stated that the commentary on Nazir was not in fact by Rashi, while [[Zvi Hirsch Chajes]] stated that the commentary on Taanit was not by Rashi.{{Cite web|url=http://traditionarchive.org/news/originals/Volume%2027/No.%202/The%20Role%20Of%20Manuscripts.pdf|title=The role of manuscripts in halakhic decision-making: Hazon Ish, his precursors and contemporaries}}, p.40 In some editions of the Talmud, the text indicates that Rashi died before completing the tractate, and that it was completed by a student. This is true of [[Makkot]] (the end of which was composed by his son-in-law, [[Judah ben Nathan]]), and of [[Bava Batra]] (finished, in a more detailed style, by his grandson the [[Rashbam]]). The commentary attributed to Rashi on [[Horayot]] was thought by someSee "Nitzozei Or" [Hebrew] of Reuven Margoliot; notes on horayot p. 191. to have been written by Judah ben Nathan, but evidence was uncovered indicating that the commentary on Horayot was from the school of [[Gershom ben Judah]].See Y N Epstein, The commentary on Horayot Attributed to Rashi," ''[[Tarbiẕ]]'' 1942 pp.218-225 [in Hebrew] There is a legend that the commentary on Nedarim, which is clearly not his, was actually composed by his daughters. Another legend states that Rashi died while writing a commentary on Talmud, and that the very last word he wrote was 'tahor,' which means pure in Hebrew - indicating that his soul was pure as it left his body. [105] => [106] => ===Responsa=== [107] => About 300 of Rashi's [[responsa]] and halakhic decisions are extant. Although some may find contradictory to Rashi's intended purpose for his writings, these responsa were copied, preserved, and published by his students, grandchildren, and other future scholars.Grossman, Avraham, and Joel A. Linsider. Rashi. Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2012. 152-161. Print. ''[[Siddur Rashi]]'', compiled by an unknown student, also contains Rashi's responsa on prayer. Many other rulings and responsa are recorded in [[Mahzor Vitry]]. Other compilations include ''Sefer Hapardes'', probably edited by Shemaiah of Troyes,{{Efn|Also often attributed to Samuel of [[Bamburg]]; see H. L. Erenreich, ''Sepher ha-Pardes'' pg. 14.}} Rashi's student, and ''Sefer Haorah'', prepared by Nathan Hamachiri. [108] => [109] => Rashi's writing is placed under the category of post-Talmudic, for its explanation and elaboration on the Talmud; however, he not only wrote about the meaning of Biblical and Talmudic passages, but also on liturgical texts, syntax rules, and cases regarding new religions emerging.Liber, Maurice, and Adele Szold. Rashi ... Translated from the French by A. Szold. Jewish Publication Society of America, 1906. Print. Some say that his responsa allows people to obtain "clear pictures of his personality," and shows Rashi as a kind, gentle, humble, and liberal man.“The Life of Rashi .” Rashi, by Chaim Pearl, Peter Halban Publishers Ltd, 1988, pp. 8–23. Print. They also illustrate his intelligence and common sense. [110] => [111] => Rashi's responsa not only addressed some of the different cases and questions regarding Jewish life and law, but it shed light into the historical and social conditions which the Jews were under during the First Crusade. He covered the following topics and themes in his responsa: linguistic focus on texts, law related to prayer, food, and the Sabbath, wine produced by non-Jews, oaths and excommunications, sales, partnerships, loans and interest, bails, communal affairs, and civil law. Rashi's responsa can be broken down into three genres: questions by contemporary sages and students regarding the Torah, the law, and other compilations. [112] => [113] => For example, in his writing regarding relations with the Christians, he provides a guide for how one should behave when dealing with martyrs and converts, as well as the "insults and terms of [disgrace] aimed at the Jews." Stemming from the aftermath of the Crusades, Rashi wrote concerning those who were forced to convert, and the rights women had when their husbands were killed. [114] => [115] => Rashi focused the majority of his responsa, if not all, on a "meticulous analysis of the language of the text".Skolnik, Fred. “Rashi.” Encyclopedia Judaica. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 2007.101-106. Print. [116] => [117] => ==Legacy== [118] => Rashi was one of the first authors to write in [[Old French]] (the language he spoke in everyday life,He referred to French as ''leshonenu'' "our language", in contrast with Hebrew, which was the Holy Language. More about this [https://mvstconference.ace.fordham.edu/medievalfrenchwithoutborders/ruth-nisse-2/ here.] which he used alongside Hebrew), as most contemporary French authors instead wrote in [[Latin]]. As a consequence, besides its religious value, his work is valued for the insight it gives into the language and culture of Northern France in the 11th century.