Sefer ha-Mizrachi is a supercommentary on
Rashi's commentary on the
Torah. It is counted in its own right as among the most important
commentaries on the Torah. It was first published in
Venice in 1527 after Mizrachi's death, by his son Israel. Mizrachi himself considered his commentary on Rashi the most important of his works (Responsa, Nos. 5, 78). The work shows Rashi's
Talmudic and
midrashic sources, and elucidates all obscure passages. It was written, partially, to defend Rashi from the strictures of the later commentators, particularly
Nachmanides. A compendium by
Jacob Marcaria was published under the title
Kitzur Mizrachi (
Trento, 1561), and later, one by Isaac ha-Kohen of
Ostroh, entitled ''Mattenat 'Ani
(Prague, 1604-9). Several commentaries have been written on Mizrachi, including Yeri'ot Shlomo
by Solomon Luria (Maharshal), a supercommentary on Sefer ha-Mizrachi'' by
Barzillai ben Baruch Jabez, and strictures on the work by
Samuel Edels, (Maharsha). Other works of Torah by Mizrachi include: •
Tosefet Semag, a
hiddush on the
Sefer Mitzvot Gadol ("Semag") of
Moses ben Jacob of Coucy. • A collection of
responsa - ''Teshuvot Re'em''; see
History of responsa in Judaism: Fifteenth century. Mizrachi also authored works on mathematics and science: •
Sefer ha-Mispar on
arithmetic, and a commentary to
Ptolemy's
Almagest, an important text on
astronomy. (
Melekhet ha-Mispar; is a similar work attributed to Mizrachi, which additionally contains a chapter on
chess). • A commentary on
Euclid's
Elements, a fundamental mathematics text. ==References==