Acronym for Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzkhaki (Solomon ben Isaac). Commentator on Bible and Talmud, writer of responsa and other halakhic writings. A vintner by profession, Rashi was incredibly prolific. He is regarded as perhaps the greatest interpreter of Torah; his commentary to the Bible and the Babylonian Talmud remains standard curriculum in all traditional Jewish schools to this day. His Bible commentary is a blend of the literal and midrashic. Its methodology is defined in his comment to Genesis 3:8: “As for me, I am only concerned with the literal meaning of Scriptures and with such aggadot (i.e., midrashim) as explain the biblical passages in a fitting manner.” He is noted for explaining the p’shat, or plain meaning of the text, sprinkled liberally with stories, parables, and some fanciful suggestions of his own based on classical midrash. Rashi’s style carefully follows the language of the text while providing a combination of his own analysis and a collection of traditional rabbinic midrash. In traditional circles, Rashi is studied to learn the central vision of the text’s meaning. The Talmud is considered impossible to read without Rashi’s commentary and his commentary to the Torah is the most standard, and most reprinted commentary in history. Rashi’s commentary on the Torah has the distinction of being the first Hebrew text ever printed on a printing press. Dozens of super-commentaries have been written to expand Rashi’s commentaries; many scholars even suggest that all of the commentaries on the Torah written after Rashi are, on some level, a commentary on Rashi’s work. Grandfather of Rabbenu Tam and Rashbam, Troyes, France (1040–1105).