Editing Rashi (section)

===Legends===
His fame later made him the subject of many legends. One tradition contends that his parents were childless for many years. Rashi's father, Yitzhak, a poor [[winemaker]], once found a precious jewel and was approached by non-Jews who wished to buy it to adorn their idol. Yitzhak agreed to travel with them to their land, but en route, he cast the gem into the sea. Afterwards he was visited by either the [[Voice of God]] or the prophet [[Elijah]], who told him that he would be rewarded with the birth of a noble son "who would illuminate the world with his Torah knowledge."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://torahdownloads.com/shiur-19191.html|title=Shiur 08 - Rashi, Tosfos, And The Development Of Ashkenazi Jewry - Rabbi Menachem Levine - TD19191|website=torahdownloads.com|access-date=2018-12-17|archive-date=2018-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217154640/http://torahdownloads.com/shiur-19191.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another legend also states that Rashi's parents moved to [[Worms, Germany]] while Rashi's mother was pregnant. As she walked down one of the narrow streets in the Jewish quarter, she was imperiled by two oncoming carriages. She turned and pressed herself against a wall, which opened to receive her. This miraculous niche is still visible in the wall of the [[Worms Synagogue]].<ref>Liber, Maurice. [https://books.google.com/books?id=KzG4TzOlaVQC&q=Rashi ''Rashi''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407220359/https://books.google.com/books?id=KzG4TzOlaVQC&q=Rashi |date=2023-04-07 }}, Kessinger Publishing, 2004. pg. 18–19. {{ISBN|1-4191-4396-4}}</ref>

Additional legends, particularly in [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] literature, postulate that Rashi's tremendous works and accomplishments were inspired by the [[Holy Spirit]], the ''Shekhinah,'' as no mere human could produce such immense works. One text goes so far as to claim that Rashi was beyond human; the author proposes that he never died a natural death, but rather ascended to Heaven alive like the immortal prophet [[Elijah]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wiesel |first=Elie |title=Rashi: A Portrait |publisher=Schocken Books Inc |year=2009 |isbn=9780805242546 |location=New York, NY |pages=1–14 |language=English}}</ref>