[[Claude Hagège]], dans ''Héritages de Rachi'', ouvrage collectif, sous la direction de [[René-Samuel Sirat]], Éditions de l’éclat [119] => [120] => ===Commentary on the Tanakh=== [121] => [[Image:Rashi Pentateuch English.jpg|thumb|200px|Title page of an English translation of Rashi's Commentary on the Pentateuch.]] [122] => Tens of thousands of men, women and children study "Chumash with Rashi" as they review the Torah portion to be read in synagogue on the upcoming [[Shabbat]]. According to [[halakha]], a man may even fulfill of the requirement of [[Shnayim mikra ve-echad targum]] by reading Rashi's commentary rather than the standard [[Targum Onkelos]]. Since its publication, Rashi's commentary on the Torah is standard in almost all Chumashim produced within the [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jewish]] community. [[Mordechai of Nadvorna|Mordechai Leifer]] of [[Nadvorna (Hasidic dynasty)|Nadvorna]] said that anyone who learns the weekly [[Parsha]] together with the commentary by Rashi every week is guaranteed to sit in the [[Yeshiva]] (school) of Rashi in the Afterlife.{{cite web| url = http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=27185&st=&pgnum=22| title = Yiddeshe Licht Vol 31 Number 15 Page 14 (Hebrew Text)}} [123] => [124] => Voluminous supercommentaries have been published on Rashi's Bible commentaries, including ''Gur Aryeh'' by [[Judah Loew]] (the Maharal), ''Sefer ha-Mizrachi'' by [[Elijah Mizrachi]] (the Re'em), and ''Yeri'ot Shlomo'' by [[Solomon Luria]] (the Maharshal). [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]], in his [[Likkutei Sichos#"Rashi Sichos"|''Rashi Sichos'']], often addresses several of these commentaries at once. [125] => [126] => Rashi's influence grew the most in the 15th century; from the 17th century onwards, his commentaries were translated into many other languages. Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch was known as the first printed Hebrew work. English translations include those of [[Pentateuch with Rashi's Commentary Translated into English|Rosenbaum and Silbermann]] and [[ArtScroll]]. [127] => [128] => ===Commentary on the Talmud=== [129] => [[File:Raschihaus.jpg|thumb|200px|''Raschihaus'', Jewish Museum, Worms, Germany.]] [130] => Rashi's commentary on the Talmud continues to be a key basis for contemporary rabbinic scholarship and interpretation. Without Rashi's commentary, the Talmud would have remained a closed book.{{Cite journal|last=Zeitlin|first=Solomon|date=October 2, 1940|title=RASHI Rabbi Solomon of France|journal=The American Jewish Year Book|volume=41|pages=111–140}} [131] => [132] => Rashi's commentary had a profound influence on subsequent Talmud study and scholarship: [133] => {{Blockquote|The commentaries of Rashi democratized talmudic scholarship. Prior to his work, the only way to master a tractate was to travel to a talmudic academy and study at the feet of a master. No written work could systematically convey with any degree of sustained accuracy the precise line of a talmudic argument... With the appearance of Rashi’s work, anyone, regardless of means, could by dint of talent and effort master any talmudic topic. It further expanded the range of knowledge of most scholars. Previously, one knew accurately only what one had been fortunate to study at an academy... The lifelong study of Talmud, the constant conquest of new tractates, and the unlimited personal acquisition of knowledge was in many ways the consequence of Rashi’s inimitable work of exposition.}} [134] => [135] => The presence of Rashi's commentary also changed the nature of subsequent Talmud commentaries: [136] => {{quote|This is not to say that Rashi’s explanations were definitive. Far from it. For some three hundred years scholars scrutinized his commentary, criticized innumerable passages, and demanded their reinterpretation. Yet, all realized that the problem that had confronted scholars for close to half a millennium—how to turn the abrupt and sometimes gnomic formulations of the Talmud into a coherent and smoothly flowing text—had been solved definitively by Rashi. The subsequent task of scholars, therefore, was to emend and add to his interpretations.[[Haym Soloveitchik]], "The Printed Page of the Talmud: The Commentaries and Their Authors", in ''Printing The Talmud: From Bomberg to Schottenstein'' (Yeshiva University Museum, 2006), ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090216172520/http://www.printingthetalmud.org/essays/4.html link])}} [137] => [138] => In general, Rashi's commentary provides the ''[[peshat]]'' or literal meaning of the Talmud, while subsequent commentaries such as the [[Tosafot]] often go beyond the passage itself in terms of arguments, parallels, and distinctions that could be drawn out. See [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144840/jewish/Chapter-XXVIII.htm ''Kuntres Eitz HaChayim'' ch 28] for discussion of the interrelation between Rashi and Tosfot This addition to Jewish texts was seen as causing a "major cultural product"Bloomberg, Jon. ''The Jewish World in the Modern Age''. Jersey City, NJ: KTAV Pub. House, 2004. 