Write the document as a Word™ doc, If you do not have Word, call the rabbi. Writeups should be done within a day or two of taking the notes. Wait any longer and you'll begin to forget what the notes mean.
Parents are to help their child type up/edit their commentary notes. Let them dictate them, and the parent type them, so that they feel free to speak at length.
Make sure you know what the notes mean. If you do not understand what it means, ask them to explain. Remember, if YOU don't understand it, nobody will.
Please do not rewrite it for them. Work with your child to draw them out, so that it remains in their words, and in their style. However, please highlight spelling, syntax, punctuation, and other editing mistakes for them, as any teacher would.
Make sure to use a spell-checker!
Email writeups to the Rabbi and Bart Commentary Committee.
Send them to both and rabbi@etzchayim.org.
Attach your file to the email, and copy it into the email text.
Name your file this way: First initial, Lastname, Date, Parashah: For example ACartun06-10-31vaYikra.doc
Commentary Style Manual
Do not use outlining, indenting, or bullet pointing (that is, no autoformatting) in your text. It makes it harder to edit, and does not appear in email.
Write in full sentences and paragraphs. Your notes are notes. Your commentary is a story that is designed to tell your family and friends what it was you talked about with the rabbi. You are writing for them, not for the rabbi.
Please don't use smart quotes (“ ”). If you use smart quotes, realize that our editors may not be doing so, and the rabbi never does, so you may end up having to look for and add them back in whenever the editors had tochange what you had written.
Torah, Haftarah, Bible, and G0d all begin with capital letters. Please use this spelling of "Haftarah."
You may spell God/G-d/G0d/Ad0nay/Ad0nay/ haShem/ Divinity any way you feel represents your beliefs accurately.
Transliterate and italicize all Hebrew words, e.g., mayim, matzah.
When you copy verses from the TaNaKh into your commentary, please use italics, like this. Give the reference of all verses you mention (e.g., Genesis 15:2-7).
Also, the editors will make all Biblie quotes gender neutral, so you should try to do this, too. Hints: translate "The Lord" as haShem. Don't use pronouns for G0d. Just use G0d again. If it says "Himself," you can say either G0dself, or, "personally," as it fits.
