CHAPTER XI
Rashi and Alfassi
Nathan of Rome.—Alfassi.—Rashi.—Rashbam.
Before Hebrew poets, scientists, philosophers, and statesmen had made Spain famous in Jewish annals, Rashi and his school were building up a reputation destined to associate Jewish learning with France. In France there was none of the width of culture which distinguished Spain. Rashi did not shine as anything but an exponent of traditional Judaism. He possessed no graces of style, created no new literature. But he represented Judaism at its simplest, its warmest, its intensest. Rashi was a great writer because his subject was great, not because he wrote greatly.
But it is only a half-truth to assert that Rashi had no graces of style. For, if grace be the quality of producing effects with the
