Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)
Rashi (1040 to 1105) was the outstanding Biblical commentator of the Middle Ages.
Born in Troyes, France, Rashi survived the massacres of the First Crusade through Europe. At age twenty-five, he founded his own academy in France.
Rashi's commentary on the Bible was unique in its concern for every word in the text. In addition, Rashi's commentary is reknown for being succinct, using the fewest words possible to explain or expand upon the biblical text. Rashi also made use of midrash in his commentary. Rashi emphasized the relevance of the stories to the biblical text.
Rashi's commentary on the Talmud made it possible, for the first time, for non-scholars to learn Talmud. The Talmud was written in legalese: terse, unexplained language with no punctuation. Rashi explained the terse phrases and the principles and concepts assumed by writers of the Talmud. He provided simple, brief explanations of all Gemarra phrases and discussions.
For almost a hundred years after Rashi's death, Talmud students in France and Germany studied and elaborated on Rashi's commentary. These scholars were called Tosafists (those who made additions), and their complicated commentaries were called Tosafot (additions). Rashi's grandson, Rabbenu Tam, was a famous Toshafist who frequently disagreed with his grandfather.
Today every page of Talmud contains Rashi's commentary surrounding the Talmud text on the inside of the page and the Tosafot commentary surrounding the Talmud text on the outside of the page.
Rashi's Biblical and Talmudic commentaries, noted for their terseness, clarity, and erudition, made him the best known medieval Jewish scholar.
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