Difference between revisions of "Commentators:R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)/0"

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<li><b>Verse by verse / Topical</b> –&#160;Rashi's Torah commentary is a local, verse by verse commentary, marked by its succinct and clear style.</li>
 
<li><b>Verse by verse / Topical</b> –&#160;Rashi's Torah commentary is a local, verse by verse commentary, marked by its succinct and clear style.</li>
 
<li><b>Language of the commentary</b> – Rashi wrote his commentary in Hebrew.&#160; When explaining difficult Biblical words, he often translates them into French to aid his audience.</li>
 
<li><b>Language of the commentary</b> – Rashi wrote his commentary in Hebrew.&#160; When explaining difficult Biblical words, he often translates them into French to aid his audience.</li>
<li><b>Analysis of Grammar and language</b> –</li>
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<li><b>Analysis of grammar and language</b> –</li>
<li><b>Peshat and derash</b> –&#160;Rashi lays out his attitude towards peshat and derash in a number of programmatic statements, perhaps the most important being his comments to Bereshit 3:8, where he writes: " יש מדרשי אגדה רבים... ואני לא באתי אלא לפשוטו של מקרא, לאגדה המישבת דברי המקרא, ופשוטו ושמועתו, דבר דבור על אופני".&#8206;<fn>See also his <multilink><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">introduction to Shir HaShirim</a><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim Introduction</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, and his comments to <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot6-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:9</a><a href="RashiBereshit3-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 3:8</a><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="RashiShemot6-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:9</a><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim Introduction</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot33-13" data-aht="source">Shemot 33:13</a><a href="RashiBereshit3-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 3:8</a><a href="RashiBereshit11-32" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:32</a><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="RashiShemot6-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:9</a><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="RashiShemot33-13" data-aht="source">Shemot 33:13</a><a href="RashiBemidbar9-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 9:1</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim Introduction</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> where he writes similarly.&#160; In such statements, Rashi appears to be saying that his main goal is to explain the simple sense of scripture, and that he will incorporate Midrashic material only if it helps achieve that goal and is harmonious with the verses.&#160; From the collected comments above, it seems that he means that the Midrash must accord with the language, grammar, order and context of the verses.</fn> &#160; As even a quick glance at Rashi's commentary betrays that much of it stems from Midrashic sources,<fn>See G. Cohen, "פרשנות המדרשית במפעלה התורני של נחמה", Pirkei Nechama:&#160;Sefer Zikkaron LeNechama Leibowitz (Jerusalem, 2001): 96, who estimates that about 70 percent of Rashi's commentary stems from Rabbinic sources.</fn> Rashi's super-commentaries and modern scholars debate how to read Rashi's statement and to what extent he achieved the stated goal.<fn>As will be seen below, the issue is intrinisically related to another question: whether Rashi's purpose in writing his commentary was purely to explicate the text, or also to instill moral values in his audience.</fn></li>
+
<li><b>Peshat and derash</b> –&#160;Rashi lays out his attitude towards peshat and derash in a number of programmatic statements, perhaps the most important being his comments to Bereshit 3:8, where he writes: " יש מדרשי אגדה רבים... ואני לא באתי אלא לפשוטו של מקרא, לאגדה המישבת דברי המקרא, ופשוטו ושמועתו, דבר דבור על אופני".&#8206;<fn>See also his <multilink><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">introduction to Shir HaShirim</a><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim Introduction</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, and his comments to <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot6-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:9</a><a href="RashiBereshit3-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 3:8</a><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="RashiShemot6-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:9</a><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim Introduction</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot33-13" data-aht="source">Shemot 33:13</a><a href="RashiBereshit3-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 3:8</a><a href="RashiBereshit11-32" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:32</a><a href="RashiBereshit49-22" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22</a><a href="RashiShemot6-9" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:9</a><a href="RashiShemot23-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:2</a><a href="RashiShemot33-13" data-aht="source">Shemot 33:13</a><a href="RashiBemidbar9-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 9:1</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="RashiShirHaShirimIntroduction" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim Introduction</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu26-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 26:11</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> where he writes similarly.&#160; In such statements, Rashi appears to be saying that his main goal is to explain the simple sense of scripture, and that he will incorporate Midrashic material only if it helps achieve that goal and is harmonious with the verses.&#160; From the collected comments above, it seems that he means that the Midrash must accord with the language, grammar, order and context of the verses.</fn> &#160; As even a quick glance at Rashi's commentary betrays that much of it stems from Midrashic sources,<fn>See G. Cohen, "פרשנות המדרשית במפעלה התורני של נחמה", Pirkei Nechama:&#160;Sefer Zikkaron LeNechama Leibowitz (Jerusalem, 2001): 96, who estimates that about 70 percent of Rashi's commentary stems from Rabbinic sources.&#160;&#160; In fact, many of the midrashim known to the average layman are familiar not because they have been studied in Tanchuma, Bereshit Rabbah or any other primary source, but via Rashi's commentary.</fn> Rashi's super-commentaries and modern scholars debate how to read Rashi's statement and to what extent he achieved the stated goal.<fn>As will be seen below, the issue is intrinisically related to another question: whether Rashi's purpose in writing his commentary was purely to explicate the text, or also to instill moral values in his audience.</fn></li>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
 
