User talk:Davidbena/Archive 4

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Canvassing at Silwan

You are in clear breach of WP:CANVASS and in particular, the section Inappropriate notification Selfstudier (talk) 18:35, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Idk if this was the last word on your tban. If it was, it seems you are in breach of that, too.Selfstudier (talk) 19:04, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Looks like your days in this topic area are done, David. I'm a little stunned, tbh, at the flagrant nature of the violation. Contacting only like-minded editors? Contacting anyone en masse? Perplexing, truly. El_C 19:11, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

@El C:. If I request a comment, without telling a person what he or she should actually say, is that canvassing? If so, I was unaware of that. I am giving an individual the complete freedom to make his or her choice, without telling them what to do. Besides, we're talking here about a historical/biblical site with absolutely nothing to do with the I/P conflict.Davidbena (talk) 19:45, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Look, David, if you want me to do you a favour and sanction you directly, I can help you with that. If you'd rather go through the noticeboard complaint gauntlet that your opponents are almost certain to file and are almost certain to preserve in, I'm okay with that, as well. But if you were to choose the former, I'd need to know what previously-rescinded sanctions I'd be reinstating, so I know what to write in the log. Because I'm not that familiar with your editing history, so I'm a bit in the dark there. El_C 19:52, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

If I have been guilty of canvassing, I'm sorry and I will not repeat it. If you wish to punish me for that, I will be content with a one-month ban from editing anything on Wikipedia. I think that I have learnt my lesson and will not repeat it. I honestly thought that the proscription of canvassing referred to when I ask someone what he or she should write.Davidbena (talk) 19:58, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

I'll leave you to it, then, David. El_C 20:01, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

David, you don't have to tell editors what to write in order for it to be canvassing. The most common type of canvassing is to preferentially notify those editors who you think are likely to support your own view. Whenever you individually notify a bunch of editors, your choice of editors is going to be scritinised for signs of bias and getting into trouble will be very easy. So it is best to not do that at all. Instead post a neutral message on all the relevant noticeboards. Zero^talk 03:14, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

I see. I honestly did not know that, but now that I know it, I will not do that again. Thanks, Zero0000. ----- Davidbena (talk) 06:51, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

You did not reply above when I asked you about the tban, this one. When I asked you before whether you were tbanned you said "I am permitted to make edits on all Wikipedia pages. And, it is without question that Wikipedia articles ought to be based on reliable, non-POV sources.". So what is the situation?Selfstudier (talk) 09:55, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Once again, I reiterate, I am free to make edits on all Wikipedia pages, including those with the I/P tag, and I can assure you that I have not breached any imposed topic ban. Be well.Davidbena (talk) 14:48, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Is the tban I have mentioned in force or not? Selfstudier (talk) 18:22, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Again, with all due respect, I have not breached any imposed topic ban. Be well.Davidbena (talk) 20:52, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Then it is your position that your editing and participation in formal discussions at the City of David article and now in formal discussion about a merge at the Silwan article (where in addition you improperly canvassed other users)does not breach the tban? Is that right? Selfstudier (talk) 21:45, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

As an editor who has been active on promoting accurate coverage of biblical sites on Wikipedia, among other subjects of universal interest, and seeing that the article King's Garden (Jerusalem) is one of those important biblical sites, with a viable and notable history of its own, I strongly opposed any merger with Silwan, for the reasons given in the Merge Request. My mistake was to seek a broader feedback from other editors about either the necessity of a merge, or else its redundancy and inessentiality, which I have since rescinded. It is important to recognize one's mistakes and to move forward. And if you happen to be wondering, let me say for the record that I respect all peoples who live in this country and I have no wish whatsoever to bring politics into my edits, as I am fully aware that all peoples, nations and ethnicities (whether Jew, Muslim or Christian) have their special place and role in this society.Davidbena (talk) 22:56, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Perhaps I can jog your memory Canvassing clearly explained to you and you promising not to do it again and there have been other instances since. And in the matter of City of David (and the indirectly connected Silwan/King's Garden) it is hard to imagine a more indicated case where "...pre-modern Levantine history and modern Levantine politics are inextricably linked" or "geographical features of the Levant (but not geopolitical features such as borders, landmarks, or territories under dispute)" is not applicable (the quotes are from the tban close). I do admit that I accepted your response that you were allowed to edit anywhere as meaning there was no tban in place, my fault for failing to check that until just recently.Selfstudier (talk) 10:33, 30 August 2021 (UTC)

Thanks. I guess you can say that what misled me was the editor's words: "While friendly notices are allowed, they should be limited and nonpartisan in distribution and should reflect a neutral point of view." (I think that I actually kept everything quite neutral). Be well.Davidbena (talk) 21:29, 30 August 2021 (UTC)

"they should be limited and nonpartisan in distribution" I think is actually quite clear. I may even agree with you on the particular dispute of that merge request, as an uninvolved editor. But it does not change the fact that you have had WP:CANVAS explained to you, and yet you very much ignored the rule and clearly did not read the policy closely before making those notifications. They were absolutely "partisan in distribution" and not "limited". — Shibbolethink ^{(♔ ♕)} 20:54, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

@Shibbolethink:, Well, to that I say, just as I said elsewhere, the word "non-partisan" is subject to interpretation. I have often disagreed with fellow editor Arminden, whom I notified about the Merge Request. Does this still make us "partisans"? Are we requested to send off notifications to random people whom we have never communicated with? Please explain. With others whom I contacted, such as User:Newmila, I have had no contact at all, to the best of my knowledge. Yet, the only reason why I contacted her was that I felt that she might have some basic understanding about historical/biblical sites needed to render a judicious decision. Shouldn't we endeavor to contact people who have a basic understanding about the subject matter in question? You see, the matter was not fully clear to me. I think that to solve future issues with canvassing, a short format or style of notification should be drafted and given on Wikipedia:Canvassing, as well as a set number determined that is not to be exceeded when notifying others.Davidbena (talk) 22:27, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

The issue is whether a reasonable person would believe that the users you have pinged would or would likely not side with you on the issue at hand. From my reading of those editors, they likely would. That's the substance of the relevant passage at WP:CANVAS. I think the guidelines there are actually extremely clear, and even provide a set of clear and policy-compliant ways to achieve more opinions in a dispute. There's the RFC process, tagging wikiprojects, using the WP:THIRD noticeboard, and apartisan pinging criteria such as "pinging every user who edited this article in the past 100 edits." Criteria such as those you have suggested, competency about archeological topics, are prime real estate for implicit bias to creep in.— Shibbolethink ^{(♔ ♕)} 22:33, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

Often, I have also asked myself whether the person notified by me will agree to my own view. It's never an automatic assumption that he or she will.Davidbena (talk) 23:23, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

You should not be the one making that call. Hence why apolitical, non-partisan criteria are typically derived from something completely and totally independent of the subject matter. Such as: edited the pertinent article in X time or Y # of the edit history. If you use subjective criteria, you may have to explain yourself and why others would view it as "apolitical, non-partisan." We aren't just going to take your word for it. Pretty much everyone (including the WP:CANVAS text) advises against this. — Shibbolethink ^{(♔ ♕)} 23:29, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

• David, thinking it's okay to just inform like-minded editors of a dispute is both highly partisan and a major WP:CIR problem. Personally, I don't understand why Zero is coddling you above. But, whatever, if the other camp will have you, then... okay. Kinder times, perhaps? Again, myself, I feel that a violation this flagrantly partisan warrants reinstating all the bans again, but I won't press the matter further beyond noting that here. I suppose we can hope that lessons learned, as obvious as these ought to have been from the outset. El_C 10:18, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

