[Avodah] peshuto shel mikra

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Aug 29, 2021 at 11:03:57AM -0400, Zev Sero via Avodah wrote:
> According to Rashi himself.   "Ani lo ba'si ela lefaresh peshuto shel mikra,
> ul'agada ham'yasheves divrei hamikra."

Clearly Rashi and the Rashbam have different definitions of "peshat".
Anyone who read the two peirushim would see as much. Rashi's frequent
citations of medrash would not fit the Rashbam's conception of peshuto
shel miqra.

I have a theory that I only spot-checked and could use MUCH more work.
I think Rashi's "peshat" includes anything that explains a grammatical
anomoly. Such as when translation alone cannot get you an understanding
of why a verse that talks about a rabbim reaching Har Sinai but then
"vayichan sham" -- a yachid camps there. Rashi would consider "ke'ish
echad beleiv echad" part of peshuto shel miqra, since it's the simplest
explanation of the shift in number. But his grandson (or the IE, etc...)
would not.

I am not sure if there are implications to this difference, or if
different rishonim used the words slightly differently.

And of course, I am not certain the theory works across every Rashi in
Tanakh.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 A sick person never rejects a healing procedure
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   as "unbefitting." Why, then, do we care what
Author: Widen Your Tent      other people think when dealing with spiritual
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF    matters?              - Rav Yisrael Salanter