Tur OC 418, Not to fast on Rosh Chodesh |
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 Mar 26 2008, 08:42 AM
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 Group: Members Posts: 35,359 Joined: 2-September 03 Member No.: 239  |
When did Rashi die?
You're not supposed to fast on Rosh Chodesh but there are exceptions. The Mishnah Berurah in s'k 1 mentions one such exception, on RCh Sivan because of the calamities in Worms in 4856 [1095-1096 CE]. This is consistent with the Encyclopedia Judaica: QUOTE (EJ) WORMS... This flourishing period was interrupted by the persecutions of the First Crusade that took place in May 1096. The crusaders, drawn from the simple townfolk and the peasants of the surrounding villages, attacked the Jews in Worms. Some of them were killed in their homes or took their own lives, while others found refuge in the palace of the bishop until they were overwhelmed and massacred or chose to kill their children and then themselves. The number of martyrs reached 800. Only a few saved themselves by accepting baptism, but in the following year Henry IV allowed them to return to Judaism. QUOTE (EJ) RASHI (Solomon ben Isaac; 1040–1105)... Rashi's last years were aggrieved by the massacres committed at the outset of the First Crusade (1095–96), in which he lost relatives and friends. Tradition relates that he foretold the defeat of the expedition of Godfrey of Bouillon, correctly predicting that Godfrey would return to his native city with only three horses remaining from his entire massive army. It is only a legendary tradition that during this period Rashi transferred his school to Worms; there the house called his bet ha-midrash, which was located next to the city's synagogue, is a construction of the 16th century. He is reported to have died while writing the word "pure" in his commentary to Makkot, (19b) on 29 Tammuz. His burial place is not known. Here is R. Bloch's Toldot Rashi, footnote 1: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v336/mel...nt=page0008.jpg also here on page 8/45 http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/books/djvu/2048882/index.djvu R. Bloch says Rashi died in 4865 [1105 CE], in Tammuz. But he cites R. Yisraeli's Sefer Yesod Olam as a source for the year. R. Yisraeli was a 13th century CE student of the Rosh. His sefer was first published in 1777 CE, a first edition copy of which is one of my prized possessions: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v336/mel...t=yesod0001.jpg It seems to me that the the Sefer Yesod Olam puts Rashi's death in 4868, not 4865 - that's so not a hei"h - and therefore the 900th anniversary has not passed but is coming up. |
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Mar 26 2008, 11:29 AM
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 Rebbe  Group: Members Posts: 2,444 Joined: 16-March 04 Member No.: 455 |
QUOTE (melech @ Mar 26 2008, 09:42 AM)  When did Rashi die? You're not supposed to fast on Rosh Chodesh but there are exceptions. The Mishnah Berurah in s'k 1 mentions one such exception, on RCh Sivan because of the calamities in Worms in 4856 [1095-1096 CE]. This is consistent with the Encyclopedia Judaica: Here is R. Bloch's Toldot Rashi, footnote 1: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v336/mel...nt=page0008.jpg also here on page 8/45 http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/books/djvu/2048882/index.djvu R. Bloch says Rashi died in 4865 [1105 CE], in Tammuz. But he cites R. Yisraeli's Sefer Yesod Olam as a source for the year. R. Yisraeli was a 13th century CE student of the Rosh. His sefer was first published in 1777 CE, a first edition copy of which is one of my prized possessions: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v336/mel...t=yesod0001.jpg It seems to me that the the Sefer Yesod Olam puts Rashi's death in 4868, not 4865 - that's so not a hei"h - and therefore the 900th anniversary has not passed but is coming up. Maybe the Hei and the ches got mixed up, it would not be the first time it happened. -------------------- One Nation - One Land - One Torah
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Mar 26 2008, 11:33 AM
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#3
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Group: Members Posts: 35,359 Joined: 2-September 03 Member No.: 239 |
QUOTE (Yehudi @ Mar 26 2008, 12:29 PM) Maybe the Hei and the ches got mixed up, it would not be the first time it happened. Well, yeah, maybe it's a typo. And there are certainly a number of typos in that edition of the Yesod Olam. But then so can anything be a typo. But what's the primary source for Rashi's year of death? The Yesod Olam is pretty old. Anything earlier? [Note to self: Check R. Ibn Daud Sefer Hakaballah to see if a date is given]. |
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Mar 27 2008, 08:34 AM
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#4
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Group: Members Posts: 35,359 Joined: 2-September 03 Member No.: 239 |
QUOTE (melech @ Mar 26 2008, 11:33 AM) [Note to self: Check R. Ibn Daud Sefer Hakaballah to see if a date is given]. Here is an anotated translation of the Sefer Ha-kabbalah: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v336/mel...t=Rashi0001.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v336/mel...t=Rashi0002.jpg [I would mention the author of the translation, but he was a Chancellor of JTS...] Sefer Ha-kabbalah, written in 1161 CE, makes no mention of Rashi at all - he is conspicuously absent - but does mention French rabbi before and after, including Rabbeinu Tam. This doesn't surprise me at all. (I think it's because Rashi was primarily an exegete and the Spaniards would have little use for his exegeses, as opposed to Rabbeinu Tam who was probably seen primarily as a halachist.) |
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