Rachel is the youngest and most beautiful daughter of rashi and her fathers favorite. Rashi occupies a unique place in the jewish world, on par with moses. Both rashis daughters and torah queeries succeed at expanding our understanding of human experience. He was a fantastic scholar and studied with the greatest student of rabbenu gershom of mainz. Rivka is upset that her daughters are learning talmud. The first novel in a dramatic trilogy set in eleventhcentury france about the lives and loves of three daughters of the. Simeon the great of mainz, and daughter of itzhak kalonymos d.
There is some precedent for prominent women wearing tefillin. At twentyfive, he founded his own academy in france. The author does a fabulous job of weaving her torah and talmud knowledge into a tapestry of exceptional read. Although rashi became one of the greatest scholars of his time and wrote on most of the basic jewish texts, he had a house of study where he taught students also. What does the shemittah year sabbatical year have to do with mount sinai.
He had two daughters some say he had three daughters. Rashi commented on almost every book of the bible, concentrating on the pentateuch, or the first five books of the hebrew bible. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france reprint by maggie anton isbn. Miriam picks up where its acclaimed predecessor, rashis daughters, book i. Likewise, fazonia, the first wife of rabbi haim ben attar, wore tallit and tefillin, as did rabbi haims second wife. Anton introduces us to the life of the renowned classical biblical and talmudic commentator rabbi salomon isaac of.
Rashi, in keeping with the custom of not taking money for teaching, was a successful wine merchant. The books 10 chapters cover nearly every aspect of rashis life, writings and worldview. Arranged according to an alephbet sequence, the family rashi book is a series of questions whose answers are found within the text of rashi. In this post, i would like to discuss rashi, the greatest of commentators to the torah and talmud. Rachel is an enlightened, empowering, and engaging journey of rashis youngest daughter rachel, who enacts the forbidden during the middle agesstudying and teaching talmud as a female. Rashi occupies a unique place in the jewish world as he provides the jewish people with the tools to understand and analyze the text of the torah. Ari zivotofsky is entirely correct that to this day there is no hard proof that rashis daughters wore tefillin. Rashi s daughters is the story of the three daughters of the great talmudic authority salomon ben isaac, a. For example, one of bestsellers is a baseball themed yarmulke handmade in israel with hebrew lettering.
The complete jewish bible, with rashi commentary, by rashi. Miriam by maggie anton, 9780452288638, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Book iii rachel the dramatic final book in the epic trilogy. Rashi, renowned medieval french commentator on the bible and the talmud the authoritative jewish compendium of law, lore, and commentary. Jocheved by maggie anton for our book club, asked me to read it and tell her my thoughts. Rashi, one of the greatest jewish scholars who ever lived, had no sons, on. Inbook ii, maggie anton continues to follow this fascinating trio of sisters as they defy the expectations and opinions that confine them, all while studying and revering their heritage through their devotion to the talmud. These women married three of their fathers finest students and were the mothers of the leaders of the next generation of french talmudic scholars. From the outset, grossman notes that rashis childhood and youth are shrouded in mystery. Miriam picks up where its acclaimed predecessor, rashi s daughters, book i. When i saw that noted holocaust survivor and nobel laureate elie wiesel recently wrote a book on rashi rabbi shlomo itzhaki, the famous bible commentator, i was reminded of a question rashi asks in his torah commentary. The tale of a young girl who challenges conventions to engage in jewish learning. Thoughtprovoking, researchrich, psychologically complex, rachel is a mirror of our own hearts and minds, a tale of pathos that. Rashi had no sons, but three daughters, joheved, miriam and rachael, who displayed a keen intellect, and a thirst for learning the talmud.
His students of special note included two sonsinlaw, rabbi judah ben nathan, commentator of the talmud, and rabbi meir ben semuel. The last daughter amos lassen maggie anton completes her trilogy of rashis daughters with book iii, rachel. Its first appearance with the text was at bologna in 1482, the commentary being given in. Rachel, by maggie anton, is a wellwritten and wellresearched historical novel, filled with beautiful imagery, and imagery that is often brutal. Though most mothers do not consider her daughterinlaw. Haviva nerdavid2 cites rashi s daughters tradition of wearing tefillin as setting a precedent. Rashi had no sons, but his three daughters married outstanding scholars. It had engaging relationships between the characters and even though its from joheveds perspective, for the most part, others in. Set in medieval france in the s, this book is a fiction love story about rashi s eldest daughter, who the author calls joheved. Mikhal the daughter of king saul, and king davids wife. His work continues to studied and debated centuries after his. However, most current scholars discount the possibility of rashi having a third daughter. The halachah makes it clear that women are exempt from wearing tefillin mishnah berachot. The dramatic final book in the epic historical trilogy about the lives and loves of the three daughters of the great talmud scholar rashi rachel is the youngest and most beautiful daughter of medieval jewish scholar salomon ben isaac, or rashi.
We also have educational games, greeting cards, and more. Rashi rashi, 10401105 an online book about this author is available, as is a wikipedia article rashi, 10401105, contrib the complete jewish bible, with rashi commentary in hebrew and english, ed. I found this book after reading rav histas daughter because of my thirst and love of study of torah and talmud. Although some of it is the authors imagination, it seems very. This is the first book of the rashis daugh ters trilogy.
