Who was Rashi? Rashi (רש"י) is the acronym for Rabbi Shlomo Itzhaki (1040–1105), the most influential biblical and Talmudic commentator in Judaism. His commentaries were printed in a semi-cursive typeface that bears his name.
The Rashi alphabet (also called ktav Rashi) is a variant of medieval Sephardic Hebrew. It is not a separate alphabet, but a cursive typeface used in many editions of the Talmud to distinguish the commentary from the original text.
Comparison: Block vs Rashi
| Numerical value | Rashi | Modern Hebrew | Name | Characteristics in Rashi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
א | Aleph | More similar to the handwritten Aleph |
| 2 |  |
ב | Bet | More pronounced lower end, broken vertical line |
| 3 |  |
ג | Gimel | Unchanged |
| 4 |  |
ד | Dalet | Rounded upper corner, similar to modern Resh |
| 5 |  |
ה | Heh | Unchanged, rounded vertical strokes |
| 6 |  |
ו | Vav | Almost unchanged from modern Vav |
| 7 |  |
ז | Zayin | Almost a mirror image |
| 20 |  |
כ | Kaf | Unchanged, smoother curvature |
| 40 |  |
מ | Mem | Almost unchanged, more rounded |
| 200 |  |
ר | Resh | Similar to Rashi Dalet, only rounded |
| 300 |  |
ש | Shin | The three peaks disappear, almost like an inverted Bet |
| 400 |  |
ת | Tav | Very similar to modern Tav |
Where is it used today? The Rashi typeface appears in:
- Editions of the Babylonian Talmud (for commentaries)
- Traditional Sephardic Siddur (prayer book)
- Many books of study and rabbinic responsa
- Colophons in medieval manuscripts