Quotes About Rashi

The eighth verse of Genesis 1 reads: "And God called the expanse heaven." Rashi here endeavors to explain the word for heaven, Shamayim. He says that it may consist of the following: either the words Sa and Mayim, meaning "carrying water;" the words Sham and Mayim, meaning "there is water;" or the words Esh and Mayim, meaning "fire and water.

It is needless to cite additional examples to illustrate the character of the interpretations, which Rashi was in the habit of giving. The few which have been furnished indicate how, in his work, the plain and the derived sense are mingled together in view of their equal importance in his eyes.

Rashi was one of the champions of the theory, which sought to bring about a compromise between the Peshat and the Derash. He interspersed the Aggadic and Midrashic with the philological, a circumstance, which, in all likelihood, accounted for the popularity of his commentary. One can readily detect Rashi's indebtedness to the Targumim, the Talmud and the Masorah.

The text of 14:3–5 has played an important role in the larger chronological discussions. For example, Rashi argued that Pharaoh was prompted to pursue the Israelites because of their failure to return after three days (cf. 5:3). If this is the case, Rashi continued, "on the fifth and sixth day they pursued them . . . and, thus, this was the seventh day of Passover.

How does it say in the Talmud: Who giveth life giveth also the fruit of the vine. Rashi interprets it as: God may be God, but brandy is brandy. L'chayim!