Drinking on Purim
Purim is the most joyous occasion in the Jewish calendar, yet every year our celebration is marred by the potentially dangerous situation of the underage consumption of alcohol, as well as adult over-indulgence. For the past several years, NCSY has vociferously decried these practices as not only unnecessary, but actually antithetical to the spirit of the day.
We call upon all members of the Jewish community to join us in encouraging our teens not to drink (and our adults, if they’re drinking, to not overdo it).
Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs) tells us that G-d’s love is “more delightful than wine” (1:2). The Sforno takes the opportunity to remind us that G-d’s love is everlasting, while wine is merely a temporal pleasure. Midrash Tanchuma relates that wine only gives pleasure while its effects last, but Torah gives us joy both in this world and in the World to Come. (Parshas Shemini). The Rambam tells us that it is impossible to serve G-d with drunkenness (Hilchos Yom Tov 6:20) and the Zohar Chadash tells us that wine and the service of G-d cannot coexist (Noah 22b).
People often cite the Talmudic dictum that one should drink on Purim until one can’t tell the difference between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordechai” (Megilla 7b). But that statement is immediately followed by an incident in which Rabbah cut Rav Zeira’s throat while under the influence of wine. Following a miraculous recovery, Rav Zeira declined future invitations. The Ran and others view this as a refutation of the statement to over-drink! Rav Zeira wisely chose to avoid such dangerous circumstances in the future; so should we.
This information and more is in NCSY’s pamphlet, “Ad D’Lo Yada - Drinking on Purim,” which may be found online at http://www.ou.org/pdf/ncsy/5765/wine.pdf. Please join with us in encouraging moderation from adults and complete temperance from teens, so that we may all enjoy a happy, healthy and safe Purim.
Good blog! intresting work.
Posted by Bernard on 09/11 at 03:39 AMGreats blog! Thanks for you work.
Posted by Frenk on 09/20 at 07:09 AM
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