Rashi

Lore & Background

Rashi was an only child born in Troyes, Champagne, in northern France. His mother's brother was Simeon bar Isaac, rabbi of Mainz. On his father's side, Rashi has been claimed to be a 33rd-generation descendant of Johanan HaSandlar, though Rashi himself made no such claim. Legends about his birth include a story that his father, a poor winemaker, cast a precious jewel into the sea to avoid idolatry, and was promised a noble son who would illuminate the world with Torah knowledge. Another legend says his mother, while pregnant, was pressed against a wall in Worms that miraculously opened to receive her.

Rashi studied Torah under his father until his father's death, then at age 17 married and went to learn in the yeshiva of Yaakov ben Yakar in Worms. After Yaakov died in 1064, he continued under Isaac ben Eliezer Halevi, then moved to Mainz to study under Isaac ben Judah. He returned to Troyes at age 25, joined the beth din, and later became its head after the death of Zerach ben Abraham. Around 1070 he founded a yeshiva. He likely never traveled farther than from the Seine to the Rhine. In 1096, the People's Crusade murdered Jews in Worms, including the three sons of his teacher; Rashi wrote Selichot mourning the slaughter.

Reader's Guide

Rashi's significance lies in his ability to present the basic meaning of the text in a concise and lucid fashion, making his commentaries accessible to both learned scholars and beginning students. 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, covering 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 Tanakh—especially on the Chumash—serve as the basis of more than 300 'supercommentaries' analyzing his choice of language and citations, penned by some of the greatest names in rabbinic literature. Rashi had no sons; his three daughters were Yocheved, Miriam and Rachel. He died on July 13, 1105, and was buried in Troyes. The cemetery location was later rediscovered via an ancient map, and a monument now marks the site.

Did You Know?

• Rashi's surname Yitzhaki derives from his father's name Yitzhak.
• The acronym Rashi is sometimes fancifully expanded as Rabban Shel YIsrael, meaning 'Rabbi of Israel'.
• Rashi wrote seven Selichot (penitential poems) that still exist, including one recited on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
• Rashi's commentary on the Talmud has been included in every edition since its first printing by Daniel Bomberg in the 1520s.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak; 1040–1105) was a French Rabbi.

His commentaries on the Bible and Talmud are still widely read today." — Rashi "The flavour of a fish which comes out of the sea at Acre is not similar to the flavour of a fish which comes out of the sea in Spain." — Rashi "Commenting on Gen. 1:10; why does it say "seas", not "sea" - because the nature of the sea varies from place to place." — Rashi "We learn from here the humility of the Holy One, Blessed is He.

Since man is in the likeness of the angels, and they would be jealous of him, for this reason, He consulted them." — Rashi