<li>According to some,<fn>See David Pardo's super-commentary on Rashi, Maskil LeDavid on Vayikra 5:17 who writes, "וידוע הוא שאין דרכו של רש"י בפירושו לאתויי ממילי דאגדתא אלא מה שצריך להבנת הכתוב ומה שמתיישב בו המקרא דיבור על אופניו. ואין עוד מלבדו". &#160;<br/>Among modern scholars, Nechama Leibowitz most famously takes this position, writing, "ונראה שניתן להוכיח... שהבאת מדרשים ובחירתם בפירושו לכל התורה לא היתה אלא לצורך פרשני לבד ולא לשם קישוט דברי תורה בפניני חז"ל" [See N. Leibowitz, "דרכו של רש"יבהבאת מדרשים בפירושו לתורה", Iyyunim Chadashim BeSefer Shemot (Jerusalem, 1970): 503].&#160; According to her, Rashi is a pure exegete whose sole goal is to explicate the Biblical text.&#160; It is to this end only that he brings Midrashim,&#160; not to relay moral lessons or sermons.</fn> Rashi's statement should be taken at face value. He brings derashic explanations only when they serve to answer a textual or conceptual question.<fn>Every time that Rashi cites a midrash, this school will question "what is bothering Rashi", attempting to find the difficulty in the verse which the Rabbinic material is coming to address, even if it not apparent at first glance.&#160; See, for instance, S. Gelbard, "אגדה מיישבת מקרא", Pirkei Nechama: Sefer Zikkaron LeNechama Leibowitz (Jerusalem, 2001): 177-186, who brings many cases where the textual difficulty in a verse is not readily apparent, and attempts to show what problem Rashi is nonetheless addressing. He notes several categories of difficulties, including: internal conceptual inconsistencies, doublings / superfluous information, grammatical anomalies, issues of order and context, gaps or missing details, and stylistic inconsistencies.</fn></li>
 
<li>According to some,<fn>See David Pardo's super-commentary on Rashi, Maskil LeDavid on Vayikra 5:17 who writes, "וידוע הוא שאין דרכו של רש"י בפירושו לאתויי ממילי דאגדתא אלא מה שצריך להבנת הכתוב ומה שמתיישב בו המקרא דיבור על אופניו. ואין עוד מלבדו". &#160;<br/>Among modern scholars, Nechama Leibowitz most famously takes this position, writing, "ונראה שניתן להוכיח... שהבאת מדרשים ובחירתם בפירושו לכל התורה לא היתה אלא לצורך פרשני לבד ולא לשם קישוט דברי תורה בפניני חז"ל" [See N. Leibowitz, "דרכו של רש"יבהבאת מדרשים בפירושו לתורה", Iyyunim Chadashim BeSefer Shemot (Jerusalem, 1970): 503].&#160; According to her, Rashi is a pure exegete whose sole goal is to explicate the Biblical text.&#160; It is to this end only that he brings Midrashim,&#160; not to relay moral lessons or sermons.</fn> Rashi's statement should be taken at face value. He brings derashic explanations only when they serve to answer a textual or conceptual question.<fn>Every time that Rashi cites a midrash, this school will question "what is bothering Rashi", attempting to find the difficulty in the verse which the Rabbinic material is coming to address, even if it not apparent at first glance.&#160; See, for instance, S. Gelbard, "אגדה מיישבת מקרא", Pirkei Nechama: Sefer Zikkaron LeNechama Leibowitz (Jerusalem, 2001): 177-186, who brings many cases where the textual difficulty in a verse is not readily apparent, and attempts to show what problem Rashi is nonetheless addressing. He notes several categories of difficulties, including: internal conceptual inconsistencies, doublings / superfluous information, grammatical anomalies, issues of order and context, gaps or missing details, and stylistic inconsistencies.</fn></li>
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<subcategory>Methods
 
