Rashi

Shlomo Yitzchaki was born in Troyes around February 1040 and studied in Worms under rabbis who had themselves learned from the renowned Gershom ben Judah. After returning to Troyes, he joined the local beth din and eventually led it following Zerach ben Abraham's death. His gift was making complex texts accessible: he could distill the plain meaning of scripture and Talmud in language that worked for both seasoned scholars and beginners. His commentary covered nearly the entire Babylonian Talmud, and his work on the Chumash inspired three centuries' worth of "supercommentaries" parsing his every word choice and citation. He died in July 1105, leaving a body of work that remains required reading in Torah study today.