Rashi by Elie Wiesel

applicable; they must be protected and respected. But if he converted voluntarily, not under duress, from inner conviction, he will be treated more harshly. By choosing apostasy in good conscience he excluded himself from the community of Israel. And then, having become an example, he will have crossed the point of no return.
    Let us not forget: the number of forced and voluntary conversions at the time was very great. The spiritual leaders were duty-bound to remedy the situation by helping only the former to return, reintegrate into their communities, take their place in it, submit to their obligations, and reconquer their rights. After all, doesn’t the Talmud state that a Jew, even one who is at fault and a sinner, remains a Jew?
    Rashi adopted the same line. Was it because of the Crusades, which, for the past six years, led to the shedding of Jewish blood wherever they appeared, with the sound and fury of unleashed fanaticism?
    Rashi, whose leniency toward the victims was without bounds, does everything possible to safeguard their Jewish faith, even if secrecy has to be maintained temporarily.
    He asks why galbanum, with its bad odor, was added to the incense of the Temple in Jerusalem? In order to teach us that even sinners belong to the community of Israel: together, their common prayers rise to heaven. The repentant transgressor is our brother. God is the God of us all. And we are His people.
    We are back to our initial theme.
Amar Rabbi Yitzhak
, Rabbi Yitzhak says: why does the Torah start with the story of the genesis of the world rather than the first law?
    This is better understood if we place Rashi’s oeuvre and thought in its historical context.
    On the one hand, Rome was saying to the Jews: come to us; you are no longer God’s people; we are His people. It is we who carry His word, His promise. But Rashi is entitled to say: so long as a Jew remains faithful to God, God remains faithful to him.
    And on the other hand?
    At the time, Christians and Muslims were at war over the ownership of a small strip of land called Palestine. Each side sacrificed their sons to possess it. So the Jew Rashi reminds them of this ancient legend:
    One day the nations of the world will tell the Jews, this land is ours; you stole it from us. And we will reply: the land belongs to God; He alone has the right to say who will live there. And He gave this land to us.
    As mentioned already, Rashi completed his biblical commentaries, but not his Talmudic ones. They were completed by his close disciples.
    The expression
“kaan niftar rabenu,”
“here, in this spot, our Teacher died,” or
“kaan hifsik rabenu,”
“here our Teacher interrupted his work,” occurs three times in his commentary of the Talmud. In Tractate
Baba Batra
, the text is clear: “What preceded was Rashi’s commentary; what follows is that of his grandson, Rashbam.” In the Pizarro edition, the information is more explicit: “Here Rashi left this world.” In Tractate Makkot (criminal punishment), the rhythm of the text is suddenly interrupted: “Our Teacher who lived and worked, pure in body and soul, ended his task here. From now on, it is Rabbi Yehuda bar Nathan who is speaking.” In Tractate Pesahim (Passover), the interruption is more succinct: “This is the commentary of Rabbi Shmuel, Rashi’s disciple.”
    It is clear: Rashi had interrupted his work several times.
    The last years of his life were trying. Was it because of the depressing news that came from communities not so far away? He became ill. He had difficulty writing. Often he dictated his responsa, to Rabbi Azriel or Rabbi Yosef, for instance. He said so in his letters: “I don’t have the strength to hold a pen in my hand.” But even in a world where, in some places, because of ancient, hate-filled, brutal reasons, Death is glorified, his message remains alive and an admirable celebration of life.

CHRONOLOGY
586 BCE
The Kingdom of Judah is defeated by the Babylonians and its leaders