What is Meforshim?מפרשים
Meforshim are the classical commentaries on Jewish texts and the commentators behind them — individual authors such as Rashi, Ramban, and Ibn Ezra, and collective works such as Tosafos.
Also written: Mefarshim, Perushim, Commentaries, Mephorshim
Traditional editions print the commentaries around the primary text on the same page rather than in an appendix, so that the reader moves between them continuously. The Mikraos Gedolos format does this for the Chumash, surrounding the text with a set of commentaries; the standard Talmud page does the same with Rashi and Tosafos.
Which meforshim an edition includes is often the single most important thing about it. Two editions of the same text with different commentary sets are used for different purposes, and a buyer will usually name the commentary rather than the publisher when describing what they need.
Browse Meforshim listings on SimplySefer
Related terms
- Chumash — A Chumash is a printed volume of the Five Books of Moses, named from the Hebrew word for five, usually including commentary and the haftaros read on Shabbos and festivals.
- Gemara — The Gemara is the component of the Talmud that records the rabbinic analysis and debate of the Mishnah; Mishnah and Gemara together make up the Talmud.
- Tanach — Tanach is the complete Hebrew Bible, an acronym formed from its three parts: Torah (the Five Books), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Kesuvim (Writings).
- Midrash — Midrash is the body of rabbinic literature that expounds the biblical text, drawing out legal and homiletical meaning beyond the plain reading.