As much as we Logos folks love commentaries, I'm surprised that we haven't seen Rashi's commentaries on the Tanakh yet.
It's been requested ... keep nagging
Yes indeed. I believe I made a thread requesting them a couple years ago, and was directed to a thread older still.
May I ask why Rashi looms so large in modern Judaism given that Rashi was in the 12th century and at least some of his views were/are considered controversial. Is he significant as a controversial figure or as someone who is generally esteemed as "on point"? Or he simply a commentator that people like to consider?
One thing I found in Rashi's writings that I found important to consider was his view on this passage:
ורוח א-להים מרחפת: כסא הכבוד עומד באויר ומרחף על פני המים ברוח פיו של הקב"ה ובמאמרו, כיונה המרחפת על הקן אקוביטי"רבלע"ז [לכסות]:
This part was enthralling:
"...and the spirit of God was hovering: The Throne of Glory was suspended in the air and hovered over the face of the water with the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He and with His word, like a dove, which hovers over the nest, acoveter in Old French, to cover, hover over..."
Did he get that right?
By the way, I cited that from here:
http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8165#showrashi=true
May I ask why Rashi looms so large in modern Judaism ... Did he get that right?
May I ask why Rashi looms so large in modern Judaism ...
You question is inappropriate. Rashi looms large in Judaism for the same reason that Augustine looms large for several groups, Palamas looms large for Eastern Orthodox, Aquinas looms large for Latin Catholics, Luther looms large for Lutherans, Calvin looms large for ... Buddhaghosa looms large for Theravadan Buddhists. Beyond that this is not the place to discuss theology or whether particular individuals are right or wrong on any particular issue.
You've been "nagging" for Rashi. Why? Are you a Jew or a Christian? Why do you think Logos should include his musings?
[Y]
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I am a theologically conservative Christian who just had dinner with my cousin and his very Jewish wife and I have a graduate degree in Buddhist studies. I don't believe that it is possible to understand the Jewish understanding of the Tanakh and Talmud without understanding the influence of Rashi. Therefore I want Rashi ... and a number of other influential Jewish theologians. Similarly I want the basics of Eastern Orthodox which means I want Palamas and the Philokalia. I also keep asking for certain contemporary Coptic commentaries so that I can understand some of my newer neighbors.
I happen to believe that you can't understand Paul without some knowledge of Jewish interpretation, that you can't understand Christian worship without understanding Jewish worship and that comparing the different turns Judaism and Christianity took after their schism is an excellent way to identify and understand the fundamentals of Christianity.
If I understand Rashi do I understand Judaism?
Secular Buddhism is, to my mind, the best religion has to offer.
I agree with Nick and would also very much like to see Rashi's commentaries as well as other Jewish commentaries offered by Faithlife. I agree with MJ's comments on their value to Christians studying the Bible. If these commentaries were available as a Jewish products package, I would be very interested. Keep well Paul
I turn here: http://jewishencyclopedia.com/
Hmm. Trivia: that idiom ("looms…large") was unfamiliar to me, so I used a search engine and found that it implies an impending threat. Therefore, I'd obliquely agree with MJ that it is inappropriate. (silly grin) ← <Just trying to add some levity to the discussion. : >
But more on topic/more seriously, a borrowed prayer: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (Jn17:17)
Not completely, but you have completed one required element.
To me, the pursuit is not of religion but of Truth. Buddhism can teach us a great deal regarding how far humans pursuing Truth can get without revelation. At which point I recommend D. T. Suzuki's Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist which should also be in Logos.
Hmm. Trivia: that idiom ("looms…large") was unfamiliar to me, so I used a search engine and found that it implies an impending threat. Therefore, I'd obliquely agree with MJ that it is inappropriate. (silly grin) ← <Just trying to add some levity to the discussion. : > But more on topic/more seriously, a borrowed prayer: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (Jn17:17)
Not necessarily:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loom
But I'm glad to have introduced a new phrase for you. Words are wonderful.
I've read http://www.amazon.com/The-Messianic-Hope-Studies-Theology/dp/0805446540/ and the author is very critical about Rashi's interpretation which is kind of non-messianic. It might be good to have Rashi's works available in Logos for those who need to check Rashi's thoughts
All you really need is this link:
http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/63255/jewish/The-Bible-with-Rashi.htm
All you really need is this link: http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/63255/jewish/The-Bible-with-Rashi.htm
There is a distinct difference between wanting Rashi and wanting Rashi in Logos/Verbum.
Understood.
While not on my "important" list, I might go ahead and get Rashi primarily because he is frequently referenced and oft quoted. Whether I agree with a single word he says or not isn't really pertinent.
When I search my current library for Rashi, I get thousands of hits. (To be fair, 1,136 are in Jastow's dictionary and another 1,188 are in the Jewish Dictionary, but I still get more than 2,000 additional hits spread over more than 150 other resources.) That suggests that if I were able to add Rashi, I would fairly frequently find references leading me to him.
When I search my current library for Rashi, I get thousands of hits.
+1 for finding thousands of references to Rashi:
Keep Smiling [:)]
No, of course not. However you would be able to understand Rashi and better interact with comments about him if you were so inclined.
I haven't a clue what that has do with the merits or demerits of having an electronic edition(database) of Rashi in logos / Verbum / Noet?
Regards........
Can they presently be bought online in paper or electronic form? If they're on Amazon, it would be easy to add them to the Book Suggestions UserVoice.