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It seems that certain individuals vote to close down questions on this site by claiming that the question is asking for a practical ruling (p'sak halacha).

There is also a message that says to consult your rabbi.

Isn't every question basically a halachic question on this form?

Also, if there is a psak halacha, which all sects of Judaism agree upon, wouldn't it make sense to answer the question instead of thoughtlessly closing it down?

I am asking about the question: Muktzeh and packages

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    Consider rephrasing your question in a more general way, that specific question seems to be asking for a "yes or no" answer, which is usually frowned upon here.
    – The Targum
    Commented Jan 19 at 15:52
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    "instead of thoughtlessly closing it down" I just want to protest the use of "thoughtless". The decision was an attempt to be thoughtful and deliberate even if you disagree with the policy at play or even if someone accidentally made a mistake.
    – Double AA Mod
    Commented Jan 19 at 16:11
  • It's easy enough to edit a question asking for personal advice into a general one that asks the same thing without referring to a specific person. I don't know why it's not done routinely instead of reflexively closing it.
    – Maurice Mizrahi
    Commented Jan 21 at 3:26
  • @MauriceMizrahi See DoubleAA's link below.
    – Isaac Moses Mod
    Commented Jan 21 at 11:14
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    @Maurice see judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/4774/759
    – Double AA Mod
    Commented Jan 21 at 12:46

2 Answers 2

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This FAQ post, which is linked by the sidebar notice you refer to, explains the rule that you're referring to and the rationale behind it. What is prohibited by this rule is asking for personal guidance. The closed post that you link to very clearly asks for personal guidance.

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Many of the questions closed for this reason cannot be answered due to the lack of details. It takes a conversation with a knowledgeable rabbi to extract these details which often have significant influence on halacha. People often don't realize that the "halacha in the books" changes due to personal circumstances, emergency situations, etc.

For example, in case of your question, there are many sub-questions which come to mind and could serve as reason to permit, e.g.,

  • is the package delivered during bein hashmashot or Shabbat itself?
  • did the customer ask for delivery on Friday night or was it the choice of the shipping company?
  • are the content needed for Shabbat, or for a mitsva?
  • are they valuable enough that losing them would be a significant loss of money?

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