<subcategory>Methods
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li><b>Selective use of Midrash </b>–&#160;</li>
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<li><b>Selective use of Midrash </b>–&#160;Rashi incorporates much Midrashic material into his commentary,<fn>See above that G. Cohen, (cited above), estimates that about 70 percent of the commentary stems from Rabbinic sources.</fn>&#160; to the extent that it might even be termed a "Midrashic anthology"<fn>See Y. Eisenstat, "Rashi's Midrashic Anthology: The Torah Commentary Re-Examined", PhD diss., (The Jewish Theological Seminary, 2014) who discusses the anthological nature of Rashi's commentary and how its form matches similar Medieval anthologies. Eisenstat stresses the difference between a "collection" and anthology, noting that the latter involves strict selection and attempts to note some of the principles that guided Rashi's choices.</fn> Rashi's goal, however, is clearly not to simply collect and preserve such material, as he is extremely selective in what he chooses to incorporate, moving, combining, and reworking Midrashim for his purposes:<fn>In fact, one might even argue that one of Rashi's major contributions to Biblical exegesis was this reworking of Midrashic material.&#160; Many of the examples below are taken from N. Leibowitz, "דרכו של רש"יבהבאת מדרשים בפירושו לתורה", cited above.</fn> </li>
 +
<ul>
 +
<li>At times, Rashi simply references a Midrash, without discussion.<fn>See his comments to Bereshit 3:22, 3:24, 4:8, 5:1, 6:3, 19:15, 20:16, 27:41, 33:14, 49:22,&#160; Shemot 13:17, 33:13, Yeshayahu 26:11, Tehillim 8:8, Shir HaShirim 2:7, and Eikhah 1:1. N. Leibowitz (ibid) suggests that in cases such as these, Rashi dismisses the Midrash as it does not fit with the context of the verses. As such, he often follows the reference with statements such as "ואין מיושבין על פשוטו" or "ואני ליישב המקראות באתי", effectively saying that the Midrash, in contrast, did not accomplish this goal.&#160; It is not clear, however, why Rashi does not simply ignore the Midrash altogether.. It is possible that when Rashi knew that certain Midrashim would have been very familiar to his audience, he felt a need to note them.</fn></li>
 +
<li>Rashi may choose only one from several possible midrashim on a verse.<fn>See Bereshit 14:13, Shemot 4:2.</fn> </li>
 +
<li>Sometimes Rashi cites a Midrash originally brought to elucidate a certain verse and uses it to explain a totally different verse. <fn>See: Rashi Shemot 32:31; Ber 37:29, בר' כ"ד:נ"ב, במ' כ"ב:ל"ה</fn></li>
 +
<li>Rashi might refer to a Midrash in his comments to only one verse even though the original discussed more than one.<fn>Several examples follow:<br/>
 +
<ul>
 +
<li>Bereshit Rabbah 38:7 and 41:7 –. Whereas Bereshit Rabbah brings the explanation "הסיע עצמו מקדמונו של עולם" to explain the phrase "" in both this Bereshit 11:2 and 13:1, Rashi mentions the explanation only on 13:1.&#160;</li>
 +
<li>PirkeiDeRabbi Eliezer 31 - The Midrash identifies the donkey on which Avragham rode to the Akeidah (Bereshit 22:3), with that which Moshe rode from Midyan to Egypt (Shemot 4:20) and that which the Mashiach will arrive upon (Zecharyah 9:9). Rashi brings the identification in Shemot but nowhere else.</li>
 +
<li>Sifre Bemidbar 31:21 - Though the midrash mentions three places in which Moshe's anger leads him to err (Vayikra 10:16, Bemidbar 20:10 and here), Rashi only cites the Midrash in Bemidbar 31:21.</li>
 +
<li>Sifre Bemidbar 12:13 - The Midrash mentions four places in which Moshe demands of Hashem to know whether his prayer has been answered or not.&#160; Rashi brings the MIdrash in 3 of the four places (Bemidbar 12:13, Bemidbar 27:15,&#160; Devarim 3:23, but not Shemot 6:12)</li>
 +
<li>Sifre Devraim 32:48 - The Midrash explains three occurrences of the phrase "בעצם היום הזה" (Bereshit 7:13, Shemot 12:51, and Devarim 32:48), explaining why Hashem made each event occur in mid-day. Rashi, however, mentions the Midrash only in Devarim.</li>
 +
<li></li>
 +
</ul></fn></li>
 +
<li>Often too, Rashi will rework a midrash. </li>
 +
</ul>
 