69. which became an important part of Torah study.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14457-tosafot|title=TOSAFOT - JewishEncyclopedia.com|website=www.jewishencyclopedia.com}} [139] => In the standard printed Talmud, the Tosafot's commentaries can be found in the Talmud opposite Rashi's commentary. The Tosafot also added comments and criticism in places where Rashi had not added comments. [140] => [141] => Rashi also exerted a decisive influence on establishing the correct text of the Talmud. Up to and including his age, texts of each Talmudic tractate were copied by hand and circulated in yeshivas. Errors often crept in: sometimes a copyist would switch words around, and other times incorporate a student's marginal notes into the main text. Because of the large number of merchant-scholars who came from throughout the Jewish world to attend the great fairs in Troyes, Rashi was able to compare different manuscripts and readings in [[Tosefta]], [[Jerusalem Talmud]], [[Midrash]], [[Targum]], and the writings of the [[Geonim]], and determine which readings should be preferred. However, in his humility, he deferred to scholars who disagreed with him. For example, in [[Kodashim|Chulin]] 4a, he comments about a phrase, "We do not read this. But as for those who do, this is the explanation..." [142] => [143] => ===Influence in non-Jewish circles=== [144] => Rashi's commentaries on the Bible, especially those on the Pentateuch, circulated in many different communities. In the 12th–17th centuries, Rashi's influence spread from French and German provinces to Spain and the east. He had a tremendous influence on Christian scholars. The French monk [[Nicholas de Lyra]] of Manjacoria, who was known as the "ape of Rashi",{{cite EJ|title=Rashi|volume=17}} relied on Rashi's commentary when writing his ''Postillae Perpetuate'', one of the primary sources used in [[Martin Luther|Luther]]'s translation of the Bible. He believed that Rashi's commentaries were the "official repository of Rabbinical tradition"{{cite web |title=Rashi (Solomon Bar Issac)|publisher=Jewish Encyclopedia.com. |date=27 February 2013|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12585-rashi-solomon-bar-isaac}} and significant to understanding the Bible. Rashi's commentaries became significant to [[Humanism|humanists]] at this time who studied grammar and exegesis. [[Christian Hebraist]]s studied Rashi's commentaries as important interpretations "authorized by the Synagogue". [145] => [146] => Although Rashi had an influence on communities outside of Judaism, his lack of connection to science prevented him from entering the general domain, and he remained more popular among the Jewish community. [147] => [148] => In his book ''[[Demystifying Islam]]'', Muslim [[apologetics|apologist]] Harris Zafar cites Rashi for the view that the [[Song of Songs]] is not an erotic poem narrated by a man about a woman, but is instead a poem narrated by God about the people of Israel, a point of importance to Muslims because of their belief, which Zafar summarizes, that the Song of Songs, at Chapter 5, Verse 16, mentions Muhammad by name, a supposition that might be problematic if the mention were in an erotic context.Harris Zafar, ''Demystifying Islam'', [https://archive.org/details/demystifyingisla0000zafa_w3n8/page/24/mode/1up?view=theater p.24], Dev Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, 2014. [149] => [150] => =="Rashi script"== [151] => [152] => {{main|Rashi script}} [153] => [[Image:Rashiscript.PNG|200px|thumb|The complete Hebrew alphabet in Rashi script [right to left].]] [154] => [155] => The semi-cursive typeface in which Rashi's commentaries are printed both in the Talmud and Tanakh is often referred to as "[[Rashi script]]." Despite the name, Rashi himself did not use such a script: the typeface is based on a 15th-century Sephardic semi-cursive hand, postdating Rashi's death by several hundred years. Early Hebrew typographers such as the [[Soncino family]] and [[Daniel Bomberg]] employed in their editions of commented texts (such as the [[Mikraot Gedolot]] and the [[Talmud]], in which Rashi's commentaries prominently figure) what would become called "Rashi script" to distinguish the rabbinic commentary from the primary text proper, for which they used a square typeface. [156] => {{Clear}} [157] => [158] => ==References== [159] => === Citations === [160] => {{reflist}} [161] => [162] => === Notes === [163] => {{Notelist}} [164] => [165] => === General sources === [166] => * Abecassis, Deborah [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape9/PQDD_0025/NQ50099.pdf Reconstructing Rashi's Commentary on Genesis from Citations in the Torah Commentaries in the Tosafot] Dissertation 1999, Department of Jewish Studies, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. [167] => * [http://jewishhistory.huji.ac.il/internetresources/historyresources/medieval.htm#Rashi Rashi] The Jewish History Resource Center – Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] [168] => * [https://web.archive.org/web/20050720031234/http://www.rashi900.com/more.asp Biography, the Legend, the Commentator and more] rashi900.com [169] => * [http://www.loebtree.com/rashi.html#rashi Family Tree] [170] => * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131031042539/http://www.rashi900.com/ In honor of the 900th anniversary of his passing] [171] => * [https://thinktorah.org/rashi-tosfos-and-the-development-of-ashkenazi-jewry/ How Rashi, His Students, and His Descendants Molded Ashkenazi Jewry], Menachem Levine, Thinktorah.org [172] => * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090923203233/http://www.jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/mss/rashi/index.html Rashi; an exhibition of his works, from the treasures of the Jewish National and University Library] [173] => * {{cite book | author=Cantor, Norman F. |author-link=Norman Cantor |year=1969 |title=Medieval History | url=https://archive.org/details/medievalhistoryl00cantrich | url-access=registration |edition=2nd |page=[https://archive.org/details/medievalhistoryl00cantrich/page/396 396] |location= Toronto, Canada |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-02-319070-4}} [174] => * {{cite book|title=Rashi: The Story of rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki|first=Yaacov Dovid|last=Shulman|publisher=C.I.S. Publishers|year=1993|isbn=978-1-56062-215-4|author-link=Yaacov Dovid Shulman}} [175] => * {{cite book |title=Rashi |first=Maurice |last=Liber |others=Translated from French by Adele Szold |publisher=[[Jewish Publication Society of America]] |year=1905 |isbn=978-0-9766546-5-0 |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3165}} [176] => * {{cite book |title=Rashi |first=Elie |last=Wiesel |author-link=Elie Wiesel |others=Translated from French by Catherine Temerson |publisher=[[Schocken Books]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-8052-4254-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/rashiportrait0000wies }} [177] => * {{cite book |title=Rashi |first=Avraham |last=Grossman |author-link= Avraham Grossman |others=Translated from Hebrew by Joel A. Linsider |publisher=[[Littman Library of Jewish Civilization]] |year=2012 |isbn=9781904113898}} [178] => * Eran Viezel, 'Targum Onkelos in Rashi’s Exegetical Consciousness’, Review of Rabbinic Judaism 15 (2012), pp. 1-19 [179] => * Eran Viezel, ‘The Secret of the Popularity of Rashi’s Commentary on Torah’, Review of Rabbinic Judaism 17 (2014), pp. 207-217 [180] => * {{cite book |title=The American Jewish Year Book Vol. 41 |first=Solomon |last=Zeitlin |author-link= Solomon Zeitlin |year=1940}} [181] => * {{cite book |title=[[Pentateuch with Rashi's Commentary Translated into English|Pentateuch with Rashi's Commentary Translated into English "Silberman's Rashi"]] |first=Morris |last=Rosenbaum |year=1934}} [182] => [183] => ==External links== [184] => * {{wikiquote-inline}} [185] => * {{commonscatinline}} [186] => * {{Internet Archive author}} [187] => * Technique and methodology [188] => ** [http://www.rashiyomi.com/ rashiyomi.com] [189] => * Full text resources and translation [190] => ** [https://rashi.alhatorah.org/Dual/Siftei_Chakhamim/Bereshit/1.1#m7e3nf Rashi's commentary to Tanakh with translation and supercommentaries] [191] => ** [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=63255 Complete Tanach with Rashi] [192] => ** [http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/default.asp?AID=6207 Chumash with Rashi (Judaica Press translation)] [193] => ** [http://www.mnemotrix.com/chumash/pardate.html Chumash with Rashi (Metsudah translation)] [194] => * Summarized text resources and translation [195] => ** [http://www.jsummary.com Illustrated Summary and Analysis of the Torah with selected Rashi commentary] [196] => * Textual Search [197] => ** [http://www.rashiyomi.com/query1.htm Lookup Verses], rashiyomi.com [198] => * Early manuscripts or printings of Rashi's ''Perush `al ha-Torah''/Commentary on the Torah (text or images, OCR'd or not): [199] => ** [https://www.mgketer.org/home/manuscripts The 13th-14th c. Codex Parma 3204], which is the "base version" at mgketer.org. Also lists several later versions, as well as early manuscripts of other commentaries e.g. Rashbam, Ramban etc. [200] => ** [https://web.nli.org.il/sites/NLI/Hebrew/digitallibrary/pages/viewer.aspx?