**Rashi**, Rabbi Shlomo Yarchi bar Yitzchak of Troyes, a Frenchman [(from the city of Limburg, Seder HaKabbalah chapter 48b)] passed away, he and his student Rabbi Simcha who composed Machzor Vitry, in the year 4865 [(Tzeda LaDerech). And he was born in the year 4800 in the year that Rav Hai died, as the Maharshal wrote in Responsa section 29. And Yuchsin, discourse 5, at the beginning of the later generations writes that Rashi's days were 75 years.

And in Seder HaKabbalah chapter 49b it is written: I saw in a Kuntres that Rashi died at age 65. And on page 42, page 72 and chapter 68b he writes that he received from teachers who were before him in the year around 4800. And on page 48 he writes that Rashi was in the days of the Rambam and he brought proofs, 2) that the Raavad wrote his Seder HaKabbalah in the year 4921 and how did he not mention this Gaon who was famous and known at the gates, especially since Rashi spent most of his days and was included in all the study halls.

Therefore the Tzeda LaDerech concludes that Rashi was after the Raavad. And further, you will find in the rulings of Rabbeinu Tam, grandson of Rashi, that he was found in the year 39 (see there), and this proves that Rashi should be distanced from his grandson more than 100 years, especially since Rashbam, brother of Rabbeinu Tam, learned with Rashi his grandfather. And further you will find in Rambam at the end of Shabbat, Hagahah 2, that Rabbeinu Simcha of Vitry, the proven student of Rashi as is seen in Yuchsin, spoke together with Rabbeinu Tam, grandson of Rashi.

Thus Rabbeinu Simcha spoke with the elder and his grandson. And further, Rashi and his grandson Rashbam cite the author of the Aruch, thus the author of the Aruch was before Rashi and we have already proven that the author of the Aruch was in the second generation, thus Rashi would be in the third generation after him. And further I received from elders and sages of the generation who have a tradition that Rashi in exile was also in Sepharad.

And if he was before the Rambam, how is it possible that for all his wisdom he would not be mentioned by the many authors who were then in his generation in Sepharad and France. And further you will find in his commentary on the Tur about the death of Yoshiyahu, King of Judah, that he says "example for the 9th of Av which mentions laments over the slain that occurred in his days" (see Tur 2, end of section 34).

And behold, you will find that great troubles were upon Israel generally from the year 4900 until 4902. (And this is not a proof for perhaps he meant the decree of 4856, and see year 4856 what is written in the responsa of Maharshal - it appears that Rashi was in the decree of 4856). And further I received from elders of the generation, and especially in Salonika, that when Rashi went into exile he also passed through Egypt and stayed in the house of the Rambam, and he honored him greatly seeing the glory of his wisdom, and he gave him at a feast balsom oil worth its weight in gold, and they stood together many days.

And further you will find that the Ravan in the year 4865 says in Sefer Yuchsin that Rivan his son was a student of Rashi, and Rabbeinu Simcha, the student of Rashi the aforementioned, wrote from the mouth of Rivan. And further, how could the Rambam search and find all the compositions of Israel and mention the great sages in his compositions and letters and responsa and not mention this Gaon at all?

Rather, the Tzeda LaDerech concludes that he was in his generation and perhaps without knowing his name. And see page 49b, and I saw written that his commentaries came to the house of the Rambam, or while he was in his house he showed him some. And they say that the Rambam wrote in letters that it was in his soul to write other commentaries if the Frenchman had not preceded me. And see Meor Einayim chapter 25, chapter 36, page 72.

At the end of Arvei Pesachim it is written "they learned from it," page 80. Parshani z"l in the commentary on the stories of Shabbat year 1090 to documents (which is 4849 to creation). And the Rambam wrote in the discourse on Techiyat HaMetim in the year 1100 to documents: writings reached us from the lands of Yemen. And in 1105 to documents writings reached us from Babylon, etc., see there.

Behold from here it also appears that Rashi and the Rambam were in one generation)].

**It is written** [Seder HaKabbalah page 48b] Rashi's father's name was Rabbeinu Yitzchak and he was a great sage and God-fearing, therefore they called Rashi "Yitzchaki" after his father. And at the end of Avodah Zarah [(this evidence 2 is the language of Even Mori, may his rest be honored, and it is seen in Einayim)] he nicknamed him in wisdom. [See the book Tur, beginning of Bereishit z"l. I saw in an old manuscript book about what is written "Why did it begin with Bereishit" - this is what Rashi wrote: "Rabbi Yitzchak did not need to begin," etc. - he does not mention this anywhere.

Rather, what is written "Why begin with Bereishit" is a midrash and not the words of Rabbi Yitzchak, but this Rabbi Yitzchak, Rashi's father, was not a great scholar and Rashi wanted to honor his father and mention him at the beginning of his composition. So he asked a question and wrote it in his name and asked him a simple question: why does the Torah begin with Bereishit, thus concluded. And this is not what is written that he was not a scholar - at the end of Avodah Zarah he cited in his name, thus concluded.

