system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Is there an unspoken rule that you're not actually supposed to "email ChairOfTheSearchCommittee@institution.edu for additional information about this position" when applying for faculty jobs?

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on my experience today, because I'm thoroughly confused.

I found a position I was interested in, but the advertisement and institution website didn't offer course descriptions publicly, and had little information about the curriculum and enrollment numbers.

I was hoping to learn a little more about the program before applying, so I emailed the chair about the position asking if he would have a minute to answer a couple of questions. Now, the advertisement explicitly says **"Additional information about this position may be obtained by contacting chair[at]institution.edu"**

I received an email back a couple of hours later saying (paraphrasing) "Thank you for your interest. I can't answer any of your questions at this time, and all of the information you need to apply is in the job post."

Though it wasn't those exact words, it was equally short and dismissive.

So, my question is: Did I make a mistake by emailing the chair? Are you not actually supposed to inquire for additional info, and if not, then why would that clause be in the job description?
gpt
Asking for a few minutes to answer some questions may sound like you are trying to get a "backdoor interview," where you get to meet and present yourself to the chair without actually being invited to the next round of the search. If you have questions about the job post, just ask the questions, don't ask them for time to answer questions.