@El C: I've never considered David to be in the "other camp" from myself. Sure, we disagree often enough but David has always shown integrity in his disagreements. That makes him someone I can work with. Zero^talk 11:53, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Good luck to you all. Note that in future, I'd rather not be pinged or otherwise personally alerted to ARBPIA or ARBPIA-esque disputes unprompted. Thanks. El_C 13:04, 29 August 2021 (UTC)

Comment on AN

The following is a quote from your post on AN: ... good, educational articles about biblical sites are being challenged by one editor who pushes his own POV against the accepted consensus, and if left up to his devices, he would fain expunge those articles from the Wikipedia Main Space, as I shall shortly explain. In so doing, he wishes to diminish, as it were, any sign of ancient Israel in the historical land of Palestine. This is plainly wrong, and, thank God, there are other editors who can detect this cunning and what can rightly be termed a "dishonest display of editorship." In this quote, is the "one editor" you're referring to Selfstudier? Is this what you believe is Selfstudier's motive for editing? Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 10:07, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

@Callanecc:, Thanks, Callanecc. There, I was referring to statements made by Selfstudier who dismissed the academic consensus about the location of the ancient City of David (in Silwan), and threatened to push a POV that would, in effect, mislead our readership on Wikipedia about the ancient site. In fact, I warned him that this could lead to him being banned from editing articles relating to ancient history and archaeology.Davidbena (talk) 21:33, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

One of the things you are banned from doing is "questioning the motives of other editors". Please explain how you have not doing this in the quote from ANI I copied above. At this stage, it appears that you'll be blocked for a month for canvassing and wikilawyering about it. If you can't adequately explain why the quote above is not a breach of the ban it's very likely that the block will be extended. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 07:04, 2 September 2021 (UTC)

Interjecting here, but not at AE, but that would fall under WP:BANEX ("Engaging in legitimate and necessary dispute resolution") as Davidbena was responding to a complaint about the ban lodged at an admin noticeboard. Banned individuals are allowed to attempt to defend themselves in discussions involving a potential topic ban breach.--Hippeus (talk) 11:24, 2 September 2021 (UTC)

Hippeus: if a user is charged with violations in a content-focused way, with diffs, it's neither "legitimate" nor "necessary" to attack the motives of the reporter. You may want to consult WP:BANEX again, to see what it actually says. Bishonen | tålk 06:03, 3 September 2021 (UTC).

@Callanecc:, although I was unaware of the prohibition to question another's motives, a rely to your query has been posted on the Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents.Davidbena (talk) 15:31, 2 September 2021 (UTC)

Blocked from editing

You have been blocked from editing for a period of nine weeks. This block is for a few somewhat separate reasons and I've broken down the block length for each of these reasons in my explanation:

• As a result of the discussion on AE I've blocked you for four weeks (one month) due to the canvassing and evasiveness in response to the concerns which were raised regarding this.
• As I mentioned above, you have breached the community-imposed ban by questioning the motives of other editors on ANI and I've blocked you for one week for doing that.
• ​In response to the concern I raised, you posted on ANI and again questioned the motives of another editor when you stated "suggests to me that that person wishes to portray a "different" aspect of history ... Other remarks made by my disputant enhance this view". For this brazen breach of the ban, which I had already warned you about and sought to discuss with you, I've blocked you for four weeks.

The statement in your post above that you were "unaware of the prohibition to question another's motives" is both absurd and concerning. It is plainly listed in the close of your August 2020 ANI appeal and the fact that you were not aware of it suggests to me that you have not taken the restrictions imposed on you seriously or sought to understand and apply their scope in your editing.

This is a block of significant length which is proportionate to the disruption you have participated in along with the brazen breaches of your community-imposed ban. Given that you have stated that you are unaware of parts of the ban, I encourage you to spend some time reviewing the ban as well as the the topic ban policy. If you have questions about its scope you can ask questions here. Even though the ban provides you an exemption you need to view that exemption very narrowly. I would also suggest that any further breaches of the ban that occur anywhere on Wikipedia are likely to be met with strong sanctions which may include a broad topic ban or extended block.

You can appeal this block using the {{unblock}} template and the guide to appealing blocks. Since this part of this block enforces a community-imposed ban and is based on a discussion of uninvolved admins, the reviewing administrator(s) may wish to take any appeal to AN or ANI. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 04:16, 3 September 2021 (UTC)

Davidbena, I think it is really high time you start considering that a. if you continue to ask about this topic ban, you are probably indicating why the topic ban was warranted; b. you need to stop canvassing, and I know you're going to claim you're not doing that but you are; and c. you are seriously propelling yourself toward an indefinite block or community ban, with a mixture of lack of AGF, canvassing, topic ban breaches, and possibly CIR violations used as reasons. I'm serious. Let it go. Work within the parameters that are given to you. Drmies (talk) 17:51, 4 September 2021 (UTC)

Thanks Drmies. I do take these matters seriously, but the details of many conversations I've had have been forgotten. This time, I will stop canvassing and I will no longer question the motives of another individual here, although I may, indeed, disagree with him. Disagreements are widespread on this platform. In the event of a content dispute, I will resort to the venue here that deals with such issues. Simply put, I felt very strongly about what I wrote in the ANI, and I tried to be as diplomatic about it as I could possibly be. We all make mistakes, as we all are human. I do think, however, that there is a fine line to be drawn between accusing someone of "gaming the system" and actually "questioning one's motives." It is probably best that I scale back and I will try to do just that. I accept the punitive measures taken against me, and I am ALWAYS open for correction.Davidbena (talk) 18:12, 4 September 2021 (UTC)

OK--that is good to hear. But, but...questioning motives (a violation of AGF) is simply not a useful thing to do when one is judged on one's own merit, and particularly one's own edits. Take care, Drmies (talk) 16:37, 7 September 2021 (UTC)

David Welcome to Wiki, Your Patience and attitude is great.

Sorry you have been bit so hard by some of the editors. Some have abused you and clearly violated wikis rule of conduct. It is unfortunate that many who do this know better. Below is a post by a self described New Age editor with a bias against you. I verbally censured him on his talk page and you could bring his intolerant comments to an administrator for guidance on how to address his behavior. I am somewhat new also but know his stereotype is not tolerated on Wiki.

For a Bible thumper it may be very difficult to understand that the Bible is not wholly and objectively true. But as long as he keeps his faith in the infallibility of the Bible completely separate from his Wikipedia activities, he could be a good editor. Some years ago I did not know that one has to use reliable sources in order to edit Wikipedia, but when asked to consider it, I understood this is required from everybody and I complied with this request. For me, the decision was between complying and continuing to edit and quitting in protest; I was not willing to create problems through my edits. This does not imply that I lost faith in the truth of my contributions, but I have understood that they are required to be encyclopedically verifiable. And verifiable means having reliable sources.

I did not self-describe as New Ager. That's WP:OR based upon my WP:OR definition of the New Age. When I wrote that definition I was a Christian fundamentalist (and also occultist, if that matters). So, as an editor of Wikipedia, I have never stated verbatim that I am a New Ager. For as long as I edited Wikipedia, I did not believe in the New Age. Read its books? Yes. Believed in it? No. I did buy into the New Age, but that was before starting to edit Wikipedia, it's a thing from many years ago. Conclusion: I did not edit Wikipedia as a New Ager.

I am neither always tolerant nor always intolerant: I behave rather as a mirror which reflects the stance of my opponents. tgeorgescu (talk) 19:16, 7 September 2021 (UTC)

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

---

Hello Davidbena:
Thanks for all of your contributions to improve Wikipedia, and have a happy and enjoyable Halloween!
    —usernamekiran • sign the guestbook • (talk) 21:28, 30 October 2021 (UTC)

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Akane Yamaguchi

Hello. Help improve article quality. Thanks you. Zuyeca (talk) 09:19, 19 December 2021 (UTC)

Why have I been tagged to help improve the article quality in the above article, when I know absolutely nothing about the person?Davidbena (talk) 09:34, 19 December 2021 (UTC)

It's this person, no idea why they think this usertalk spam is worth their time. -- Euryalus (talk) 09:52, 19 December 2021 (UTC)

I see. So, shouldn't somebody remove him? User:Materialscientist, do you handle these types of disturbances?Davidbena (talk) 10:03, 19 December 2021 (UTC)

Yep, already done. Was just letting you know why you got this random message. -- Euryalus (talk) 12:53, 20 December 2021 (UTC)

Was a dram a coin or a unit of measurement?

