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. There is some precedent for prominent women wearing tefillin. The last daughter amos lassen maggie anton completes her trilogy of rashis daughters with book iii, rachel. There is no evidence that rashis daughters wore tefillin.
All about rashis daughters radio israel national news. From the outset, grossman notes that rashis childhood and youth are shrouded in mystery. Rashi, who lived in 11th century troyes, france and had no sons. Rashis daughter, secret scholar was adapted from the first book in this series, volume 1. Rashi was the outstanding biblical commentator of the middle ages. Haviva nerdavid2 cites rashis daughters tradition of wearing tefillin as setting a precedent. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france, penguin plume, 2009. Although some of it is the authors imagination, it seems very. 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. Rashi combined the two basic methods of interpretation, literal and nonliteral, in his influential bible commentary. Miriam by maggie anton, 9780452288638, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Rashis daughters came highly recommended to me by a close friend from my synagogue.
Rashi by elie wiesel random house books new york, 2007 90 pages. Rashi, in keeping with the custom of not taking money for teaching, was a successful wine merchant. Both rashis daughters and torah queeries succeed at expanding our understanding of human experience. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france reprint by maggie anton isbn. Secret scholar is filled with carefully researched historical anecdotes that the author uses as inspiration for her imagined scenes. Abt 1060 worms, germany married kalonymos sister of r. Rashis daughters is the story of the three daughters of the great talmudic authority salomon ben isaac, a. While there is no evidence that rashis daughters themselves wore tefillin, it is known that some.
Rachel, by maggie anton, is a wellwritten and wellresearched historical novel, filled with beautiful imagery, and imagery that is often brutal. The complete jewish bible, with rashi commentary, by rashi. 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. Arranged according to an alephbet sequence, the family rashi book is a series of questions whose answers are found within the text of rashi. 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 had no sons, but his three daughters married outstanding scholars. We also have educational games, greeting cards, and more. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france rashi s daughters series 3 4. Anton introduces us to the life of the renowned classical biblical and talmudic commentator rabbi salomon isaac of. While yet in the academy in wormsmainz, rashi married. The author does a fabulous job of weaving her torah and talmud knowledge into a tapestry of exceptional read. Though most mothers do not consider her daughterinlaw. These women married three of their fathers finest students and were the mothers of the leaders of the next generation of french talmudic scholars.
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. Set in medieval france in the s, this book is a fiction love story about rashi s eldest daughter, who the author calls joheved. I found this book after reading rav histas daughter because of my thirst and love of study of torah and talmud. Book iii rachel the dramatic final book in the epic trilogy. At our jewish gift shop in brookline, ma we carry a wide range of unique jewish items. Rashi died on july, 1105 tammuz 29, 4865 at the age of 65. Jocheved by maggie anton for our book club, asked me to read it and tell her my thoughts. In additon, stories persist of rashis daughters wearing tefillin. Rashi s daughters is the story of the three daughters of the great talmudic authority salomon ben isaac, a. 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 books 10 chapters cover nearly every aspect of rashis life, writings and worldview. Salomen ben isaac, known as rashi, is the most famous jewish commentator of the bible and talmud. It had engaging relationships between the characters and even though its from joheveds perspective, for the most part, others in. Rachel is the youngest and most beautiful daughter of rashi and her fathers favorite.
Rashi, renowned medieval french commentator on the bible and the talmud the authoritative jewish compendium of law, lore, and commentary. Mikhal the daughter of king saul, and king davids wife. In 1068, rashi returns to troyes, france, from his studies in germany to take over his familys winemaking business. Book i apprentice brings the world of the talmud to life from a womans perspective. There is legend that rashi had a third daughter, rachel. 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. 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. In this post, i would like to discuss rashi, the greatest of commentators to the torah and talmud. The first novel in a dramatic trilogy set in eleventhcentury france about the lives and loves of three daughters of the. Rashi had no sons, but three daughters, joheved, miriam and rachael, who displayed a keen intellect, and a thirst for learning the talmud.
Miriam picks up where its acclaimed predecessor, rashis daughters, book i. Miriam picks up where its acclaimed predecessor, rashi s daughters, book i. 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. He was born in troyes, france, and lived from 1040 to 1105, surviving the massacres of the first crusade through europe. Judith hauptman, professor of talmud and rabbinic culture, jewish theological seminary. Ari zivotofsky is entirely correct that to this day there is no hard proof that rashis daughters wore tefillin. What does the shemittah year sabbatical year have to do with mount sinai. Rashis commentary on the pentateuch was first printed without the text at reggio in 1475 the first dated hebrew book printed. 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. The tale of a young girl who challenges conventions to engage in jewish learning.
Rabbi shemaiah, compiler of the sefer hapardes the book of. 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. This is the first book of the rashis daughters trilogy. Order in the next 11 hours 38 minutes and get it by saturday, february 15. Excellent social history and the talmudic process in one good read rashis daughters. 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. However, there is evidence machzor vitry, avraham grossman, elisheva baumgarten, and others that a few women did wear tefillin in 11th12th century ashkenaz, just as some women wore tzitzit, blew the shofar, performed. Join facebook to connect with rashi shukla and others you may know. Haviva nerdavid2 cites rashi s daughters tradition of wearing tefillin as setting a precedent. 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. 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. However, most current scholars discount the possibility of rashi having a third daughter. 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. Similarly, an article that appeared in the journal of jewish music and.
The halachah makes it clear that women are exempt from wearing tefillin mishnah berachot. 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. Similarly, an article that appeared in the journal of jewish music and liturgy3 mentions that rashi s daughters wore tefillin. Simeon the great of mainz, and daughter of itzhak kalonymos d. This novel centers on the life of salomon ben isaac, known today as rashi, and his three daughters. Rivka is upset that her daughters are learning talmud. 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. He was a fantastic scholar and studied with the greatest student of rabbenu gershom of mainz. Rashi, one of the greatest jewish scholars who ever lived, had no sons, on. A novel of love and the talmud in medieval france rashis daughters series by maggie anton.
Thoughtprovoking, researchrich, psychologically complex, rachel is a mirror of our own hearts and minds, a tale of pathos that. 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. Rashi, teacher of the jewish people jewish history. This is the first book of the rashis daugh ters trilogy. His work continues to studied and debated centuries after his. His students of special note included two sonsinlaw, rabbi judah ben nathan, commentator of the talmud, and rabbi meir ben semuel. Rashi rabbi solomon ben isaac, 10401105 is considered the greatest jewish scholar of medieval times in ashkenaz germany, france and england. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone. Based on actual talmud texts and populated with its rabbis and their families, rav hisdas daughter. The engrossing historical series of three sisters livin. 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. Its first appearance with the text was at bologna in 1482, the commentary being given in. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. A feminist journey toward traditional rabbinic ordination, dr.
It shared a lot of similarities, at least in voice, to anita diamants the red tent. Rashi occupies a unique place in the jewish world, on par with moses. 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. 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.
At twentyfive, he founded his own academy in france. 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. For example, one of bestsellers is a baseball themed yarmulke handmade in israel with hebrew lettering. Likewise, fazonia, the first wife of rabbi haim ben attar, wore tallit and tefillin, as did rabbi haims second wife.
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