Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Purim announcement in the Yated.

From a two-page public service ad in this week's Yated (paid for by the Agudath Israel of America)

1. The mitzva of "Chayav Adam l'v'sumet b'Purya..." is only with wine as it is stated in Chayei Adam (155:30) and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (142:6). Free use of whiskey and other alcoholic beverages is entirely inappropriate and contrary to da'as Chachomim.

2. Ba'alei Batim should not serve any alcoholic beverages, including wine, to groups of bochurim visiting their homes.

3. Those who drive under the influence of alcohol not only endanger themselves but all their passengers and other members of the public. Drivers must therefore not consume any alcoholic beverages, including wine, and must take extra care to drive safely, observing all applicable laws and safety procedures.

4. Nobody should enter a car if there is reason to believe that the driver is under the influence of alcohol, and all reasonable steps should be taken to prevent such an individual from driving.

Signed by 47 rabbanim.

Yasher Kochachem! Good job! Let's hope this decree is obeyed stringently.

The Wolf

11 comments:

Pesky Settler said...

Can a person go into Shabbat (meaning daven Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma'ariv services) while drunk?

Anonymous said...

This speaks so poorly of our community: if we NEED rabbonim to tell us THIS then we are sick.

BrooklynWolf said...

BB,

You're right that it should be common sense. That being said, however, I still think that it's good that it's being said. As we all know, people do stupid things, and having the rabbanim issue a PSA is a good thing, IMHO.

The Wolf

BrooklynWolf said...

Pesky,

People should not get drunk on *any* Purim if it will cause them to miss Mincha/Ma'ariv -- regardless of the day of the week.

The Wolf

Nice Jewish Guy said...

Finally, a pashkevil that's worth publicizing.

Personally, I don't believe the Chayyei Adam & KSA are the last word on what forms of ethanol are valid for drinking on purim, but a) that's just my opinion, and b) if it limits the type of beverages to wine, with which it is a bit more difficult to get smashed, than I can get behind it.

Anonymous said...

I'll drink to that!

ProfK said...

Doesn't Megillas Esther itself give us the hint? "Mishteh" is a "wine party." Can't think of a single culture that serves hard liquor during a meal.

According to the Rambam, the obligation of getting drunk at the Purim meal can only be fulfilled by drinking wine – not beer, scotch, vodka, tequila, or hard liquor of any sort. Also according to the Rambam,Laws of Prayer 4:17, A drunk person (“shikur”) should not pray because he lacks the requisite frame of mind (“kavana”), and if he prays, his prayer is an abomination, and he must pray again after he awakens from his drunkenness.

Anonymous said...

"Can't think of a single culture that serves hard liquor during a meal." Russian, Ukrainian, Bellarus, Polish all drink hard liquor during a meal. It's part of their culture.

I also know that Scotts and Irish drink a lot, too. But I think that they drink before a meal, not during.

Basically people from cold climates have a tradition to drink heavily.

-suitepotato- said...

I have a feeling that sooner or later an explicitly in line with this get together would face a ban.

Then heads would strike keyboards in disbelief and the j-blogosphere would explode in dumbfounded rage again.

But I am all for not drinking and driving.

Anonymous said...

3-4 make sense to me. 1 I've never heard of, so I'm not sure how universally its followed (but I guess I'll find out in shul Thursday night). 2 I'm not sure I understand. Are we assuming the bochurim are underage?

ProfK said...

Woodrow,
Even if the bochrim are of legal age, multiply 1 drink per 50 households visited and you should see why no one should be offering alcohol to the collectors. Drinking should be limited to the seudah.