One of Rashis 10 major methods is the CONTRADICTION method.
Rashi had 3 methods to resolve CONTRADICTORY BIBLICAL TEXTS
- the two texts reflect 2 STAGES on 1 process
- the two texts reflect 2 ASPECTS of 1 state
- the two texts use BROAD-LITERAL interpretation

EXAMPLE 1: Nu22-04a MOAB enemies of MIDYAN
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Nu22-04a states that
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Moab sent emissaries to Midyan to request help
from what they perceived as a Jewish threat
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But Gn36-35 speaks about the
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WAR in the field of MOAB
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Rashi resolves this using the principle of STAGES
1) Initially MOAB and MIDYAN were enemies
2) To combat the Jews they overcame their hatred


EXAMPLE 2: Nu22-22b HARASS to PROTECT
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Nu22-22 states
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The Angel went down to HARASS him
because he was going to curse with
Moab to curse the Jews
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But Nu22-33:34 states
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Bilam stated I didnt know an Angel
opposed me; if it is wrong to curse
the Jews I will not go
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Rashi resolves this also using the
principle of stages
1) Initially the Angel HARASSED him
2) His goal was to HARASS him to
prevent him from going to SIN

So even though he used harassment as
an instrument his goal was MERCY(prevention
of sin)

EXAMPLE 3: Nu22-34a KNOWS GOD (LIAR!)
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In Nu22-34a Bilam states
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I didnt know you (Angel) were in
the path (But my donkey did know)
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But Comically, in Nu24-16 Bilam states
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The person who knows the thoughts of God
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Rashi comments on this comic contrast
- He knows the thoughts of God
- But doesnt know what his donkey knows!

In other words Rashi resolves this contradiction
thru interpreting the two texts with different
degrees of literal-broadness
- Nu22-34 Bilam didnt know is interpreted literally
- Nu24-16 Bilam knows God is interpreted as a lie

This resolves the contradiction. A more technical
description of this contradiction is IRONY which
is a common literary technique.

EXAMPLE 4: Nu22-29b HIRED TO KILL BY CURSE!
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A similar interpretation by irony resolves
the following two contradictory verses

- In Nu22-05:06 Balak requests Bilam to
kill the JEWS BY CURSE
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Please curse this nation this nation
that I may expel them from my land
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- But in Nu22-29 Bilam states, while
angry at his donkey
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You (Donkey) sported with me;
if I had a sword I would kill you
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Rashi comments on the irony
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- His donkey he can only kill with a sword
- but he is hired to kill the Jewish people
by curse
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Again the irony is resolved using stages
- we give a literal interpretation to the
statement that (only) if he had a sword
he would kill his donkey
- we give a wishful interpretation to
the desire to kill the Jews by cursing.

LIST530a gives examples of CONTRADICTIONS resolved thru 2 stages
LIST520a gives examples of CONTRADICTIONS resolved thru BROAD
LITERAL

A list of verse pairs    with BROAD-LITERAL usage