Peshat and Derash – Midrash Aggada

Both Rashbam and R. Yosef Kara base their opinions on the teaching of Chazal that “the text never departs from its plain meaning,” but they understand this statement in different ways. According to R. Yosef Kara, it is a testament to the superiority of peshat over derash, while according to Rashbam it is simply a stamp of legitimacy granted to study of the peshat. In addition, while R. Yosef Kara regards the derash as separate from the text, according to Rashbam it represents a central level of the text itself in keeping with the principle of polysemy established by Rashi, his grandfather. In any event, both commentators share a fundamental approach that draws a distinction between peshat and derash, and views the study of peshat as a legitimate realm of study in its own right.