diff --git a/spec/message.abnf b/spec/message.abnf
index 04ad7c8fed..c01b0276a5 100644
--- a/spec/message.abnf
+++ b/spec/message.abnf
@@ -5,41 +5,44 @@ simple-start      = simple-start-char / escaped-char / placeholder
 pattern           = *(text-char / escaped-char / placeholder)
 placeholder       = expression / markup
 
-complex-message   = *(declaration [s]) complex-body
+complex-message   = *(declaration owsp) complex-body
 declaration       = input-declaration / local-declaration / reserved-statement
 complex-body      = quoted-pattern / matcher
 
-input-declaration = input [s] variable-expression
-local-declaration = local s variable [s] "=" [s] expression
+input-declaration = input owsp variable-expression
+local-declaration = local wsp variable owsp "=" owsp expression
 
 quoted-pattern    = "{{" pattern "}}"
+                  / %x2066 "{{" pattern "}}" %x2069
 
-matcher           = match-statement 1*([s] variant)
-match-statement   = match 1*([s] selector)
+matcher           = match-statement 1*(owsp variant)
+match-statement   = match 1*(owsp selector)
 selector          = expression
-variant           = key *(s key) [s] quoted-pattern
+variant           = key *(wsp key) owsp quoted-pattern
 key               = literal / "*"
 
 ; Expressions
-expression            = literal-expression
-                      / variable-expression
-                      / annotation-expression
-literal-expression    = "{" [s] literal [s annotation] *(s attribute) [s] "}"
-variable-expression   = "{" [s] variable [s annotation] *(s attribute) [s] "}"
-annotation-expression = "{" [s] annotation *(s attribute) [s] "}"
+expression            = "{" (literal-expression / variable-expression / annotation-expression) "}"
+                      / "{" %x2066 (literal-expression / variable-expression / annotation-expression) %x2069 "}"
+literal-expression    = owsp literal [wsp annotation] *(wsp attribute) owsp
+variable-expression   = owsp variable [wsp annotation] *(wsp attribute) owsp
+annotation-expression = owsp annotation *(wsp attribute) owsp
 
 annotation            = function
                       / private-use-annotation
                       / reserved-annotation
 
-markup = "{" [s] "#" identifier *(s option) *(s attribute) [s] ["/"] "}"  ; open and standalone
-       / "{" [s] "/" identifier *(s option) *(s attribute) [s] "}"  ; close
+markup                = "{" markup-body "}"
+                      / "{" %x2066 markup-body %x2069 "}"
+
+markup-body          = owsp "#" identifier *(wsp option) *(wsp attribute) owsp ["/"]  ; open and standalone
+                     / owsp "/" identifier *(wsp option) *(wsp attribute) owsp        ; close
 
 ; Expression and literal parts
-function       = ":" identifier *(s option)
-option         = identifier [s] "=" [s] (literal / variable)
+function       = ":" identifier *(wsp option)
+option         = identifier owsp "=" owsp (literal / variable)
 ; Attributes are reserved for future standardization
-attribute      = "@" identifier [[s] "=" [s] (literal / variable)]
+attribute      = "@" identifier [owsp "=" owsp (literal / variable)]
 
 variable       = "$" name
 literal        = quoted / unquoted
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ local = %s".local"
 match = %s".match"
 
 ; Reserve additional .keywords for use by future versions of this specification.
-reserved-statement = reserved-keyword [s reserved-body] 1*([s] expression)
+reserved-statement = reserved-keyword [s reserved-body] 1*(owsp expression)
 ; Note that the following production is a simplification,
 ; as this rule MUST NOT be considered to match existing keywords
 ; (`.input`, `.local`, and `.match`).
@@ -67,8 +70,8 @@ reserved-annotation-start = "!" / "%" / "*" / "+" / "<" / ">" / "?" / "~"
 ; Reserve sigils for private-use by implementations.
 private-use-annotation    = private-start [[s] reserved-body]
 private-start             = "^" / "&"
-reserved-body             = reserved-body-part *([s] reserved-body-part)
-reserved-body-part        = reserved-char / escaped-char / quoted
+reserved-body             = *(owsp 1*(reserved-char / escaped-char / quoted))
+
 
 ; Names and identifiers
 ; identifier matches https://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml-names/#NT-QName
@@ -104,5 +107,15 @@ content-char      = %x01-08        ; omit NULL (%x00), HTAB (%x09) and LF (%x0A)
 escaped-char = backslash ( backslash / "{" / "|" / "}" )
 backslash    = %x5C ; U+005C REVERSE SOLIDUS "\"
 