Salomen ben isaac, known as rashi, is the most famous jewish commentator of the bible and talmud. There is no evidence that rashis daughters wore tefillin. Book i apprentice brings the world of the talmud to life from a womans perspective. A number of years ago, a sorbonne professor discovered an ancient map depicting the site of the cemetery, which now lay under an open square in the city of. Rashis daughters came highly recommended to me by a close friend from my synagogue. Based on actual talmud texts and populated with its rabbis and their families, rav hisdas daughter. Haviva nerdavid2 cites rashis daughters tradition of wearing tefillin as setting a precedent. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
Similarly, an article that appeared in the journal of jewish music and liturgy3 mentions that rashi s daughters wore tefillin. Rashis daughter, secret scholar was adapted from the first book in this series, volume 1. He was born in troyes, france, and lived from 1040 to 1105, surviving the massacres of the first crusade through europe. All about rashis daughters radio israel national news.
This is the first book of the rashis daughters trilogy. The novel is filled with intrigue and historical data from the medieval period, but also contains much information about the jewish talmudic scholar salomon ben isaac, otherwise known as rashi. I think it would be helpful to know who rashi wasand i didbefore reading the book, but it is not essential as one learns much about him as well as this daughter. While there is no evidence that rashis daughters themselves wore tefillin, it is known that some. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france, penguin plume, 2009. A feminist journey toward traditional rabbinic ordination, dr. Abt 1060 worms, germany married kalonymos sister of r. Judith hauptman, professor of talmud and rabbinic culture, jewish theological seminary. Rashi, teacher of the jewish people jewish history. The first novel in a dramatic trilogy set in eleventhcentury france about the lives and loves of three daughters of the great talmud scholar in 1068. It is doubtful whether we can find another jewish scholar active at the time who was willing to make changes for the benefit of womens rights even where halakhic and aggadic sources were not kindly disposed towards them. The book cover pr photo this is book one of a trilogy composed of fact and fiction about our great sage rashi, and particularly about his three daughters johevet, miriam and rachel. Rabbi shemaiah, compiler of the sefer hapardes the book of. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france rashis daughters series by maggie anton.
At a time when most women were illiterate and the rare educated woman was one who could read the bible, rashi s daughters studied talmud. Rashi, who lived in 11th century troyes, france and had no sons. Book i joheved the book that started it all in 1068, the scholar salomon ben isaac returns home to take over the family winemaking business and embark on a path that will indelibly influence the jewish worldwriting the first talmud commentary, and teaching it to his daughters. In additon, stories persist of rashis daughters wearing tefillin. Rashi died on july, 1105 tammuz 29, 4865 at the age of 65. At our jewish gift shop in brookline, ma we carry a wide range of unique jewish items.
Rashis daughters is the story of the three daughters of the great talmudic authority salomon ben isaac, a. In 1068, rashi returns to troyes, france, from his studies in germany to take over his familys winemaking business. This novel centers on the life of salomon ben isaac, known today as rashi, and his three daughters. Rashis commentary on the pentateuch was first printed without the text at reggio in 1475 the first dated hebrew book printed. Order in the next 11 hours 38 minutes and get it by saturday, february 15. Set in 11thcentury troyes, france, rashis daughter, secret scholar tells the story of joheved, eldest daughter of salomon ben isaac known as rashi, one of the great medieval jewish bible. Rashi by elie wiesel random house books new york, 2007 90 pages. Secret scholar is filled with carefully researched historical anecdotes that the author uses as inspiration for her imagined scenes. Review by adina bernstein a man who teaches his daughter torah has taught her lechery sotah 3, 4 among the legends of jewish theology and history, the sage known as rashi is a shining star. It shared a lot of similarities, at least in voice, to anita diamants the red tent. The engrossing historical series of three sisters livin. Rashis grandson rabbi samuel ben meir also known as rashbam, about 10851174, the son of one of rashis daughters, wrote his bible commentary, largely, with the goal in mind to liberate people from this use of midrash, and to show his objection to rashis frequent use of it.
Rashi rabbi solomon ben isaac, 10401105 is considered the greatest jewish scholar of medieval times in ashkenaz germany, france and england. Rashi combined the two basic methods of interpretation, literal and nonliteral, in his influential bible commentary. While yet in the academy in wormsmainz, rashi married. Join facebook to connect with rashi shukla and others you may know. In book ii, maggie anton continues to follow this fascinating trio of sisters as they defy the expectations and opinions that confine them, all while studying and revering their heritage through their devotion to the. There is legend that rashi had a third daughter, rachel. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france rashi s daughters series 3 4. Rashi was the outstanding biblical commentator of the middle ages. While eloquently articulating the pain of gender and religious oppression, they also show how jewish texts and tradition can be interpreted to enfranchise, engage and uplift the voices of all. Rashi is an acronym for the name rabbi shlomo yitzchaki, but jewish tradition tells us it also stands for rebbe shel yisrael, which means, the teacher of the jewish people. The approximate location of the cemetery in which he was buried was recorded in seder hadoros, but over time the location of the cemetery was forgotten. He also wrote on other works of law and commentary such as on the babylonian talmud probably his greatest achievement, as it provided new insight into talmudic times. Excellent social history and the talmudic process in one good read rashis daughters. Similarly, an article that appeared in the journal of jewish music and.
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