Samuel Ben Meir

Rabbeinu Shmuel ben Meir, known under the acronym Rashbam (") is a biblical exegete and Tosafists who lived in Champagne in the ^twelfth century (c. 1085 - c. 1158 ).

Small-eldest son of Rashi , whose pupil he was then secretary, Rashbam is particularly known for its commitment to the literal meaning of the verses. He also studied with the Riva was a colleague of Joseph Kara , and the master of his younger brothers, Isaac and Jacob.

Summary 1 Elements Biographical 2 Work 3 Notes and references 4 See also 4.1 Article Related External 4.2 Links

Biographical Elements

Jocheved son of the eldest daughter of Rashi and Rabbeinu Meir of Ramerupt , a famous pupil of Rashi, the eldest of three brothers, the second, Isaac, died in the lifetime of his father, and the third, Jacob became the leader of Ashkenazi Jewry.

His date of birth and death are known only through literary allusions. Thus, in his commentary on Genesis 37:2 the verse, the Rasbam mention the controversy he had with his grandfather about his biblical interpretations, and that it has conceded that he should see them again, what death was prevented. Rashi had died in 1105, and Rashbam to be aged 20-25 years at the time of this controversy, his birth is situated around the years 1080 - 1085.
As for his death, the date of 1160 was calculated according to a statement in Iggeret HaShabbat (Epistle of the Sabbath ) of Abraham ibn Ezra. In this letter, written when Ibn Ezra was in London , the author recommends to burn the books where it is taught that the Sabbath would not begin at sunset on Friday, but at sunrise on Saturday. This, according to most researchers, an allusion to the gloss of Rashbam to Genesis 1:5.

Work

His commentary on the Torah is renowned for the emphasis given to the interpretation that the simple meaning of the verses , which sometimes led to the adoption of controversial opinions, especially on the first chapters of Bereshit , which were omitted from first impressions the Pentateuch.

He made the comment of the Treaty Baba Batra , and that of the last chapter of the Treaty Pesachim , Rashi had died before he could complete them. He earned his living as a winemaker and marketer of livestock.

Known for his piety, he represented Jews in several Jewish-Christian disputations.

References