Dram 173.233.180.225 (talk) 21:02, 26 December 2021 (UTC)

According to the Oxford Dictionary, dram is "a small amount of an alcoholic drink, especially whisky." This definition would make it a unit of measurement, although its specifications in volume are not given. There is another word called drachma or drachmona, which was a coin in mint during the Grecian and Roman periods. Hope this was helpful.Davidbena (talk) 21:33, 26 December 2021 (UTC)

On the position of Rav Moshe Feinstein z'l regarding the prayer for Medinat Israel and related issues

Hello. I apologize in advance if I'm mistaken, but I have the impression that you are an Orthodox Jewish editor. Could you please take a look at this discussion regarding Rabbi Feinstein's opinion on the standard prayer for the state of Israel? I'm almost sure that, even if the rabbi himself prefered not to say it, he certanly gave his permission for those who wish to do so. I'm open to being proven wrong, of course. Thanks in advance.--Pauleredge (talk) 16:42, 24 January 2022 (UTC)

Notice of Arbitration Enforcement noticeboard discussion

Hello. This message is being sent to inform you that there is currently a report involving you at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Enforcement regarding a possible violation of an Arbitration Committee decision. The thread is Davidbena. Thank you. Fram (talk) 09:24, 28 January 2022 (UTC)

David. I'm sorry to see you in trouble again. But the plaintiff is correct. You have a wide knowledge of Jewish topics, and work hard, and it is a pity that your passion for the former is not hedged by some wider political sophistication. Wikipedia suffers indirectly when you keep confusing the two issues and pressing the limits. I even refrained from alerting you to the splendid picture of a kind of Palestinian oven I read about a few days ago at Philip Weiss, ‘This small man with just his words and his staff’, Mondoweiss January 24, 2022 because the picture carries a story of its destruction after settlers encroached and complained of the smoke. The oven gets entangled in the politics dispossession ergo edges into the PIA realm. As Nableezy says, stay rigorously focused on strictly Jewish historical topics and the encyclopedia will continue to be the beneficiary of your talents. I can't put in a good work for you at AE because I am banned from commenting there. Best wishes Nishidani (talk) 16:03, 29 January 2022 (UTC)

Believe me, I am saddened just as much as you are when settlers harm unsuspecting and innocent Palestinian Arabs or their property. Moreover, I had no intention to delve into that political morass. My intentions were only to give a brief summary of Jerusalem, as you can see here (Draft:Outline of Jerusalem), but because of my limited topic ban could not proceed any further than what I did. Thanks for your kind words.Davidbena (talk) 18:42, 29 January 2022 (UTC)

Notice that you are now subject to an arbitration enforcement sanction

The following sanction now applies to you:

You are topic banned from the subject of the Israel-Palestine conflict, broadly construed. For the purpose of clarity, this sanction is in addition to, and does not repeal, your current community sanction. While you may appeal this sanction in accordance with the normal arbitration enforcement appeal procedures, the community sanction would remain in place even if this were to succeed.

You have been sanctioned for the reasons provided in response to this arbitration enforcement request.

This sanction is imposed in my capacity as an uninvolved administrator under the authority of the Arbitration Committee's decision at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Index/Palestine-Israel articles#Final decision and, if applicable, the procedure described at Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Discretionary sanctions. This sanction has been recorded in the log of sanctions. If the sanction includes a ban, please read the banning policy to ensure you understand what this means. If you do not comply with this sanction, you may be blocked for an extended period, by way of enforcement of this sanction—and you may also be made subject to further sanctions.

You may appeal this sanction using the process described here. I recommend that you use the arbitration enforcement appeals template if you wish to submit an appeal to the arbitration enforcement noticeboard. You may also appeal directly to me (on my talk page), before or instead of appealing to the noticeboard. Even if you appeal this sanction, you remain bound by it until you are notified by an uninvolved administrator that the appeal has been successful. You are also free to contact me on my talk page if anything of the above is unclear to you. Seraphimblade ^{Talk to me} 20:37, 29 January 2022 (UTC)

Your new topic ban

Dear David, Unfortunately you did it to yourself by arguing against a charge when the charge was clearly justified. If you had immediately accepted that you had violated your ban and backed off with a promise to not repeat it, this might not have happened. I hope that you can find a comfortable safe place to edit for a while (say, six months) and then come back to our shared topic of interest. I find your viewpoint valuable, despite disagreeing with you often enough. When you appeal your topic ban after some months, the worst thing you can do is to argue that you were right all along. You need to explain why you were wrong and why you won't do it again. Zero^talk 01:14, 30 January 2022 (UTC)

Yes, you're right. There was a misstep by me when I wrote the name of the government over the city, "State of Israel." What would you have done in the same situation, when the format asks for the name of the government under which the city lies? I guess you can say that I'm learning from my many mistakes. Others have made far greater mistakes and have been allowed to continue editing in the I/P area. I will not elaborate, but I think you know what I mean.Davidbena (talk) 10:54, 30 January 2022 (UTC)

I'm not him, but regarding: What would you have done in the same situation, when the format asks for the name of the government under which the city lies? - then I would have not written the name of the government. I would have to leave it empty or undiscussed. Whatever you are banned from editing, you cannot write about. If that article is incomplete, so be it. starship.paint (exalt) 07:46, 2 February 2022 (UTC)

Yemenite Jewish poetry

As a Jewish poet, or at least someone who writes poetry, and as someone who is deeply interested in Jewish history and Jewish art history, the article you wrote on Yemenite Jewish Poetry was very helpful and also made me kinda emotional, which is odd to say about a Wikipedia article, but the transmission of old melodies through poetry and the way we can trace ourselves back throughout history gets me. Just. Thank you for your contributions. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 149.125.228.148 (talk) 04:58, 8 February 2022 (UTC)

Glad to hear that you enjoyed reading the article. Yemenite Jewish poetry, in my opinion, has some of the finest lyrics that you will find anywhere among the Jewish nation. It truly inspires and shows you just how much the people were devout, astute and keen in their love for God and for their country. I suggest that you read the poetry of Zechariah al-Dhahiri, for an example of exquisite Hebrew poetry and prose. Be well.Davidbena (talk) 12:58, 8 February 2022 (UTC)

Internet Archive Scholar vs. JSTOR

Hello, I see on your user page that you use JSTOR and I'd like to know more about your experience. By my calculations, a good 70 % of the main JSTOR content is now available for everyone at Internet Archive Scholar, with full text search provided e.g. at https://scholar.archive.org/ . The service is still in beta, but I've used it for some source-finding and it seems quite usable to me; I wonder whether that's just my experience. If you have a chance, the next time you'd be looking for a source on Google Scholar or JSTOR or similar, to perform the same search on IA scholar instead, I'd be curious to hear how it ends up. Thanks, Nemo 19:08, 22 March 2022 (UTC)

First, I am very pleased with JSTOR as a data-base for academic articles on a wide-range of topics. My involvement with JSTOR started with Wikipedia offering editors a way to connect with JSTOR and to have access to their material. There are other good data bases, but this, in my view, is one of the best.Davidbena (talk) 19:20, 22 March 2022 (UTC)

Got it. Any idea if there any specific subset of JSTOR, or JSTOR feature, which is particularly useful to you? I ask because most of it seems to be available elsewhere as well. Nemo 21:37, 22 March 2022 (UTC)

If you've found something that works for you, then - by all means - use it. I am not certain what you mean by saying "subset of JSTOR." If you wish to access JSTOR, simply go to their Homepage and type-in the subject matter that you are interested in researching.Davidbena (talk) 22:08, 22 March 2022 (UTC)

Happy Passover!