-; Whitespace
-s = 1*( SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x3000 )
+; bidi controls
+; LRM / RLM / LRI / RLI / FSI / PDI
+bidi = %x200E / %x200F / %x2066-2069
+
+; optional whitespace
+owsp = *( s / bidi )
+
+; required whitespace
+wsp = [ bidi ] 1*s [ bidi ]
+
+; whitespace characters
+s = ( SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x3000 )
diff --git a/spec/syntax.md b/spec/syntax.md
index 3376f65e25..c874be78b2 100644
--- a/spec/syntax.md
+++ b/spec/syntax.md
@@ -134,15 +134,23 @@ A **_<dfn>local variable</dfn>_** is a _variable_ created as the result of a _lo
 > > An exception to this is: whitespace inside a _pattern_ is **always** significant.
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> The syntax assumes that each _message_ will be displayed with a left-to-right display order
-> and be processed in the logical character order.
-> The syntax also permits the use of right-to-left characters in _identifiers_,
+> The MessageFormat 2 syntax assumes that each _message_ will be displayed
+> with a left-to-right display order
+> and be processed in the logical character order
+> while permitting the use of right-to-left characters in _identifiers_,
 > _literals_, and other values.
-> This can result in confusion when viewing the _message_.
+> This can result in confusion when viewing the message
+> or in users incorrectly inserting controls that negatively affect the output
+> of the message.
+>
+> To assist with this, the syntax permits the use of various controls and
+> strongly-directional markers in both optional and required _whitespace_
+> in a _message_, as well was encouraging the use of isolating controls
+> with _expressions_ and _quoted patterns_.
+> See: [whitespace](#whitespace) (below) for more information.
 > 
-> Additional restrictions or requirements,
-> such as permitting the use of certain bidirectional control characters in the syntax,
-> might be added during the Tech Preview to better manage bidirectional text.
+> Additional restrictions or requirements might be added during the
+> Tech Preview to better manage bidirectional text.
 > Feedback on the creation and management of _messages_
 > containing bidirectional tokens is strongly desired.
 
@@ -955,24 +963,91 @@ and inside _patterns_ only escape `{` and `}`.
 
 ### Whitespace
 
-**_<dfn>Whitespace</dfn>_** is defined as one or more of
-U+0009 CHARACTER TABULATION (tab), 
-U+000A LINE FEED (new line),
-U+000D CARRIAGE RETURN, 
-U+3000 IDEOGRAPHIC SPACE, 
-or U+0020 SPACE.
+The syntax limits whitespace characters outside of a _pattern_ to the following:
+`U+0009 CHARACTER TABULATION` (tab), 
+`U+000A LINE FEED` (new line),
+`U+000D CARRIAGE RETURN`, 
+`U+3000 IDEOGRAPHIC SPACE`, 
+or `U+0020 SPACE`.
 
 Inside _patterns_ and _quoted literals_,
 whitespace is part of the content and is recorded and stored verbatim.
 Whitespace is not significant outside translatable text, except where required by the syntax.
 
+There are two whitespace productions in the syntax.
+**_<dfn>Optional whitespace</dfn>_** is whitespace that is not required by the syntax, 
+but which users might want to include to increase the readability of a _message_.
+**_<dfn>Required whitespace</dfn>_** is whitespace that is required by the syntax.
+
+_Messages_ that contain right-to-left (aka RTL) characters SHOULD use one of the 
+following mechanisms to make messages display intelligibly in plain-text editors:
+
+1. Use paired isolating bidi controls `U+2066 LEFT-TO-RIGHT ISOLATE`
+   and `U+2069 POP DIRECTIONAL ISOLATE` as permitted by the ABNF around
+   parts of any _message_ containing RTL characters:
+   - _inside_ of _placeholder_ markers `{` and `}` 
+   - _outside_ _quoted-pattern_ markers `{{` and `}}`
+   - _identifiers_
+   - _literals_ (This is especially important for individual _keys_ in a _variant_)
+   - _option_ values
+2. Use the 'local-effect' bidi controls`U+200E LEFT-TO-RIGHT MARK` or
+   `U+200F RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK` as permitted by the ABNF around
+   parts of any _message_ containing RTL characters:
+   -  _identifiers_
+   - _literals_ (taking care not to include the mark inside any quotes), 
+   - _option_ values
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> Always take care **not** to add a bidi control where it is semantically significant:
+> - put them outside of _literal_ quotes, such as `<LRM>|...|<LRM>`
+> - put them outside of quoted _patterns_, such as `<LRI>{{...}}<PDI>`
+> Controls placed inside _literal_ quotes or quoted _patterns_ are part of the literal
+> or pattern.
+> Controls in a _pattern_ will appear in the output of the message.
+> Controls inside _literal_ quotes are part of the _literal_ and
+> will be considered in operations such as matching a _key_ to a _selector_.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> Users cannot be expected to create or manage bidirectional controls or
+> marks in _messages_, since the characters are invisible and can be difficult
+> to manage.
+> Tools (such as resource editors or translation editors)
+> and other implementations of MessageFormat 2 serialization are strongly
+> encouraged to provide paired isolates around any right-to-left
+> syntax as described above so that _messages_ display appropriately as plain text.
+
+These definitions of _whitespace_ implement
+[UAX#31 Requirement R3a-2](https://www.unicode.org/reports/tr31/#R3a-2).
+It is a profile of R3a-1 in that specification because:
+the following pattern whitespace characters are not allowed:
+`U+000B FORM FEED`, 
+`U+000C VERTICAL TABULATION`, 
+`U+0085 NEXT LINE`, 
+`U+2028 LINE SEPARATOR` and 
+`U+2029 PARAGRAPH SEPARATOR`;
+the character `U+3000 IDEOGRAPHIC SPACE`
+_is_ interpreted as whitespace,
+ and the directional isolates U+2066..U+2069
+ are treated as ignorable format controls.
+
 > [!NOTE]
 > The character U+3000 IDEOGRAPHIC SPACE is included in whitespace for
 > compatibility with certain East Asian keyboards and input methods,
 > in which users might accidentally create these characters in a _message_.
 
 ```abnf
-s = 1*( SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x3000 )
+; bidi controls
+; LRM / RLM / LRI / RLI / FSI / PDI
+bidi = %x200E / %x200F / %x2066-2069
+
+; optional whitespace
+owsp = *( s / bidi )
+
+; required whitespace
+wsp = [ bidi ] 1*s [ bidi ]
+
+; whitespace characters
+s = ( SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x3000 )
 ```
 
 ## Complete ABNF