<li><b>Way of the text (דרכי המקראות)</b> – In explaining linguistic or grammatical anomalies, Rashi will often note that these are simply "the way of the text" and not really difficult forms at all. Several examples follow:</li>
 
<li><b>Way of the text (דרכי המקראות)</b> – In explaining linguistic or grammatical anomalies, Rashi will often note that these are simply "the way of the text" and not really difficult forms at all. Several examples follow:</li>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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</ul>
 
</ul>
 
<li><b>Omnisignificance –</b></li>
 
<li><b>Omnisignificance –</b></li>
<li><b>Character consolidation </b>– Rashi often identifies anonymous or lesser known Biblical figures with more well known characters<fn>See, for example, his identification of Yiskah and Sarah (Bereshit 11:29), Og with the refugee from war (Bereshit 14:13), Malkitzedek and Shem (Bereshit 14:18), Keturah with Hagar (Bereshit 25:1), Shimon's wife and Dina (Bereshit 46:10), Shifra and Puah with Yocheved and Miryam (Shemot 1:15) Datan and Aviram as the tale-bearers in Shemot 2:13 and those who leave over from the manna in Shemot 16:20, Yitro with Chovav, Reuel and others (Shemot 18:1), Moshe's Cushite wife and Tzipporah (Bemidbar 12:1-4),&#160; the judge Ivzan and Boaz (Shofetim 12:8), and Shelomo with Lemuel (Mishlei 31:1).</fn> or figures with the same or similar names one with another.<fn>See, for instance, the identification of Potiphar with Potiphera (Bereshit 41:45), Yoel the son of Shemuel with the prophet Yoel (Yoel 1:1), Ovadia, the steward of Achav with the prophet of the same name (Ovadiah 1:1), Daniel of Yechezkel 14 with Daniel of the Book of Daniel (Yechezkel 14:14).</fn>&#160; <b><br/></b></li>
+
<li><b>Character consolidation </b>– Rashi often identifies anonymous<fn>For example, Rashi identifies the refugee from war with Og (Bereshit 14:13), the youth who helps Avraham prepare for his guests with Yishmael (Bereshit 18:7), the two youths who accompany Avraham to the Akeidah with Yishmael and Eliezer (Bereshit 22:3), Yosef's interpreter with Menashe (Bereshit 42:23)</fn> or lesser known Biblical figures with more well known characters<fn>See, for example, his identification of Yiskah and Sarah (Bereshit 11:29), , Malkitzedek and Shem (Bereshit 14:18), Keturah with Hagar (Bereshit 25:1), Shimon's wife and Dina (Bereshit 46:10), Shifra and Puah with Yocheved and Miryam (Shemot 1:15) Datan and Aviram as the tale-bearers in Shemot 2:13 and those who leave over from the manna in Shemot 16:20, Yitro with Chovav, Reuel and others (Shemot 18:1), Moshe's Cushite wife and Tzipporah (Bemidbar 12:1-4),&#160; the judge Ivzan and Boaz (Shofetim 12:8), and Shelomo with Lemuel (Mishlei 31:1).</fn> or figures with the same or similar names one with another.<fn>See, for instance, the identification of Potiphar with Potiphera (Bereshit 41:45), Yoel the son of Shemuel with the prophet Yoel (Yoel 1:1), Ovadia, the steward of Achav with the prophet of the same name (Ovadiah 1:1), Daniel of Yechezkel 14 with Daniel of the Book of Daniel (Yechezkel 14:14).</fn>&#160; <b><br/></b></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
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<li><b>Praise</b>&#160;– Rashi also emphasizes positive evaluations or behavior not explicit in the text.</li>
 
<li><b>Praise</b>&#160;– Rashi also emphasizes positive evaluations or behavior not explicit in the text.</li>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li>For example, see Vayikra 10:3 - presenting Nadav and Avihu as holier than Moshe and Aharon, </li>
+
<li>For example, see Vayikra 10:3 - presenting Nadav and Avihu as holier than Moshe and Aharon,</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>

Version as of 07:20, 16 March 2021

R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)

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See also: Rashi's Torah Commentary

