Rashi tells us 2 pieces of information
a) that they had to go to the Hegmon first the Mekor for that is found in Kesuvos 3b no problem.
b)the second point is a nes that happened through a lady it seems to be famous enough but Rashi does not elaborate so if you go to the Ran Al Harif he explains the Masseh of Yehudis Bas Yoichonon Kohen Godol Vechu, except that the Ran says "Kedisoh BeMedrash" or words to that effect.
My question is where is that Medrash. Now assuming you are to tell me that its NOT Tanchuma or Rabbah Al HaTorah or Chamesh Megillos can we conclude that the Rishonim had access to some "Medroshim" at their time that just dont exist today and if yes what Kedushah or reliability do they have compared to the Tanchuma or Rabbah
Boruch Kahan , London England
There is no question that the Rishonim had access to Midrashic sources that we no longer have. Even the Yalkut Shimoni, an early compendium of Midrashim following the order of Tanach, cites many Midrashim for which we have no other source.
In this case, though, we have numerous Midrashic sources for the story of Yehudis. They indeed are not Raba or Tanchuma, but collections of small Midrashim. Hundreds of "minor" Midrashim on dozens of subjects are cited by various Rishonim and can still be found in manuscript versions in libraries around the world. Most of these were collected by Eisenstein in his monumental turn of the 20th century compendium named "Otzar Midrashim", which is still available today in many Sefarim stores. Some of these (such as the one Rashi here refers to) became part of the Apocrypha.
The particular class of Midrashim that served as Rashi's source here is usually called "Midrash Ma'aseh Yehudis." One version of this Midrash can be downloaded at http://www.hebrewbooks.org/24623 . Its listing in Otzar Midrashim can be viewed starting from this page http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=2603&st=&pgnum=221 .
Best regards,
Mordecai Kornfeld