10231 Rashi's Commentary on the Torah

Credits: 6 intermediate credits in Bible

Prerequisites: none

Authors: Nechama Leibowitz, Moshe Arend, Abraham Grossman

Objectives: The course acquaints students with the commentaries of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki (Rashi, 11th century), and reviews the principal methods employed in his biblical commentaries.

Students learn to analyze the commentary; to expose underlying assumptions in the text, to understand the suggested solution, its interpretive and conceptual meaning, as well as its basis. Students also learn to evaluate different interpretations.

Topics: The lemma; Repetition; Grammar and syntax; Elliptic language; Word sequence; Contradictions and discrepancies; Use and adaptation of Midrash; Historical background.