Happy Passover!

Hello Davidbena, may you be surrounded by peace, success and happiness on this passover. Spread the WikiLove by wishing another user a happy passover or easter, whether it be someone you have had disagreements with in the past, a good friend, or just some random person. Happy editing, 𝕸𝖗 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕿𝖚𝖗𝖙𝖑𝖊 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 (talk) 22:07, 16 April 2022 (UTC) Spread the love by adding {{subst:Happy Passover}} to other user talk pages.

𝕸𝖗 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕿𝖚𝖗𝖙𝖑𝖊 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 (talk) 22:07, 16 April 2022 (UTC)

Odd redirect behavior at Swamp sumach

Hey Davidbena, do you remember if you did anything out of the ordinary when formatting the redirect Swamp sumach? For some reason I can't pull up the redirect page itself and instead get sent straight to the target. None of the other redirects I've worked with today are exhibiting this issue. _signed, Rosguill ^talk 18:35, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

Hi Rosguill. While I, indeed, made the redirect for "Swamp sumach," I only did so in the usual manner. I have no idea what the technical issues you are encountering might be related to.Davidbena (talk) 19:32, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

Hm...does the weird behavior I described of not being able to access the redirect page happen to you to, or is that just me? _signed, Rosguill ^talk 19:34, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

When I click onto the redirect "Swamp sumach," a window opens showing the redirect, with a curved arrow pointing to Toxicodendron vernix.Davidbena (talk) 19:36, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

Must be a problem on my end then. Thanks for the help. _signed, Rosguill ^talk 19:41, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

The redirect=no link works for me for what it's worth. nableezy - 19:42, 28 April 2022 (UTC)

nableezy, The page started working normally again for me after I closed and reopened my browser, so it must have been a weird hiccup on my end. _signed, Rosguill ^talk 18:26, 29 April 2022 (UTC)

Deletion review

I have opened a deletion review: Wikipedia:Deletion_review#David_Rohl. Please comment if you'd like. TuckerResearch (talk) 16:31, 2 May 2022 (UTC)

Concern regarding Draft:Outline of Jerusalem

Hello, Davidbena. This is a bot-delivered message letting you know that Draft:Outline of Jerusalem, a page you created, has not been edited in at least 5 months. Drafts that have not been edited for six months may be deleted, so if you wish to retain the page, please edit it again or request that it be moved to your userspace.

If the page has already been deleted, you can request it be undeleted so you can continue working on it.

Thank you for your submission to Wikipedia. FireflyBot (talk) 10:01, 30 June 2022 (UTC)

I have sent you a note about a page you started

Hello, Davidbena

Thank you for creating Kanuchi.

User:SunDawn, while examining this page as a part of our page curation process, had the following comments:

Thanks for the article!

To reply, leave a comment here and begin it with {{Re|SunDawn}}. Please remember to sign your reply with ~~~~ .

(Message delivered via the Page Curation tool, on behalf of the reviewer.)

✠ SunDawn ✠ (contact) 01:16, 6 July 2022 (UTC)

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Your GA nomination of Mosaic of Rehob

Hi there, I'm pleased to inform you that I've begun reviewing the article Mosaic of Rehob you nominated for GA-status according to the criteria. This process may take up to 7 days. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you might have during this period. Message delivered by Mike Christie, on behalf of Ganesha811 -- Ganesha811 (talk) 22:36, 19 December 2022 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Yemenite Jewish poetry

Hi there, I'm pleased to inform you that I've begun reviewing the article Yemenite Jewish poetry you nominated for GA-status according to the criteria. This process may take up to 7 days. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you might have during this period. Message delivered by ChristieBot, on behalf of Benji man -- Benji man (talk) 12:26, 22 January 2023 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Yemenite Jewish poetry

The article Yemenite Jewish poetry you nominated as a good article has failed ; see Talk:Yemenite Jewish poetry for reasons why the nomination failed. If or when these points have been taken care of, you may apply for a new nomination of the article. Message delivered by ChristieBot, on behalf of Benji man -- Benji man (talk) 16:40, 23 January 2023 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Adullam

Hi there, I'm pleased to inform you that I've begun reviewing the article Adullam you nominated for GA-status according to the criteria. This process may take up to 7 days. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you might have during this period. Message delivered by ChristieBot, on behalf of Amitchell125 -- Amitchell125 (talk) 22:42, 27 January 2023 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Mawza Exile

The article Mawza Exile you nominated as a good article has failed ; see Talk:Mawza Exile for reasons why the nomination failed. If or when these points have been taken care of, you may apply for a new nomination of the article. Message delivered by ChristieBot, on behalf of Z1720 -- Z1720 (talk) 22:23, 29 January 2023 (UTC)

That's Okay. I'll try my best to rectify the problem by deleting some of the excessive excerpts and by condensing others.Davidbena (talk) 01:35, 30 January 2023 (UTC)

Block quotes should be used sparingly in Wikipedia articles, and only to support the information in the article. The decree used to banish the groups might be appropriate for the article, but the various accounts of events should not be long, direct quotes. Instead, they should be summarised and the source used as inline citations. Furthermore, it is better to use academic sources that are more recent over primary sources from that time, as the academic sources are more likely to be neutral and objective about the facts of this event. Wikipedia has some featured articles which can help give a template to this article about how it can be structured. I recommend Armenian genocide and History of the Jews in Dęblin and Irena during World War II. Z1720 (talk) 02:23, 30 January 2023 (UTC)

Thanks. I will the articles that you've suggested for a proper structuring of the article, based on earlier-used templates. Davidbena (talk) 02:35, 30 January 2023 (UTC)

@Z1720:, I'm sorry if, at first, my comments to you here were incoherent. I actually confused your review of Mawza Exile with Mosaic of Rehob. My apologies.Davidbena (talk) 13:52, 30 January 2023 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Mosaic of Rehob

The article Mosaic of Rehob you nominated as a good article has passed ; see Talk:Mosaic of Rehob for comments about the article, and Talk:Mosaic of Rehob/GA1 for the nomination. Well done! If the article has not already appeared on the main page as a "Did you know" item, or as a bold link under "In the News" or in the "On This Day" prose section, you can nominate it within the next seven days to appear in DYK. Bolded names with dates listed at the bottom of the "On This Day" column do not affect DYK eligibility. Message delivered by ChristieBot, on behalf of Ganesha811 -- Ganesha811 (talk) 22:43, 3 February 2023 (UTC)

Thanks for the notification, and thanks for your invaluable assistance. Hopefully, the general public will take an interest in the article and will learn a thing or two about the history of this wonderful country.Davidbena (talk) 16:50, 4 February 2023 (UTC)

Happy to have worked with you on this! Congrats on the article passing. —Ganesha811 (talk) 12:54, 5 February 2023 (UTC)

Incomplete DYK nomination

Hello! Your submission of Template:Did you know nominations/Mosaic of Rehob at the Did You Know nominations page is not complete; if you would like to continue, please link the nomination to the nominations page as described in step III of the nomination procedure. If you do not want to continue with the nomination, tag the nomination page with {{db-g7}}, or ask a DYK admin. Thank you. DYKHousekeepingBot (talk) 04:07, 6 February 2023 (UTC)

A barnstar for you!