And in the book Naftali, Sheva Ratzon chapter 100, Avodah Zarah, behold the Yalkut cites this "Rabbi Yitzchak did not need to begin," etc. (and so too in the Mechilta). And according to this, the words are true that Rabbi Yitzchak says this. But Rashi's way is to explain and question and not mention the name of the one who says it. The Tur tells Rashi to explain in his way: "Bereishit did not need," etc.

And why does he mention "Rabbi Yitzchak"? This was to honor his father whose name was Rabbi Yitzchak.] And this Rabbi Yitzchak had a beautiful pearl worth an ancient fortune and the people of his city wanted to buy it for their house of prayer. And even though they offered much money and many gifts, he did not want to listen to them until they plotted and brought Rabbi Yitzchak by deception onto a boat in the middle of the sea.

Then they began to force him to give them the pearl, and seeing he was forced to give it to them he threw it into the sea and God saved him from their hands. And a heavenly voice was heard in his study hall to all his students saying "Behold to you a son who will enlighten all Israel." And within a year a son was born to him and he called him Shlomo after his father. And the youth grew in wisdom, none like him was found in the kingdom of France.

And all the novellae and commentaries that he would produce and hear from the mouths of others or from his own mind he would write on pages of parchment, therefore the authors of Tosafot called it "the Kuntres." And so he continued until he was 32 years old. Then he vowed to go into exile for seven years to atone for the sin of the distress that his father received because of the stone that he threw, for although his father sanctified HaShem by throwing it, he still had great distress over the loss, and therefore it was not a complete mitzvah.

Also for another reason he wanted to go into exile, for then he completed the commentary on the Torah and most of the Talmud and he did not want to reveal his parchments and commentaries to the yeshivot, thinking that perhaps someone preceded him with greater clarity and beauty. And in this exile he would investigate and seek in the yeshivot the commentaries that they had.

Therefore he traveled in Italy and the land of Greece and the Land of Israel and passed through Egypt and there he saw the Rambam. And he went around the land of Persia and returned through Ashkenaz to his home, the city of Troyes in France. And upon returning to his house he signed his commentary on the Torah and completed the commentary on 22 complete tractates and many others incomplete. And then he began to publish his compositions, thus I saw in an old manuscript. [In the book Yesod Olam it says that Rashi was called "Parshandata" meaning the commentator of the religion (Yuchsin at the beginning of the later generations).

In Hagahot Rambam chapter 2 of Shabbat, Rashi established eruvin in the city of Troyes without recognizing marks. And it is seen in the Mishnah HaMekabel, chapter 5, from its author that Rashi was a sage in astronomy. And he composed rulings and many responsa, and the book HaPardes, and what is not found by us except its abridgement is called Likutei HaPardes (printed Reba"t). Seder HaKabbalah chapter 49b writes:] I received from the students of Maharan of Padua that when Rashi was in exile he stayed in the house of a mighty and wealthy Jew who was the parnas of the city in Sepharad, and at his request he composed for him a book and called it by his name "Sefer HaParnas." And he testified before Jewish merchants from Mantua who went to the court of the Kaiser in the kingdom of Bohemia and saw in the city of Prague the grave of Rashi with a stone marker and written on it were words, but due to their erasure they could not bring them. [And see Shorashim, root Tafash, in the Hagahah there, it appears that Rashi was a sage in medicine. (And in the book Siftei Yeshenim, end of letter Reish, he writes: And I saw his book of remedies in manuscript.) And it is found in kabbalah that the soul of Rav was reincarnated in Rashi and the soul of Shmuel in the Rambam and the soul of Rabbi Yochanan in Rabbeinu Tam.

And just as the halacha follows Rav in prohibitions, so the halacha follows Rashi. And just as the halacha follows Shmuel in monetary matters (see there), so the halacha follows the Rambam. And just as when there is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel they would establish the halacha according to Rabbi Yochanan, so in a place where Rashi and the Rambam do not agree, the halacha is established according to Rabbeinu Tam (and so too in the book at the end Gilgulei Neshamot)].

**It is written** [Seder HaKabbalah chapter 49b] I saw written that there was a certain lord in France called Gotifrido of Lyon, mighty and a cruel man of war and a man of destruction. And he heard of Rashi's wisdom even among the nations, for to him all the nations would inquire, and he sent for him from the city of Lionne and Rashi refused to go because he knew that man. And the lord was angry and rode with all his army to Rashi's house, to his study hall, and found all the doors open and the books open and saw no one.

And he called in a loud voice "Shlomo, Shlomo" and Rashi answered "What does my lord seek?" And the lord said "Where are you?" and Rashi answered "Here I am." And he did so several times. Then the lord was amazed and left the study hall and asked "Is there a Jew here?" And two of his students came before him. And the lord said to them: "Tell your rabbi to come to me and I promise him on my head that he will receive no harm." And Rashi came down to the lord and bowed before him and the lord raised him up and said: "Now I have seen your wisdom.

