The commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and Babylonian
Talmud by
Rabbi Shlomo
Yitzchaki
(1040-1105 C.E., known by the acronym
RASHI), are accepted as the most fundamental commentaries on these
sacred texts. His commentary to the Torah was perhaps the first Hebrew
book to be printed. His main objective was to explain the
straightforward meaning of the texts, drawing on homiletical
interpretations in those cases where they provide insight to
particularly difficult verses.
In his commentary, he drew on his amazing command
of traditional Rabbinic literature, including Aramaic translations,
classical homiletics and details of Torah law, and the entire Talmud. He
often translates Hebrew words into Old French, thus providing one of the
earliest records of medieval French dialect. He frequently cites from
the works of two Spanish scholars, Rabbis Menachem ben Saruk and Dunash
ben Labrat. With his unique masterful style, he anticipates the
questions that will arise in the minds of Torah students, and provides
explanations that are satisfying to beginners and full of depth for the
most advanced scholars.
His clear and supportive commentary on the Talmud
made this great work significantly more accessible to the general
population. It became quickly accepted and adopted by all Jewish
scholars.
For most of his life, Rashi lived in Troyes,
France. He supported his family and his Torah academy from his vineyards
and wine-making business. None of the horror of the Crusades is
reflected in Rashi's works. It is truly amazing that he was able to
accomplish so much during this troubled
period.
Rashi's daughters were extremely righteous women.
They were highly educated, which was most unusual for their time. They
assisted in the publication of the lengthy scholarly works of their
father.
In his commentary to the first verse of the Bible ["In the
beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1)], Rashi quotes
the following teaching�from the Talmudic sage Rabbi
Yitzchak:
Rabbi Yitzchak said: It was not
necessary to begin the Torah [whose main objective is to teach the
commandments, with this verse] but from "This month shall be unto you
[the beginning of months]" (Ex. 12:2), since this is the first
commandment that Israel was commanded [shortly before leaving Egypt] to
observe. [I.e., they should establish a lunar calendar with the month of
the Exodus as the first in their counting of the months.] And what is
the reason that it begins with "In the beginning"? Because of the verse,
"The power of His works He has declared to His people in giving them the
heritage of the nations." (Psalms 111:6) For if the nations of the world
should say to Israel: "You are robbers, because you seized by force the
lands of the seven nations [of Canaan], they [Israel] could say to them,
"The entire world belongs to the Holy One, Blessed by He; He created it
and gave it to whomever it was right in His eyes. Of His own will He
gave it to them, and of His own will He took it from them and gave it to
us" [through His eternal covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob].
(Yalkut, on Ex. 12.2)