Rashi
Name
Rashi, R. Shlomo Yitzchaki,
רש"י, ר' שלמה יצחקי
Dates1040 – 1105
LocationFrance
WorksCommentaries on Tanakh and Talmud, Sifrut Debei Rashi
Exegetical Characteristics
Influenced byR. Yaakov ben Yakar, R. Yitzchak HaLevi, R. Yitzchak ben Yehuda
Impacted onEveryone

Background

Life

  • Name – R. Shelomo b. Yitzchak (ר' שלמה בן יצחק), of which Rashi (רש"י) is an acronym.
  • Dates – c. 10401 – July 13, 1105.2
  • Location – Rashi lived for most of his life in Troyes, although he studied in both Mainz and Worms.
  • Occupation – 
  • Family – Rashi’s uncle, the brother of his mother, was ר' שמעון הזקן, a student of R. Gershom. Rashi had four daughters: Yocheved, Miriam, Rachel,3 and a daughter who died during Rashi's lifetime.4 Yocheved married R. Meir b. Shemuel, and had four sons (Rashbam, R. Tam, R. Yitzchak, and Shelomo) and one daughter5. Miriam married R. Yehuda b. Natan (Rivan), and had a son named R. Yom Tov.
  • Teachers – Rashi studied at Mainz under R. Yaakov b. Yakar, and following R. Yaakov's death in 1064, he learned under R. Yitzchak b. Yehuda. He then moved to Worms, and studied under R. Yitzchak HaLevi. All of his teachers were students of R. Gershom.
  • Contemporaries – 
  • Students – R. Yosef Kara, Rashi's son-in-law R. Yehuda b. Natan, Rashi’s grandsons Rashbam and R. Tam, his secretary R. Shemayah, R. Simcha MiVitri.
  • Time period – 
  • World outlook – 

Works

  • Biblical commentaries – Rashi wrote commentaries on all of Tanakh.
  • Rabbinics
    • Talmudic commentaries – Rashi wrote commentaries on most, if not all,6 of the tractates of the Talmud Bavli.
    • Halakhic codes – Rashi did not write any halakhic codes himself. However, his students did author a number of halakhic works based on his teachings, including Machzor Vitri, Siddur Rashi, Sefer HaPardes, Sefer HaOreh, and others.
    • Responsa – In modern times, some of Rashi's surviving responsa were collected into a single work.7
  • Piyyutim – Rashi wrote a number of piyyutim. Although we don't know of any commentaries on piyyutim that Rashi wrote himself, his exegesis was incorporated into R. Shemayah's commentaries on the piyyutim.
  • Misattributed works – Commentaries on the end of Iyyov (from Iyyov 40:25 onward), Ezra, Nechemyah, and Divrei HaYamim; Commentaries on Moed Katan, Ta'anit, Nedarim, Nazir, and Horayot.

Torah Commentary

Characteristics

  • Verse by verse / Topical – Rashi's Torah commentary is a local, verse by verse commentary, marked by its succinct and clear style.
  • Language of the commentary – Rashi wrote his commentary in Hebrew.  When explaining difficult Biblical words, he often translates them into French to aid his audience.
  • Analysis of grammar and language
  • Peshat and derash – Rashi lays out his attitude towards peshat and derash in a number of programmatic statements, perhaps the most important being his comments to Bereshit 3:8, where he writes: " יש מדרשי אגדה רבים... ואני לא באתי אלא לפשוטו של מקרא, לאגדה המישבת דברי המקרא, ופשוטו ושמועתו, דבר דבור על אופני".‎8   As even a quick glance at Rashi's commentary betrays that much of it stems from Midrashic sources,9 Rashi's super-commentaries and modern scholars debate how to read Rashi's statement and to what extent he achieved the stated goal.10
    • According to some,11 Rashi's statement should be taken at face value. He brings derashic explanations only when they serve to answer a textual or conceptual question.12
    • Others disagree13 suggesting that sometimes Rashi will incorporate midrashim only for their pedagogic value, even when there is no textual difficulty.14 Rashi's goal was not only to explain the text but to educate his audience to proper values, combat Christian claims and give an oppressed people hope.
    • It is also possible that Rashi aimed to explain the text according to "פשוטו של מקרא", but did not totally achieve his goal.  See Rashbam Bereshit 37:2, who famously says of his grandfather: " והודה לי שאילו היה לו פנאי היה צריך לעשות פרושים אחרים לפי הפשטות המתחדשים בכל יום".‎15 

