@HodofHod and @ShmuelBrill, Regarding Ben Masada and Alex: 1) Yes, I've become a bit more of an activist mod since then. In various ways, m.y was under-moderated, giving too much deference to original authors, etc. Had those arguments happened now, I probably would indeed have taken more decisive action sooner. 2) I asked both Ben Masada and Alex to stop bickering via private email (along with other requests for the former). Alex complied, but Ben Masada continued through multiple warnings ...

... which led to his being asked to leave.

Regarding what's allowed in chat, I'm not sure. If you see bad behavior in chat, please flag it, and actually, it'll pop up for any SE mod who happens to be in any chat at the time. B"H, I have yet to see a problem. There's definitely more latitude in chat, at least, for extended, wide-ranging debate. And hopefully, in the case of bickering, someone (even a non-mod) asking people to cool it will hopefully be sufficient, so that "putting people in time out" or whatever isn't necessary.

@IsaacMoses. Ok, that makes sense.

@HodofHod Regarding the conversation above, please note that shtika does not necessarily imply hod-a in this case. Generally, I am not shy with my opinions around J.SE, but I feel that in this case, as a mod who's exercising heavy-handed powers, I should refrain from throwing my two cents into the debate at hand.

@IsaacMoses. Understood, .......I think.......

@HodofHod @Alex I love Chabad. Their varmkeit, acceptance of every single Jew wherever he or she happens to be in their level of observance, their mesirus nefesh in spreading themselves all around the world, so that every far flung corner of the universe with ten Jews in it can have a minyan.... it's absolutely remarkable.

@HodofHod @Alex HaRav Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt"l was one of the greatest, most important, and most influential gedolim of the 20th century. His grasp of Torah, both revealed and hidden, his clear purpose to bring the Jewish people together, and his sincere belief that all of his kiruv and achdus efforts would culminate in the arrival of moshiach tzidkeinu......klal yisrael is better and stronger for having had him in our ranks.

@HodofHod @Alex It's too bad that his followers turned him into a Jesus figure. "He's not really dead" "He's coming back" "He's the moshiach" What they have done to this incredibly holy man's memory is an absolute disgrace. Moreover, they wouldn't have had the basis to concoct this new Christian theology, if Tanya and other Chassidic seforim had not invented this krum notion of "tzaddik".

@Will, thanks for the further explanation. I really don't want to be drawn into another drawn-out discussion, especially one as volatile as this one, but I will say this.

@Will It is self-contradictory to call the Lubavitcher Rebbe "one of the greatest, most important, and most influential gedolim of the 20th century" in one breath, and in the next, to lambast the Tanya's definition of Tzaddik. This definition of Tzaddik, and more importantly, the Beinoni, are central to the Chabad ideology that the Lubavitcher Rebbe espoused.

@Will That being said, I must apologize for misunderstanding your position on Chabad in general. You should be aware that there are differences of opinion, even within Chabad, and it is a mistake to paint with such a broad brush, especially with regard to this sensitive issue.

@Will. That all having been said, I hope we can continue, together, to contribute to J.SE in a meaningful way. Chanukah Sameach (by you it's almost time to light the eighth, no?)

Yep, gotta go light now - Chag Urim Sameach!

@IsaacMoses oh come now, we never had any sinas chinam (or even justified sina) for each other. This was a completely academic discussion. Never devolved into a "you are..." ad hominem throwdown. For that, I respect my fellow stackers even more.

@Will You're not hurting my case. :)