BELLE-ASSEZ or RACHEL:
A daughter of Solomon ben Isaac, called "Rashi" (1040-1105,) and wife of R. Eliezer. Belle-Assez (not "Bellejeune," "Belle," "Schön," see Jacob Tam, "Sefer ha-Yashar," ed. N. Rosenthal, p. 44, note), like the other daughters of Rashi, was very well versed in Hebrew and rabbinical literature. It was at one time thought that Belle-Assez or at least one of Rashi's daughters) used to take down his responsa on juridical questions (Grätz, "Geschichte," vi. 82), but Zunz showed that this was due to a misreading of the original text which referred only to Rashi's grandson ("Zur Geschichte," pp. 172, 567). From a responsum of her nephew Jacob Tam (l.c.) it is learned that she was unhappy in her married life, and that she obtained a divorce from R. Eliezer.
- Grätz, Gesch. der Juden, vi. 82;
- Kayserling, Die Jüdischen Frauen, p. 116.
