Comments, confidentiality and Orthodoxy in Jewish blogs

Here are draft policies regarding comments, Orthodoxy, and confidentiality on the Quicksilver כספית blog. Several Jewish bloggers recently posted their blogs’ policies, especially in regards to reader comments. These include: Rachack, Soferet and Hirhurim, thanks. Part of the impetus is a controversy over books by Rabbi Slifkin on Torah and science, which has led to some toxic rather than caring speech. Though this blog does not get enough comments to merit a policy yet, hopefully it will someday. Comments on this draft are welcome.

Comments: Your comments add to the quality and character of this blog. Like the posts, your comments can further the study and discussion of topics congruent with this blog’s emerging character. These topics include: Jewish law and ethics, Torah, environmental and health policy, business ethics, bioethics, social justice, political economy and technology. Comments in the spirit of free-ranging debate, creative personal expression, and frank critique are most welcome! However, comments that are too nasty or denigrate character will be deleted or detoxified (edited). Please let me know if you have any concerns about the language in specific posts or comments.

Visitors: If you do not feel like commenting on a specific post, perhaps you would be so kind as to jot a note in my virtual guest book? Just post a comment to this page.

Orthodoxy: The reader may observe that the rabbinic sources for posts are Orthodox, with rare exceptions. But the external links on this site may bring the reader to non-Orthodox and non-Jewish perspectives. Such links are intended both to inform and attract readers from all walks of life. Most of us know how to navigate blog and web sites so as to overlook or avoid whatever we deem objectionable. Nonetheless, some Orthodox readers may prefer not to be exposed to non-Orthodox materials. At the suggestion of an Orthodox group, therefore, I have set up a more Orthodox version of Quicksilver כספית as an experiment. This more Orthodox version of Quicksilver is currently incomplete and it might not be feasible to sustain. In any event, I welcome your comments about the wisdom and/or design of a more Orthodox version of this blog.

Confidentiality: The anonymity of sources will be respected in the Quicksilver כספית blog. Accordingly, I will edit/omit comments that may divulge an anonymous source (including yours truly). However, unless you are Karl Rove, I am not confident that I would join Judith Miller in jail to protect a confidential source! (The Kremlin and Robert Novak notwithstanding!)

Halakhah (Jewish law): the posts and comments in Quicksilver are not intended to serve as advice on halakhah and not for practical observance. This is true, especially since I am often posting about the daf yomi, whereas halakhah is not based simply on the Talmud. This disclaimer goes without saying, but let it be said.

Kol tuv,

Kaspit   כספית

Comments

[eliyahu]

While it is very nice that you are maintaining a separate blog for some orthodox readers, I submit that this is too much! I am not a scholar, but had heard we are to engage the world, and bring light to it. This path will only lead to further requirements and more restrictions. Blog on!