	The Original Barnstar
	Bating (leather) is a very good page. Well done! BoyTheKingCanDance (talk) 13:45, 5 March 2023 (UTC)

Bikkurim

On Bikkurim (First-fruits) it seems you have written contradictory things with the same source - "This tithe was limited to Seven Species" "apart from the seven kinds of fruit of Deuteronomy 8:8 other kinds can also be offered". Which is it? Ar2332 (talk) 06:25, 5 April 2023 (UTC)

Actually, the Mishnah in Bikkurim 3:9 brings down two opinions, one of Rabbi Shimon ben Nanos who permits bringing other kinds of fruit, besides the seven kinds, and that of Rabbi Akiva who permits only the seven kinds. Most scholars agree that the halacha is in accordance with Rabbi Akiva. It was actually Gustaf Dalman who suggests that there may have been a leniency at some early time when other fruits were also permitted to bring as Bikkurim. Still, it's inconclusive.Davidbena (talk) 20:15, 6 April 2023 (UTC)

Kosher locust

Hi, I have been editing Kosher locust, and I am getting stuck because I do not have access to the book by Zohar Amar. Could you take a look at the wiki page, specifically the Yemen section, and tell me what needs to be fixed? Most specifically, of the species for which Yemenites have a tradition, I am unsure which are categorized as "arbeh" and which as "chagav". I am also unsure where the translations "red locust", "white locust" etc come from. Thank you! Ar2332 (talk) 09:37, 28 February 2023 (UTC)

I'll check for you Zohar Amar's book, at the first available opportunity. He is the expert on this subject.Davidbena (talk) 20:04, 28 February 2023 (UTC)

@Ar2332: Professor Zohar Amar does not use any of the English names used in the Wikipedia article to describe the varieties of edible locusts, but only mentions their taxonomic names and their common English names, such as Schistocerca gregaria which he calls "Desert locust." I do not know who added the equivalent English names to the article, such as "red locust", "white locust," "spotted grey locust," etc. It seems to me that some editor saw these English names applied to the edible locusts mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. I would wonder what translation the editor used, and if the source is reliable. Here is Amar's article. The English translation begins on page 471. Enjoy!Davidbena (talk) 19:22, 5 March 2023 (UTC)

The source of "red locust" etc appears to be "Living Torah" by Aryeh Kaplan. I found it (reproduced here), and it gives as its source R Kapah, Halikhoth Teimon, Jerusalem, 1968, p.218. This source is also quoted in your article (p.464). However, the quote there is brief, and does not have enough context to determine whether the 4 colors of locust correspond to the 4 biblical species. Do you happen to have Halichot Teman and can check this context (maybe posting the entire page on imgur.com)? Also, I want to check that the quote from the letter to R Kook, which you posted, includes all the text as far as "...and it is called ḥanājir (katydids)."? Thanks, Ar2332 (talk) 09:53, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Yes, I do possess a copy of Qafih's book, Halichot Teman, and I will check for you what he wrote about this matter. I also have the complete letter of Rabbi Kook to the Jews of Yemen and their response to him.Davidbena (talk) 21:20, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

@Ar2332: As for Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's questions to the Jews of Yemen and their reply to him, I only possess the English translation of an article written by Professor Aharon Gaimani, entitled "Scholars of Yemen Answer Questions of Rabbi A.I. Kook," published in the book Ascending the Palm Tree, published in 2018 (ISBN 978-965-7121-33-7). There, on page 101, the question is asked: [Question # 17] "Do you have it as a practice to eat clean grasshoppers by observing their outward features, or by [simply] relying upon a tradition passed down [unto you], or, what is the nature of this tradition?"

Answer: "As for eating grasshoppers, the Jews of Yemen did not follow the halakhic ruling of Maimonides, where he posited that it was sufficient to merely recognize their features. Instead, they ate only the kind of grasshopper that, according to their tradition, was an edible grasshopper, namely the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), and which they called in Yemenite-Jewish parlance, ğarād. Rabbi Abraham Ṣanʿāni's responsum indicates that even in his realm the practice was as the other communities in Yemen, although he personally refrained from eating them, probably because of the impact of Rabbi Ḥaim ben Attar's opinion." (End Quote).

It should be noted that the taxonomic name of the species, written in parentheses, is merely the professor's own addition. As for the katydid, called in Judeo-Arabic ḥanājir, the excerpt must have been taken from the original Hebrew, which is currently not at my disposal, but which name is also addressed by Rabbi Qafih (on page 218, ibid.) as being an unclean grasshopper, as does Professor Zohar Amar discuss this unclean specie in great length.Davidbena (talk) 18:42, 9 April 2023 (UTC)

@Ar2332: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to get back to you. I've been busy writing on other issues, but have been meaning to address your questions. In Rabbi Yosef Qafih's book, Halichot Teman, p. 218, after an introduction of sorts, it says this:

גם המינים הטהורים נחלקים לארבעה סוגים: משובח שבכולם האדמדם. למטה ממנו חרצ'ייה, אפור ונקוד. למטה ממנו הצהבהב, ולמטה ממנו הלבנבן. זה האחרון גרוע לאכילה מחמת רזונו ואיבריו סיביים יותר. משובח הוא האדמדם בייחוד בזמן רבייתו שאז הוא שמן וטעמו ערב לחיך‎

[Translation]: "Moreover, the pure kinds are divided into four categories: The best of them all is that which is reddish in color. Below it is the ḥarḍiyyeh, [being] gray in color with spots. Below it is that which is yellowish in color, while below it is that which is whitish in color. This last one is the worst [of them all] to eat, on account of its thinness, and its limbs being more fibrous. The best one is the reddish one, especially during the time when it procreates, at which time it is fat and its taste is pleasing to the palate."

Davidbena (talk) 17:55, 9 April 2023 (UTC)

DYK for Mosaic of Rehob

On 17 April 2023, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Mosaic of Rehob, which you recently created, substantially expanded, or brought to good article status. The fact was ... that the Mosaic of Rehob is the oldest surviving Talmudic text? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Mosaic of Rehob. You are welcome to check how many pageviews the nominated article or articles got while on the front page (here's how, Mosaic of Rehob), and the hook may be added to the statistics page after its run on the Main Page has completed. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

Aoidh (talk) 00:02, 17 April 2023 (UTC)

DYK for Bating (leather)

On 28 April 2023, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Bating (leather), which you recently created, substantially expanded, or brought to good article status. The fact was ... that either dog feces, or hen and pigeon manure, were used by tanners to produce a soft leather? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Bating (leather). You are welcome to check how many pageviews the nominated article or articles got while on the front page (here's how, Bating (leather)), and the hook may be added to the statistics page after its run on the Main Page has completed. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

Aoidh (talk) 00:02, 28 April 2023 (UTC)

topic ban appeal

David, just slow down for a bit on this appeal. Im going to save this edit so you get the notice and then lay out your options in the next edit I make. nableezy - 00:11, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Okay, I'll do what you say here. I'll wait until you direct me what exactly I must do.Davidbena (talk) 00:17, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Ok, you are subject to multiple bans. There is the one imposed at arbitration enforcement here which is a general ARBPIA topic ban. You can appeal that at WP:AE, at WP:AN, or directly to the arbitration committee at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Clarification and Amendment. The other ban is the one imposed at WP:AN (here), you can appeal that at WP:AN or again to the arbitration committee. If you would like my advice, first its your appeal doesnt stand a chance as worded, but if you are going to appeal then do it at WP:AE or directly to the committee. But if you do it at AE then follow the instructions in the edit notice. Im going to put those instructions in a collapsed box here as well:

