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I believe the script which is called "Rashi script" was invented to avoid using the normal Hebrew alphabet for things which weren't strictly Torah. Is this true?

If so - why are only TWO letters totally different ( Aleph and Shin ) while all the others are easily recognisable.

davidlewin
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  • It was "invented" by printers to save on space and expensive paper. It is more compact than regular script – mbloch Feb 13 '18 at 09:26
  • It's also somewhat easier to read, once you get the hang of it. – Danny Schoemann Feb 13 '18 at 10:28
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    Can you source was invented in order to avoid using the "holy Alphabet"? – Danny Schoemann Feb 13 '18 at 10:29
  • The צ is also changed a lot. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashi_script that The typeface (which was not used by Rashi himself) is based on 15th-century Sephardic semi-cursive handwriting. How do we close a question a red herring_ - i.e. the premise is false. – Danny Schoemann Feb 13 '18 at 10:34
  • @danny you answer it with better information. – Yishai Feb 13 '18 at 11:29
  • Unclear what you're asking, as your title - Rashi script origin - doesn't match your actual question - Is here anything to be seen in the fact that these two letters spell the word for FIRE? – Danny Schoemann Feb 13 '18 at 11:41
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    @mbloch while it was perfected by printers - it's a script which developed from writing see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashi_script –  Feb 13 '18 at 12:51
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    see https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/8842/why-did-rashi-create-a-new-letter-system-for-his-commentaries/8892#8892 for a possible duplicate – sabbahillel Feb 13 '18 at 12:57
  • @DannySchoemann I'm pretty sure "Rashi script" was originally used to write Ladino, to avoid using the normal Hebrew alphabet. It's similar to how a long time ago, a different script was used to write Yiddish. See here and here, for instance. – ezra Feb 13 '18 at 15:58
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    @DannySchoemann I think most people find Rash"i script harder to read as it doesn't include vowels, and it tends to be tiny. – DanF Feb 13 '18 at 16:19
  • I think most people would say that the bet, and tzaddi don't look like the standard "printed" Hebrew font. I've known many people confuse the Rash"i tzaddi and lamed. It seems the only difference is the tilt on the top of the letter. In print (block) these letters don't seem similar at all. – DanF Feb 13 '18 at 16:26
  • I'm tempted to post this as an answer, but I don't really know how. I hope this helps: http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/2009/04/rashi-script.html – ezra Feb 13 '18 at 18:24
  • Friends, I have edited the post to make it more relevent. What do you think? Should we reopen it or should it remain closed? – ezra Feb 14 '18 at 04:35
  • @ezra now seems even more like a dupe of Sabba's link – Double AA Feb 14 '18 at 04:40

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Indeed, there is a prohibition on the books that bans using the traditional Hebrew script for mundane matters. This prohibition is codified by Rabbeinu Yerucham (Nesiv 2, §50) and by Rama (Yoreh Deah §284:2). Rama (Teshuvos HaRama §34) is inclined to rule that one can treat Torah materials written in the popular script differently than an actual Torah scroll because the former is not written in the real Ashuri and is therefore not as holy as a Torah scroll. However, Rabbi Aharon HaKohen of Lunel adds (Orchos Chaim, Hilchos Talmud Torah §9) that for this reason the Sephardic Jews traditionally write in a script that is different enough from traditional Ashuri that it can be considered an entirely different script. They use what is colloquially known as “Rashi Script” (which is a misnomer because the script has nothing to do with Rashi).

SOURCE: R.C. Klein, Lashon HaKodesh: History, Holiness, & Hebrew (Mosaica Press, 2015), p. 203

Reb Chaim HaQoton
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