Indeed, my desire is that you advise me about a great matter that I have to do, and it is that I have prepared 100 thousand horsemen and many great ships and my desire is to conquer Jerusalem. I also have in the city of Akron seven thousand other horsemen. And I trust in God to defeat the Ishmaelites who dwell there because they lack the wisdom of war.

Therefore, tell me your opinion and do not fear." Then Rashi answered in few words: "You will go and conquer Jerusalem and reign over it for three days, and on the fourth day the Ishmaelites will drive you out and you will flee and return to this city with three horses." And the lord was very bitter and said: "It is possible that your words are true, but if I return with four horses I will feed your flesh to the dogs and I will destroy all the Jews in France." And everything that Rashi said happened to him, and he returned with three horses alone by himself after many battles that he made, for they lasted five years. And he remembered Rashi's words and it was in his mind to harm him, but God foiled his counsel, for when he entered the gate of the city a stone fell from the lintel of the gate and killed two of his companions with the horse he was riding on.

And the lord was greatly amazed and admitted that the Jew's words were true, and he went to Rashi to bow before him before returning to his house and found that he had gone to his eternal rest and mourned him greatly, [thus concluded].

**Rashi did not have** male children except for three daughters whom he married off in his lifetime. The eldest to Rabbeinu Meir [(bar Rabbi Shmuel of Dameru. Yuchsin at the beginning of the later generations and there is a printing error there).] And he was a great sage [(as is seen in Mordechai, Kodshim chapter HaOmer and many places).] And his sons were Rashbam and Rabbeinu Tam and Rivan. The second was given to Rabbeinu Yehuda bar Natan called Rivan.

He too was a great sage and commented on some tractates before his father-in-law and wrote many responsa. [(As is seen in Mordechai chapter Kol HaBasar)] And he passed away young. The third to Rabbeinu Ephraim who was a great sage and expert in Talmud, [Seder HaKabbalah. (And in Responsa Maharshal section 29: after Rashi, Rashbam reigned - he is Rabbi Shmuel bar Meir and Rabbi Yosef the judge served before him, and Rabbeinu Tam his brother.

And Rivan also came to serve before him and returned to his place.)] Rabbeinu Shemaryah was one of his greatest students and composed responsa and methods of Talmud and his name is known in the poskim. Rabbeinu Shimon was one of Rashi's students. [As is seen in Hagahot Rambam chapter 7 of Laws of Prayer. And perhaps this is Rabbi Shimon of Sens who is cited in Hagahot Mordechai, Gittin chapter 80.] Rabbeinu Simcha of Vitry who composed Machzor Vitry according to Rashi his teacher, [as is seen in Maharik section 176 and other places.

Yuchsin writes at the beginning of the later generations] Rivan was a student of Rashi and so was Rabbi Shemaya. Rashi also had two great students: 1) Rabbi Shmuel of Bunburg who made the book HaPardes [(student of Rabbi Simcha of Speyer, Seder HaKabbalah chapter 50, page 72).] And the second, Rabbi Shimon, made the book Haleket [Yuchsin in Seder HaKabbalah of the Rema, (and perhaps this is the author of the Yalkut Shimoni.

See year 4958)].

**Rabbeinu Baruch** of Mainz, son of Rabbi Shmuel, a great sage, it is clear that this one composed the book HaChochmah. And Rabbi Simcha of Vitry, student of Rashi, asked from him. And he wrote to Rabbi Shemarya, student of Rashi, and Rabbeinu Meshulam asked from him and he lived many days until he saw the Raavyah, and Rabbeinu Yakir was his teacher. [Mordechai chapter Kol HaBasar, and see there chapter Shevuat HaDayanim, and in Terumat HaDeshen section 309 and Mordechai chapter Or VeHarotav...

**Rabbi Elikum** HaLevi received together with Rashi from his teachers and also commented on the five Sedarim. And Rabbi Yitzchak bar Asher HaLevi of Speyer was his son-in-law. And also Rabbeinu Yaakov son of Rabbi Yitzchak Segan Leviya lived in his days, called Rabbeinu Yaavatz [(Responsa Maharshal section 29)].

**Rabbi Avraham** bar Chaim HaLevi, a Sephardi, a great astronomer, died in 4865. He composed the book Tzurat HaAretz [printed in 1415.] Some say that in his days was Rabbi Yosef Tov Elem. [Seder HaKabbalah chapter 42b writes. And Rashi mentions him several times and in chapter Kof of Ketuvot. And he composed on the laws, called Ben Porata (and in Siftei Yeshenim he wrote that Rabbi Yosef son of Rabbi Shmuel Tov Elem composed on the laws, also composed Seder HaTana'im.

See Semag on Ein Kol...

**Rabbi Avraham HaNasi**, a great astronomer, and composed the book HaIbbur (the calendar) was also in the year 4865 [see Meor Einayim chapter 42b and 45b.]