Eran Viezel

This article questions the widespread argument that Rashi addressed his Bible commentary to everyone in Israel, and reinforces the argument that he addressed it to the intellectuals, and perhaps even to his direct students only. The research is based on the assumption that Rashi was aware of the existence of an addressee, a specific audience who will read his commentary and understand it. Rashi did not leave any explicit statement that can lead us to the identity of his addressee. We can learn about it indirectly only, from the commentary itself, its style and the assumptions that it includes, as well as from evidences outside the commentary. The article collects these indirect evidences and examines them carefully.