Tikkunei Soferim and the Ironic Emendation of Rashi’s Inte...

This article explores the phenomenon of scribal emendations (Tikkunei Soferim) in the Hebrew Bible, particularly focusing on cases where the text appears to have been altered to avoid anthropomorphic or theologically awkward portrayals of God. It examines how traditional commentators, especially Ras... Read more

This article explores the phenomenon of scribal emendations (Tikkunei Soferim) in the Hebrew Bible, particularly focusing on cases where the text appears to have been altered to avoid anthropomorphic or theologically awkward portrayals of God. It examines how traditional commentators, especially Rashi, interpreted these emendations, using Genesis 18:22 as a key example. The discussion highlights how later readers sometimes misunderstood or recontextualized these notes, ironically reinforcing the very theological issues the emendations aimed to avoid. Show less