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Shmuel ben Meir (c.1085 - c.1158), also known as Rashbam after his Hebrew acronym, was a leading French Tosafist born in the vicinity of Troyes.
His father was Meir ben Shmuel and his mother was Yocheved, the daughter of Rashi. Like his grandfather Rashi, the Rashbam was a biblical commentator and Talmudist.
He was the older brother of the Tosafists Isaac ben Meir (the Rivam) and Jacob ben Meir (Rabbeinu Tam). He was a colleague of Rabbi Joseph Kara.
He learned from Rashi and from Isaac ben Asher ha-Levi (the Riva). He was the teacher of his brother, Rabbeinu Tam.
His commentary on the Torah is renowned for its stress on the plain meaning (peshat) of the text. This approach often led him to state views that were somewhat controversial (thus resulting in the omission of his commentary on the first chapters of Genesis in many earlier editions of the Pentateuch). Parts of his commentary on the Talmud have been preserved, and they appear on the pages of most of tractate Bava Batra (where no commentary by Rashi is available), as well as the last chapter of tractate Pesachim.
Rashbam earned a living by tending livestock and growing grapes, following in his family tradition. Known for his piety, he defended Jewish beliefs in public disputes that had been arranged by church leaders to demonstrate the inferiority of Judaism.
Related books
- The Commentary of R. Samuel Ben Meir (Rashbam) on Qoheleth, by Sara Japhet and Robert B. Salters, The Hebrew University Magnes Press 1985
- Rabbi Samuel Ben Meir's Commentary on Genesis: An Annotated Translation by Martin I. Lockshin, Edwin Mellen Press, 1989.
- Rashbam's Commentary on Exodus: An Annotated Translation by Martin I. Lockshin, illustrations by Channa Lockshin, Brown Judaic Studies 310, 1997.
See also
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