Instructions for appeal

Make sure that the relevant remedy allows for such appeals. If it does not, you may appeal to the Arbitration Committee. Only autoconfirmed users may file enforcement requests here; requests filed by IPs or accounts less than four days old or with less than 10 edits will be removed. All users are welcome to comment on requests. If you make an enforcement request or comment on a request, your own conduct may be examined as well, and you may be sanctioned for it. Enforcement requests and statements in response to them may not exceed 500 words and 20 diffs, except by permission of a reviewing administrator.  (Word Count Tool) Statements must be made in separate sections. Non-compliant contributions may be removed or shortened by administrators. Disruptive contributions such as personal attacks, or groundless or vexatious complaints, may result in blocks or other sanctions. Copy the following text to the edit box below. Text to copy {{subst:Arbitration enforcement appeal | Appealing user = <Username> | User imposing the sanction = <Username> | Sanction being appealed = <Text> <!-- Provide a brief description, a link to the sanctions log (if any) and to the discussion resulting in the sanction (if any). Example: Topic ban from the subject of Antarctica-Micronesia relations, imposed at [[WP:AE/Archive50#Request concerning ProudPenguin]], logged at [[Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Antarctica-Micronesia#Log of blocks and bans]] --> | Reason for the appeal = <Your text> <!-- Please explain *why* you appeal the sanction and whether you want it to be lifted or modified. --> }} You may instead format your request by hand, as long as you provide all relevant information as described above. If you use the template, please provide the information required after the "=" signs and press the "preview" button to make sure that the request looks like you want it to. Then, please leave the "subject" line empty and press the "Publish changes" button. After the page has been saved, please notify the administrator who made the enforcement action.

You just need to copy the template and fill it in. You know you have a lot of people on the "other side" that like you and think highly of you, so if you would take this as friendly advice and not discouragement, your appeal is going to be declined. You need to show you understand how you violated your past bans, that you understand how to not violate them in the future. You need to further show you understand why your initial ban was placed, and how your past editing since then has shown that such issues will not reoccur. But your appeal does not do that at all. As far as where to go, a well considered appeal probably has the best chance being successful at AE, maybe more so at ArbCom directly, and the least successful chance at AN. But you really need to work on how your appeal reads, because right now its Im sorry I wont do what I did again but I cant really articulate why what I did before was wrong. A read of Wikipedia:Guide to appealing blocks would also be useful. nableezy - 00:20, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Okay, I understand you. I will take a day or two to think about how to approach this. And, yes, I have somewhat to say about what I've learned in the mean time, since my topic bans. I'll probably avoid taking the AN route, to enhance my chances of success in this appeal. Again, thanks for your advice.Davidbena (talk) 00:28, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

@Nableezy:, @Huldra:, @Zero0000:, and @Drmies:, this is for your information. I have logged an appeal to my Topic ban here. Feel free to comment, even if it is to say that I should remain under my ban for a longer period of time. I will not object and I will bear it patiently.Davidbena (talk) 03:12, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

You need to notify Seraphimblade and Euralys on their respective talk pages, but the ban from AN cant be appealed at AE. The other ban is the one imposed at WP:AN (here), you can appeal that at WP:AN or again to the arbitration committee. Just focus on the wider ban for now if you want my advice, the one at AE and thats it. nableezy - 04:21, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

I'll notify them. As for the second appeal, I'll do that once this appeal has run its course. Thanks. Davidbena (talk) 12:18, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Hi, I see that Nableezy offered to be your mentor. My understanding is that you would have preferred Zero0000 (or Nishidani), but I actually think Nableezy can be an excellent mentor; telling you in a very clear language what he thinks. I suggest you accept him as a mentor. Then, hopefully your wider (or broader) topic-ban will be lifted, and -if the mentoring turns out ok -then the topic-ban itself can be lifted, cheers, Huldra (talk) 21:25, 2 May 2023 (UTC) PS: and Nableezy is a "straight shooter": when he says he bear you no ill will, you can take his word for it.

Huldra, I have no objection that Nableezy be my mentor for at least a year. I am eternally grateful for his kindness towards me. And, besides, I have no intentions whatsoever to aggravate tensions in the Arab-Israeli conflict, at any time. On the contrary, my entire aim is to show that Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs can share the same country peacefully and with mutual respect and dignity, and, above all, benefit from each other, if there is a will to do so.Davidbena (talk) 02:16, 3 May 2023 (UTC)

mentorship

so the way I see this working is what we agree to is that if you think something is anywhere close to the line you ask me and accept the answer. If anybody reports that some edit you made violates the existing AN topic ban and I agree, you agree to self-revert or strike or whatever is appropriate no questions asked. We can discuss after the self-reversion, but you agree to immediately rectify anything I tell you is a violation. Agreed? nableezy - 03:14, 3 May 2023 (UTC)

bump. nableezy - 21:25, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Yes, I would agree to that. Of course, this only applies in the ARBPIA area, or any edit related to that topic. And this I voluntarily put myself under for at least one year.Davidbena (talk) 19:43, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

Hmmm, as I read it: it seems to be a condition for any lifting of your topic-ban that you agree to this mentorship. You may off course end the mentorship any time you like, but then you can expect any topic-ban to be re-instated.

Davidbena: just my 2 cents: even if you are let off your topic-ban, you are still on "thin ice". I don't want to see you topic-banned, unless you are disruptive. If I may say so: you can be damn stubborn (well, so can I!) -but when you are stubborn about something -against the greater Wikipedia community: that is not a good thing. You need to learn to "walk away" from "fights", even if you personally are 100% sure you are in the right. Well, at least that is the way I have found to "survive" in the IP area on en.wp. And I say this with the best of intentions: I really, really really not not want to see a repeat of the early 2019 mess, when I was nearly tearing out my hair in frustration over you. Best of luck, cheers, Huldra (talk) 21:43, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

Huldra, I can assure you that I will not be disruptive. Mentorship is a good thing, but it is only given for a "limited" time to see the improvement of my edits in the ARBPIA area. I will agree to one year of mentorship. The preponderance of my work in the ARBPIA has been mostly good and beneficial to the project, with only a very few lapses in judgment. I will not repeat those same mistakes. While in this mentorship, I will not even challenge an edit that is rejected. After one year, if any edit of mine is rejected by the community, the only thing that I will do (if I feel that I am correct) is to ask a RfC, rather than revert an edit of mine that has been reverted.Davidbena (talk) 10:26, 7 May 2023 (UTC)

David it applies to any material under the original AN ban, but you have to accept my judgment on whether or not something is covered. Your major problem was in not understanding the limits of your ban, the whole point of the mentorship is, as fas I can tell, is to make sure you actually abide by those limits. But that only works if you agree to accepting when somebody, me, tells you what the limits are. nableezy - 21:22, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

Of course I agree to your judgment on any material posted by me and which may be covered by the original AN ban during this period of mentorship. As I said, I will not post anything, until your prior review and approval. Since I have accepted your mentorship, my understanding is that I will be free to make edits (with your prior discretion and approval) on pages under the original AN ban. If not, what is the point of mentorship? As I said before, yes, and yes again, I will agree to any decision that you may have concerning any edit of mine in the ARBPIA area, and will desist from making the edit if you should deem it to be inappropriate, for any reason whatsoever. Davidbena (talk) 22:33, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

My understanding is that only the AE imposed ARBPIA wide ban is being removed here. And you may not edit material from which the AN ban, that would still be in place, covers. Meaning you may not edit any material about the modern state of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, but you can edit about things related to the history of Israel that are not related to the modern conflict. You may not make edits that the AN ban covers, the point of the mentorship is to make sure youre able to abide by that ban. nableezy - 22:37, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

So, what you're saying is that the mentorship offered to me only concerns my "limited Topic ban", where the community/administrators will reinstate my "limited Topic ban" on condition that I agree to your mentorship, and that I could only make edits related to the history of Israel such as when these edits are not related to the modern conflict. Of course I will agree to that, too, if I have no other choice. However, my understanding of this current appeal (where I am restricted from editing all pages in the ARBPIA area) is that the administrators and parties who have looked into my appeal seem to agree to lift my current ban in the ARBPIA area on the condition that I agree to mentorship. Have I misunderstood their intentions? Were they referring only to reinstating my original "limited Topic ban"? I think that there is a need for clarification here.Davidbena (talk) 22:54, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

