The link between the Jewish-Christian polemic and the Masorah notes in Rashi's Bible commentary

This article demonstrates how Rashi integrated the Masorah into his commentaries, utilising it in order to bolster the strength of his own ideological claims pertaining to the Jewish-Christian polemic. By relying upon the Masorah, Rashi lent credibility to his interpretations, even when they diverged from the simple meaning of the verse, for instance, when Rashi privileged exegetical-midrashic interpretations, encouraging his suffering people and refuting Christian claims, and when Rashi offered an alternate reading for verses that might have been interpreted as alluding to or substantiating Christian beliefs. Thus Rashi explained that shiroh (Ps. 42:9) does not mean his song; rather, it emphasises the Shekhinah's continued presence (literally, dwelling) within Israel; hcombining dot belowerev (Songs 3:7-8), the sword of the priests, is the Masorah; be-suri (Hos. 9:12) is not besarai me-hem; and neither le-hcombining dot belowelkah nor hcombining dot belowelka'im (Ps. 10:8, 10) alludes to the humbled and downtrodden Israelites.