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A question Mekoros book for עוז והדר לבושה asking to find a sefer online described a sefer by a well-known posek as an “infamous work”.

Not satisfied with that, someone posted a derogatory comment אל תקרי לבושה של תורה אלא ל"בושה" של תורה... which attracted 4 upvotes.

Are there any guidelines on this site for treating Poskim with respect (even when participants disagree with their pesokim)?

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    It probably is objectively the best and most well known example, at least outside the Charedi world, of a book by an Orthodox rabbi that is so universally rejected as innovative extreme stringency based in illogical cherry-picked polemic. So I'm not sure infamous is an inaccurate descriptor. He didn't say "stupid" or something disrespectful. Perhaps "infamous, at least outside the Charedi world, work" would be more accurate. "Highly controversial work" or "widely criticized work" would probably be simpler and less likely to offend others.
    – Double AA Mod
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:04
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    Similar judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/4311/759
    – Double AA Mod
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:14
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    @DoubleAA duplicate?
    – Isaac Moses Mod
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:22
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    I heard a saying somewhere that fits here. When you are about to say something, ask yourself three things: is it true? is it necessary? is it kind? You must answer yes at least twice to proceed. This sounds like something that is neither kind nor necessary (I have no opinion on its truth).
    – Monica Cellio
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:22
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    Consider also the climate this sort of commentary can create -- even when not directed at Yodeyans, it sets a tone.
    – Monica Cellio
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:27
  • "so universally rejected as innovative extreme stringency based in illogical cherry-picked polemic" is probably worse than "infamous" - why is no one offended by that?
    – רבות מחשבות
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:45
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    Probably because it's clinical not gratuitous @רבות
    – Double AA Mod
    Nov 21, 2018 at 20:56
  • @DoubleAA, fair.
    – רבות מחשבות
    Nov 21, 2018 at 21:27
  • Without referring to the author in question whom I knew very well, I have already said in comments and chat, that I dont approve of downvoting any sefer by an official rabbi. Either as a question or an answer. Usually because you are not on his madrega to understand it. There is no need to upvote but to download is a chutspa. I am very surprised that this site allows this. Of course you cant stop people doing it but you can afterwards upvote it. The 'es' comes to include talmidai chachom, downvoting what they write shows you have no respect for them.
    – interested
    Mar 29, 2020 at 15:49

1 Answer 1

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I deleted the comment described here. No matter who the target is (except maybe things like Avoda Zara), serious critique is valuable, while snarky insults are the opposite.

I also left a comment asking the author to substitute "infamous," which by itself is needlessly inflammatory, with a description that's more defensible and clear.

Let's disagree without being disagreeable.

Regarding the broader question of site policy on etiquette when disagreeing with rabbis, I believe that was addressed well in the answers to this previous Meta post:

Is criticism of the views of great Rabbis appropriate to the site?

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  • what's the "maybe" about?
    – Loewian
    Nov 22, 2018 at 1:11
  • In a now-deleted comment, the OP agreed with your edit.
    – Monica Cellio
    Nov 22, 2018 at 1:59

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