&presentorid=MANUSCRIPTS&docid=PNX_MANUSCRIPTS000169210-1 13th-14th c. Cod. hebr. 12b, Cod. hebr. 220] at Austria National Library, Vienna [201] => ** [https://web.nli.org.il/sites/NLI/Hebrew/digitallibrary/pages/viewer.aspx?&presentorid=MANUSCRIPTS&docid=PNX_MANUSCRIPTS000182116-1 13th c. B. H. fol. 1] at Leipzig. U. Library [202] => ** [https://web.nli.org.il/sites/NLI/Hebrew/digitallibrary/pages/viewer.aspx?&presentorid=MANUSCRIPTS&docid=PNX_MANUSCRIPTS000128926-1 13th c. folio 255] at BNF, Paris. [203] => ** [https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002082396/NLI c. 1470 Rome], three links. [204] => * {{Wikisource-inline|list= [205] => ** {{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Rashi |short=x|noicon=x}} [206] => ** {{Cite Nuttall |wstitle=Rashi |short=x|noicon=x}} [207] => }} [208] => * Uncategorized links: [209] => ** [https://web.archive.org/web/20060710040238/http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/mss/rashi/manuE.html Images of manuscripts of Rashi's writings] [210] => ** [https://thinktorah.org/rashi-tosfos-and-the-development-of-ashkenazi-jewry/ Rashi, Tosfos, and the Development of Ashkenazi Jewry] [211] => ** [https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Genesis?lang=bi Public Domain Hebrew and CC-BY English of Rashi on Torah] [212] => ** [http://jewishhistorylectures.org/2012/11/18/rashi-teacher-of-all-israel/ "Rashi: Teacher of All Israel"], video lecture by [[Henry Abramson|Dr. Henry Abramson]] of [[Touro College South]] [213] => ** {{prdl}} [214] => [215] => {{Rabbinical eras timeline|1040|1105|Rashi}} [216] => {{Rishonim}} [217] => {{Authority control}} [218] => [219] => [[Category:1040 births]] [220] => [[Category:1105 deaths]] [221] => [[Category:11th-century French rabbis]] [222] => [[Category:12th-century French rabbis]] [223] => [[Category:11th-century French writers]] [224] => [[Category:12th-century French writers]] [225] => [[Category:Bible commentators]] [226] => [[Category:Clergy from Troyes]] [227] => [[Category:French male writers]] [228] => [[Category:Rabbis from Worms, Germany]] [229] => [[Category:Medieval Jewish scholars]] [230] => [[Category:11th-century Jewish theologians]] [231] => [[Category:12th-century Jewish theologians]] [] => )
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Rashi

Rashi (1040–1105) was a medieval French rabbi and prolific commentator on the Jewish Bible and Talmud. His commentary, known as the Rashi Commentary, is considered one of the most important and authoritative texts in Jewish literature.

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His commentary, known as the Rashi Commentary, is considered one of the most important and authoritative texts in Jewish literature. Born in Troyes, France, Rashi studied in Mainz before returning to his hometown to establish a yeshiva (Jewish academy) and become a leading authority on Jewish law and religious teachings. Rashi's groundbreaking approach to commentary combined both textual analysis and interpretation, focusing on the peshat (simple) meaning of the biblical and Talmudic texts. He aimed to provide clarity and understanding to the often complex and cryptic passages, utilizing both linguistic and historical context. Rashi's commentary covers the entirety of the Hebrew Bible and large portions of the Talmud, and his interpretations continue to be studied and valued by scholars and religious practitioners today. Beyond his commentary, Rashi made significant contributions to Jewish scholarship and education. He authored several important works, including responsa (answers to legal questions), legal explanations, and grammatical treatises. Rashi's teachings and interpretations have had a lasting impact on Jewish tradition and continue to shape religious and intellectual discourse within the Jewish community. Rashi's influence extends beyond Jewish scholarship, as his commentary has been widely studied and appreciated by scholars of various religions and backgrounds. His interdisciplinary approach, combining linguistic analysis, historical context, and religious interpretation, has earned him a reputation as one of the greatest commentators in Jewish history. Overall, Rashi's life and contributions have had a profound impact on Jewish learning and the understanding of biblical and Talmudic texts. His commentary remains a fundamental tool for studying Jewish scriptures, and his teachings continue to inspire and shape the religious and intellectual development of Jewish communities worldwide.

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