Yes, like I told you before, you cant appeal your community imposed ban to AE, you can only appeal the AE ban at AE. The other one needs a consensus at AN to lift it. nableezy - 00:11, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

Basically this ban remains in place, this one would be removed. Mentorship is to make sure the former is adhered to when the latter is rescinded. nableezy - 22:40, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

Can you check for me what their intent was?Davidbena (talk) 22:57, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

I asked, but Im pretty sure Im right. nableezy - 00:10, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

I also posted on the AE appeal that this matter be clarified. Hopefully, we'll all do what is right and what is best. I have no intention whatsoever to be disruptive, but only to occasionally add important historical data.Davidbena (talk) 03:17, 12 May 2023 (UTC)

AE topic ban appeal lifted

Hi, your AE topic ban appeal has succeeded - see here. Quoting myself: The arbitration enforcement topic ban against Davidbena is lifted, on the condition of being mentored by Nableezy for one year. This mentorship means that Davidbena must ask Nableezy for approval before making edits to articles in the Arab-Israeli conflict topic area, broadly construed, and follow advice given by Nableezy. For clarity, the community topic ban at Wikipedia:Editing restrictions#Davidbena remains in place (removing it cannot be done here and requires an appeal at WP:AN).

I see some confusion in the section above, so I'd like to doubly emphasize that what Nableezy says above is true: Meaning you may not edit any material about the modern state of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, but you can edit about things related to the history of Israel that are not related to the modern conflict. You may not make edits that the AN ban covers, the point of the mentorship is to make sure youre able to abide by that ban. The reason why the mentorship is required, is because people are concerned about your ability to understand and abide by the topic ban you still have, and in following policies in the area. The topic ban is quite complicated so it's good to have Nableezy there to make sure you aren't violating it. Galobtter (talk) 01:58, 16 May 2023 (UTC)

I will honor everything that you've said here.Davidbena (talk) 02:41, 16 May 2023 (UTC)

Speedy deletion nomination of Category:Poisonous plants

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A tag has been placed on Category:Poisonous plants requesting that it be speedily deleted from Wikipedia. This has been done under section G4 of the criteria for speedy deletion, because the page appears to be a repost of material that was previously deleted following a deletion discussion, at Wikipedia:Categories_for_discussion/Log/2020_December_3#Category:Poisonous_plants. When a page has substantially identical content to that of a page deleted after a discussion, and any changes in the content do not address the reasons for which the material was previously deleted, it may be deleted at any time.

If you think this page should not be deleted for this reason, you may contest the nomination by visiting the page and clicking the button labelled "Contest this speedy deletion". This will give you the opportunity to explain why you believe the page should not be deleted. However, be aware that once a page is tagged for speedy deletion, it may be deleted without delay. Please do not remove the speedy deletion tag from the page yourself, but do not hesitate to add information in line with Wikipedia's policies and guidelines. If the page is deleted, and you wish to retrieve the deleted material for future reference or improvement, then please contact the deleting administrator, or if you have already done so, you can place a request here. Plantdrew (talk) 02:51, 22 May 2023 (UTC)

Image query

Are the people in this image Jewish? Best regards. Broichmore (talk) 15:40, 8 June 2023 (UTC)

I'm sorry. I wish I could have been of help here, but, truthfully, I have no idea.Davidbena (talk) 20:50, 8 June 2023 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Jewish astrology

Hi there, I'm pleased to inform you that I've begun reviewing the article Jewish astrology you nominated for GA-status according to the criteria. This process may take up to 7 days. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you might have during this period. Message delivered by ChristieBot, on behalf of Vaticidalprophet -- Vaticidalprophet (talk) 00:22, 20 June 2023 (UTC)

Shortened footnotes

Hi Davidbena, I just corrected a few minor footnote errors in Wild edible plants of Israel and Palestine. In case you don't know about it, I thought I should introduce you to this user script, which highlights any shortened footnotes with errors and is incredibly useful when working with long articles full of {{sfn}}s. Thank-you for your work on the article, and best wishes, Wham2001 (talk) 12:57, 1 July 2023 (UTC)

Thanks. I greatly appreciate this.Davidbena (talk) 19:18, 1 July 2023 (UTC)

I have sent you a note about a page you started

Hello, Davidbena. Thank you for your work on Vatican Hebrew MS. 133. User:SunDawn, while examining this page as a part of our page curation process, I had the following comments:

Hello! I want to inform you that I have checked your article and mark it as reviewed. Have a good day and thanks for creating the article!

To reply, leave a comment here and begin it with {{Re|SunDawn}}. Please remember to sign your reply with ~~~~. (Message delivered via the Page Curation tool, on behalf of the reviewer.)

✠ SunDawn ✠ (contact) 07:46, 10 July 2023 (UTC)

DYK Templating

Hi David, one suggestion, if I may. When you create, or heavily update, an article it would be good to get a WP:DYK template on it to get it to the front page. I have done a few, so if you need help doing so, feel free to ask me. Sir Joseph ^(talk) 18:48, 12 July 2023 (UTC)

Thanks, Sir Joseph. Yes, I'm familiar with DYK. I recently worked on one for the article Bating (leather). The problem that I find with the more recent article on "Vatican Hebrew MS. 133" is finding an appropriate hook.Davidbena (talk) 21:25, 12 July 2023 (UTC)

It could be something along the lines of the Vatican being used as a source for the Jewish Talmud. It's that type of hook. Sir Joseph ^(talk) 21:45, 12 July 2023 (UTC)

Okay. I'll try it. Thanks for the suggestion.Davidbena (talk) 21:56, 12 July 2023 (UTC)

Nefesh B'Nefesh updates

Hi Davidbena, I'm looking to update and improve the Nefesh B'Nefesh article, and based on your interest in Israel, as well as Jews and Judaism and your involvement in related projects I am hoping that you'll take a look at my edit request.

I would also appreciate it if you would look at the draft of an article for Rabbi Fass that I put up in my userspace. A 2021 discussion resulted in a redirect; I have made significant changes to the draft in order to make it eligible for an independent article. Thanks in advance for your help LA for NBN (talk) 08:01, 16 July 2023 (UTC)

I know very little about the organization "Nefesh B'Nefesh," so I am not sure that I would be the right person to work on the article. Article improvement requires, first and foremost, a keen interest in the topic, and, secondly, it requires basic research to write knowledgeably about the subject matter. I'm afraid that I do not qualify in either field. As for Rabbi Fass, I have never heard of him before, but I will take a look at the draft and, perhaps, make suggestions. Good luck in your research and in your writing!Davidbena (talk) 21:02, 16 July 2023 (UTC)

Your GA nomination of Jewish astrology

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August 2023 Good Article Nominations backlog drive

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You're receiving this message because you have reviewed or nominated a good article in the last year. (t · c) buidhe 05:15, 30 July 2023 (UTC)

DYK nomination of Vatican Hebrew MS. 133

Hello! Your submission of Vatican Hebrew MS. 133 at the Did You Know nominations page has been reviewed, and some issues with it may need to be clarified. Please review the comment(s) at your nomination's entry and respond there at your earliest convenience. Thank you for contributing to Did You Know!  — LlywelynII 23:13, 16 July 2023 (UTC)

Sorry that this is still dragging on when you're being so patient and generally helpful and it's great you added this stuff at all.

... that a Hebrew Vatican manuscript is being used as a source for modern editions of the Palestinian Talmud (also known as Jerusalem Talmud), as well as for critical analysis of all modern editions?

Stylistic point that's nonessential: The common English name is the Jerusalem Talmud. That's why our article is parked there. You can use the synonym "Palestinian Talmud" instead and it might be a better hook since it's more unexpected, plus you get the Vatican, Palestinians, and Talmud all in one sentence. Either way, just pick one name or the other and stick with it.

