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Rashi on chumash is based on chazal. Sometimes Rashi appears to bring contradictory opinions and some mefarshim say that its machlokes midrashim.
Is there a source or mesorah that Rashi's shita in chumash shtims with all Rashis? That Rashi wont bring down two opinions that contradict each other (I'm not asking when he brings down 2 pshatim on one pasuk, which obviusly disagree with each other. Rather when he gives one explanation by one pasuk, that it wouldn't contradict himself elsewhere)?

(Im asking specifically on chumash, because it is a more unique peirush than shas. As said by rabeinu tam. Also he fasted 613 fasts before writing it...)

Shlomy
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    Do you just care about chumash? I can show you contradictory rashi's in other places in Nach. I personally believe that Rashi gives you the pshat that fits best in the passuk under discussion. – N.T. Nov 12 '23 at 04:31
  • Many say including Rabeinu tam rashis peirush on chumash is unique more than on shas. If they mean to include nach as well. Then my question is on nach as well. – Shlomy Nov 12 '23 at 13:59
  • similar: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/30071 – msh210 Nov 12 '23 at 14:52

2 Answers2

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In the sefer כללי רש"י (Principles of Rashi, compiled from the Lubavitcher Rebbe's many Rashi sichos), section 4, principle 19 (and 7:15) says that Rashi will borrow from opposing views in different places, depending on which aligns more with the plain meaning. But he wouldn't bring two explanations that inherently contradict one another, as that would undermine the simple coherence essential to peshat.

See also R' Eliezer Ashkenazi:

ובאמת לא יקבל דעת המשכיל שרש"י ז"ל שכל מגמתו הוא לפרש את התורה ולהראות את יפיה היות כל דבריה נכונים למבין וישרים למוצאי דעת שיפרש את התורה במקום אחד כפי אגדה אחת ובמקום אחר יפרש כפי אגדה סותרת הראשונה, שבאופן זה יהיו גם הכתובים חלוקים, ובמקום שרש"י ז"ל אומר להועילנו בישוב הכתובים אדרבה יחליט היותם חלוקים זה על זה וזה רחוק מן השכל ואין דעת המשכיל סובלתו

shmosel
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  • There is a machlokes in the Mechilta which tribe went into the Yam Suf first. Each opinion brings a proof from a passuk. On each passuk, Rashi just quotes the opinion supported by that passuk. – N.T. Nov 12 '23 at 10:02
  • Are they both in Chumash? I'm not sure the rules apply across Tanach. – shmosel Nov 12 '23 at 18:49
  • No, but I don't see why it should matter. – N.T. Nov 13 '23 at 03:41
  • Because Rashi on Chumash is aimed at someone taking his first steps in learning, whereas a student learning Nach is already more advanced (and not all of Nach lends itself to pure peshat). And we have a tradition (mentioned in a comment by OP) that Rashi was uniquely invested in his commentary on Chumash. See here, here and here. – shmosel Nov 13 '23 at 04:52
  • The idea that Rashi is aimed at pure beginners seems to have originated with Rabbi Moshe Eisenmann. It is based on a very weak diyuk in the Maharal. I disagree. – N.T. Nov 13 '23 at 08:32
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The Maharsha in Kiddushin(44a, on Rashi "כלל אינו") states that it is Rashi's custom to explain something one way in one place, and the same thing another way in another place, and it's not something of concern.

ElonMusk
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    Thats rashis clal on shas. You know maharsha also means to say this clal on rashi on chumash? – Shlomy Nov 12 '23 at 13:54
  • @Shlomy why would there be a difference? – ElonMusk Nov 12 '23 at 19:25
  • My question was specifically on rashi on chumash because of its greater chashivis. It was written after many fasts. And rabbeinu tam said no one else couldve written it. Etc Im asking if its a shita that shtims throughout. Rashi on shas is already known clalim that he writes what fits better . – Shlomy Nov 12 '23 at 20:02