Methods

  • Selective use of Midrash – Rashi incorporates much Midrashic material into his commentary,16  to the extent that it might even be termed a "Midrashic anthology"17 Rashi's goal, however, is clearly not to simply collect and preserve such material, as he is extremely selective in what he chooses to incorporate, moving, combining, and reworking Midrashim for his purposes:18
    • At times, Rashi simply references a Midrash, without discussion.19
    • Rashi may choose only one from several possible midrashim on a verse.20
    • Sometimes Rashi cites a Midrash originally brought to elucidate a certain verse and uses it to explain a totally different verse. 21
    • Rashi might refer to a Midrash in his comments to only one verse even though the original discussed more than one.22
    • Often too, Rashi will rework a midrash.
  • Way of the text (דרכי המקראות) – In explaining linguistic or grammatical anomalies, Rashi will often note that these are simply "the way of the text" and not really difficult forms at all. Several examples follow:
    • Androgynous nouns – Rashi notes that many nouns might be treated as both masculine and feminine. See his comments to Bereshit 32:9, Shemot 35:17, Shemuel I 1:9, Yeshayahu 35:9, Yechezkel 2:9,
    • ה' הידיעה in a double name – Rashi explains that when a name has two parts (such as Beit El or Kiryat Arba), it is the second word which takes the definite article. See his comments to Bereshit  35:7
    • Truncated Verses (מקרא קצר)23 – Rashi notes many examples in which a verse is missing either a subject,24 object,25 part of the predicate,26 or part of a conditional statement.27 In some cases he explicitly notes that the verse is a  "מקרא קצר", while in other cases he simply fills in the missing section.28
  • Way of the World (דרך ארץ) – Rashi often points to the realia of the time of Tanakh,29 his own day,30 or to general human behavior/modes of speech31 to understand the actions of Biblical characters or the nature of unfamiliar objects, practices or terminology.
  • Issues of Chronology
      • ‎אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה‎‎32 – Rashi often remarks when a story or verse is not recorded in its proper place,33 noting that "אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה".‎34 He generally explains the difficulty in the verses which leads him to such conclusions, but only rarely explains why Tanakh chose to veer from the proper order.  In the two places which he does, he offers a homiletical reason rather than a literary one.35 In the vast majority of cases, Rashi is drawing off earlier Rabbinic sources who similarly claim achronology.36
      • סמיכות פרשיות
    • Omnisignificance –
    • Character consolidation – Rashi often identifies anonymous37 or lesser known Biblical figures with more well known characters38 or figures with the same or similar names one with another.39 

Themes

  • Love of the Nation and Land of Israel – This themes is prevalent throughout the commentary. For example, in his first comment to four of the five books of Torah, Rashi mentions Hashem's love for the nation.
  • Positive portrayal of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs
    • Defense – Rashi consistently attempts to explain away apparent faults or sins of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. 
      • Often he will reinterpret the apparent misdeed. For instance, see his understanding of Avraham's apparent lack of faith in questioning, "במה אדע כי אירשנה", his defense of Yaakov for his role in taking the blessing (), his explanation of Rachel's jealousy and stealing of her father's idols, or his minimizing of Reuven's sin with Bilhah.
      • At times, too, Rashi defends the Patriarchs not by minimizing their deeds, but by aggravating the sins of others.  For example, see his justifying of Sarah's banishment of Yishmael and Yaakov's buying of the birthright by depicting both Yishmael and Esav as grave sinners.
    • Praise – Rashi also emphasizes positive evaluations or behavior not explicit in the text.
      • For example, see Vayikra 10:3 - presenting Nadav and Avihu as holier than Moshe and Aharon,
  • Negative Attitude Towards Gentiles 
    • Biblical characters See Rashi's negative portrayal of Lot (Bereshit 13:7-14, 18:4, 19:16), Yishmael (16:12, 21:9,14, 17), Esav (), Bilam.
    • even smaller figures are  for .  See Rashi's accusation that efron "says a lot but does little" (Bereshit 23:16)
    • Gentiles at large
  • Educating towards values – Rashi's commentary includes many lessons for his readers. Some themes which appear repeatedly include: the evils of slander or gossip,40 the importance of compassion for the disadvantaged,41 the need for humility and dangers of pride.42
  • Christina Polemics

Textual Issues

  • Manuscripts – 
  • Printings – 
  • Textual layers – 

Sources

Significant Influences

  • Earlier Sources – 
  • Teachers – 
  • Foils – 

Occasional Usage

Possible Relationship

Impact

Later exegetes

Super-commentaries