Major issue that has to be dealt with: I think you mean was used instead of is being used since that's what happened with the Leiden MS and is what you actually have stated and cited. If you actually mean someone is currently writing editions of the J/P Talmud with this MS as a source, that needs to be entirely added and cited. You're honestly probably better off just clearly referencing the Leiden MS instead of "for modern editions", especially since you say that twice in one sentence.

Major issue that has to be dealt with: There is nothing in the article that says "critical analysis of all modern editions". The closest the article gets is the opposite: It says "most" (i.e. not all) include some comparisons (i.e. not necessary of Vat Ebr 133) "many" from Vat Ebr 133, and that statement isn't footnoted.

There needs to be a clear well phrased hook with a clear well formatted citation. The other issues can all be dealt with later by other editors. — LlywelynII 16:35, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

@LlywelynII: all the problems that you have raised in your most recent posts to me have all been addressed. The article does now have the wording, "critical analysis of all modern editions." Davidbena (talk) 23:55, 30 July 2023 (UTC)

DYK for Vatican Hebrew MS 133

On 18 August 2023, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Vatican Hebrew MS 133, which you recently created, substantially expanded, or brought to good article status. The fact was ... that a Vatican Hebrew manuscript has been used as a source for analysing and emending modern editions of the Palestinian Talmud? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Vatican Hebrew MS. 133. You are welcome to check how many pageviews the nominated article or articles got while on the front page (here's how, Vatican Hebrew MS 133), and the hook may be added to the statistics page after its run on the Main Page has completed. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

RoySmith (talk) 00:02, 18 August 2023 (UTC)

DYK nomination of Jewish astrology

Hello! Your submission of Jewish astrology at the Did You Know nominations page has been reviewed, and some issues with it may need to be clarified. Please review the comment(s) at your nomination's entry and respond there at your earliest convenience. Thank you for contributing to Did You Know! BlueMoonset (talk) 22:38, 3 September 2023 (UTC)

DYK for Jewish astrology

On 15 September 2023, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Jewish astrology, which you recently created, substantially expanded, or brought to good article status. The fact was ... that while the laws governing Jewish astrology prohibit worshipping the stars, gaining knowledge of their influences on humans is permitted? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Jewish astrology. You are welcome to check how many pageviews the nominated article or articles got while on the front page (here's how, Jewish astrology), and the hook may be added to the statistics page after its run on the Main Page has completed. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

—Kusma (talk) 12:15, 15 September 2023 (UTC)

מזל טוב !גם שנה טובה! warshy ^(¥¥) 16:58, 15 September 2023 (UTC)

Thanks. Shanna Tova!Davidbena (talk) 00:20, 18 September 2023 (UTC)

File:Jews of Yemen, in Menakkhah; ca. 1931.jpg listed for discussion

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March 2024 GAN backlog drive

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(t · c) buidhe 02:39, 23 February 2024 (UTC)

Statement without a reference

Hello, I noticed your recent edits to Ephedra cutleri making a statement of fact about the uses of this plant. Please add a reliable reference so that the information can be confirmed by other editors. 🌿MtBotany (talk) 02:27, 29 February 2024 (UTC)

@MtBotany:, Thanks for the reminder, and, yes, I have placed the edit in Ephedra viridis (check there) where it more correctly belongs. Again, thanks for helping me show the references.Davidbena (talk) 03:31, 29 February 2024 (UTC)

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biblical_and_Talmudic_units_of_measurement&curid=68889&diff=1218125470&oldid=1193310062

Is there a source for this? A Georgian (talk) 12:42, 10 April 2024 (UTC)

@A Georgian: Yes, there is a source for this, and I'm sorry that I did not insert the reference in my edit there. You can find the source for the kab (alternate spelling kav), which is an old liquid and dry measure equal to the volume of 24 eggs, meaning, 1⁄4 of a kav equals the volume of 6 eggs. See the Appendix (Appendix II - D.) in Danby's translation of the Mishnah. You can access it here, Section "D. Liquid and Dry Measure". There, it says explicitly that 1 log is the equivalent of 6 eggs, and that 4 logs is the equivalent of 1 kab. This would mean that one-fourth of a kab is equivalent to the volume of 6 eggs.Davidbena (talk) 18:38, 10 April 2024 (UTC)

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Wikiproject

Hi, I see you've contributed a lot to The Asatir, would you be interested in joining a wikiproject on oral tradition? Kowal2701 (talk) 18:07, 25 July 2024 (UTC)

@Kowal2701: Thanks for the offer, but before I decide to join such a project, I would like to hear more about the project and what exactly it entails. It may or may not be for me. Davidbena (talk) 19:02, 25 July 2024 (UTC)

You can read this discussion with the WP council people, it'd likely be a sub project of WP:Anthropology. There's still a lot to formulation to do, but it'd effectively be about creating and improving articles involving oral tradition. Sorry I can't give more info, I'm still messaging people, once I'm done I'll ping everyone to a discussion about the project Kowal2701 (talk) 19:12, 25 July 2024 (UTC)

DYK for Voluntary war

On 26 July 2024, Did you know was updated with a fact from the article Voluntary war, which you recently created, substantially expanded, or brought to good article status. The fact was ... that there is a rare circumstance in which Jewish soldiers are allowed to abandon kosher dietary laws? The nomination discussion and review may be seen at Template:Did you know nominations/Voluntary war. You are welcome to check how many pageviews the nominated article or articles got while on the front page (here's how, Voluntary war), and the hook may be added to the statistics page after its run on the Main Page has completed. Finally, if you know of an interesting fact from another recently created article, then please feel free to suggest it on the Did you know talk page.

♠PMC♠ (talk) 00:05, 26 July 2024 (UTC)

AN ban appeal

David, I think at this point it makes sense to appeal the AN imposed ban and get you back to editing without any restrictions. The appeal would need to a. show understanding of why it was imposed, b. give people confidence that those reasons will not re-occur and that you have learned from your past mistakes. If you want, maybe craft an appeal I can give some feedback before posting to AN? That would also end the "mentorship" we have in place, though I of course would always be willing to give advice if you wanted it. nableezy - 21:47, 24 August 2024 (UTC)

@Nableezy:, I have been thinking about doing this. Give me a few weeks to put everything together.Davidbena (talk) 06:32, 25 August 2024 (UTC)

+1 support for your appeal, should you choose to make one. -- Euryalus (talk) 06:48, 25 August 2024 (UTC)

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Text in an image

Hi David, I saw that you uploaded this image back in 2021. The image consists of what looks to be about 200 words of text on a sign; I would expect that to be protected by copyright but perhaps its location on a public sign changes the situation. Does freedom of panorama extend to text in Israel? Richard Nevell (talk) 20:49, 6 October 2024 (UTC)

@Richard Nevell: This sign post was posted by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the archaeological site in Jerusalem's Old City, known as the "Givati Parking lot". As all directional/informational road signs or signs posted for the public at museums, national parks and at archaeological sites, the information contained therein is not protected by copyright, and may freely be used by visitors for public information and dissemination.Davidbena (talk) 13:32, 7 October 2024 (UTC)

So signs in public places produced by the IAA are copyright free? Is that documented somewhere? That might be useful to add to somewhere like Commons:Commons:Copyright rules by territory/Israel - though perhaps not the ideal place, I'm not sure where would be better. Richard Nevell (talk) 19:41, 8 October 2024 (UTC)

It would be better to address your questions regarding this issue to Wikimedia Commons. The legal matters regarding this issue are discussed there.Davidbena (talk) 03:59, 9 October 2024 (UTC)

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 Done Davidbena (talk) 22:43, 24 October 2024 (UTC)

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