OTHER VIEWS
Not Necessary To Get Drunk On Purim
I
New York
t is now a couple of months since
the Orthodox Union launched its
campaign against excessive alco-
hol consumption in the Jewish com-
munity, with special attention being
paid to substance abuse within our
community at large and within our
adolescent population in particular.
We undertook this campaign in
response to a meeting held at our
offices this past December with pulpit
rabbis and day school principals from
the New York area. This group identi-
fied alcohol and substance abuse as
major problems among our teenagers.
We have begun to develop a multi-
faceted response, under the rubric "Safe
Homes, Safe Shuls, Safe Schools." Our
call for the elimination of Kiddush
clubs — which has met with great suc-
cess — was just the first step.
One challenge we face is the holiday
of Purim, which begins Thursday
night, March 24, has been character-
ized in past years by excessive drinking,
resulting in disgraceful behavior, unsafe
practices and even real tragedy. Purim
has been traditionally associated with
the drinking of wine, and indeed
drinking on Purim has a halachic basis
in a talmudic source.
Thus, our call for zero tolerance of
drinking on Purim among teenagers,
and for sincere moderation of drink-
ing on Purim among adults, has met
the objection: "But it is a mitzvah!"
The fundamental rationale of our
opposition to alcohol consumption by
teenagers on Purim is the fact that
drinking often leads, especially among
youngsters, to serious medical conse-
quences. It is instructive that among
the strong supporters of our campaign
have been members of Hatzoloh, the
Orthodox rescue and ambulance corps
in New York, who report that Purim
does not go by without incidences of
toxic reactions to alcohol requiring
emergency treatment, to driving acci-
dents and sometimes even to deaths.
These considerations of health and
pikuach nefesh (the saving of lives) eas-
ily transcend whatever mitzvah might
be involved in drinking on Purim.
Secondly, is the fact that it is against
the law for an adult to knowingly pro-
vide alcohol to individuals who are
under age. While there may be excep-
tions when wine is served for ceremoni-
al purposes, clearly that exception
assumes that no more than a symbolic
quantity is ingested. Teachers or
rebbeim who supply minors with wine
or liquor on Purim are in violation of
the law of the land.
Rabbi Weinreb is executive vice presi-
dent of the Orthodox Union and a clin-
ical psychologist. His e-mail address is
oupr@ou.org.
The Orthodox Union does not want to
seem prudish or to be advocating total
prohibition of alcohol. However, for
Zero Tolerance
burdened with sadness that it
those sectors of our population
is impossible for them to
in which the call for moderation
achieve the mood of thanks-
is likely to be ignored, we
giving and joy required on
believe that zero tolerance is the
Purim, a little bit of wine to
only alternative. Adolescents,
ease their worry is advised, but
and adults with alcoholic ten-
certainly not more.
dencies, cannot be relied upon
One need only consult the
to effectively practice modera-
RABBI DR.
Mishnah Brurah, the stan-
tion; we therefore are calling for
dard 20th century commen-
TZVI
total abstinence on Purim
tary on the Shulchan Aruch,
HERSH
among those populations.
authored by the Chafetz
It is instructive to study the
WEINREB
Chaim. With reference to
sources in Halachah, Jewish law,
Special
for drinking on Purim and to
Commentary Purim, the Chafetz Chaim
quotes the medieval com-
recognize that although the
mentator, the Meiri, who
Talmud clearly states it is an
forbids drunkenness, as well as the
obligation on Purim to the extent that
19th century halachic authority, the
one cannot distinguish between cursed
Chayei Adam, who rules that if the
be Haman and blessed be Mordechai,"
drinking in any way diminishes one's
it is not clear that the Talmud means to
ability to perform the mitzvot with
become intoxicated; rather, it may be
proper intent during prayer and
understood as "getting a buzz."
Birkat haMazon (grace after meals) it
One of my personal favorite works
is better not to drink.
on the spiritual underpinnings of
halachic practice is Yesod veShoresh
"
haAvodah, The Foundation and Root of
Worship by Rabbi Alexander Ziskind
of Grodnow. He writes that one must
realize that the Talmud suggests only
livesumei and does not use the term
lehishtaker, which would mean "to
become drunk." The former term
means to drink just enough that one's
heart is lightened and one can truly
indulge in the spiritual celebration of
the theme of the day of Purim.
Rabbi Ziskind goes on to say that
because the Jewish people are often so
Teen Impact
Within the OU, the department most
directly concerned with alcohol abuse is
the National Conference of Synagogue
Youth (NCSY). Indeed, in recent years
we have noticed a marked increase in
the number of young people who try to
sneak in liquor to our events.
NCSY has a zero tolerance for alco-
hol at all events, including Purim, and
urges that even Kiddush be recited with
WEINREB on page 34
Purim 1V eets Good Friday
Stamford, Conn.
his year, for the first time
since 1910, Purim will coin-
cide with Good Friday, March
25. While it is tempting to toss aside
this as a calendrical quirk, this colli-
sion of holy days yields fascinating
shadings to the meaning of each.
The Christian Holy Week is sup-
posed to coincide with Passover, with
Easter occurring on the Sunday after
the first full moon following the ver-
nal equinox. But during Jewish leap
years, Passover is occasionally pushed
more than a month beyond that, leav-
T
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman is spiritual
leader of Temple Beth El in Stamford
and the author of
athelordismyshepherd.com: Seeking God
in Cyberspace." His e-mail address is
rabbi@tbe.org
ing Easter and Good Friday to con-
tend with Passover's little sister, that
mischievous demi-festival, that
masked "Mordy-Gras," Purim.
Purim is, in many ways, the anti-
Passover.
One is noted for its levity while the
other is totally unleavened. On Purim,
Jews let loose, freeing themselves from
restrictions and imbibing until all
boundaries are dissolved, even those
distinguishing good from evil.
On Passover, the key to liberation is
through tightening those restrictions,
exchanging Purim's anarchy for a sever-
ity, of structure so complete that its
main meal is even called the "Order."
It's part of the natural order for
American Jews and Christians that
Passover and Holy Week coincide. That
way, the networks can show The Ten
Commandments and we can have lots of
Unlikely Connection
interfaith discussions on the
seasonal symbolism of the egg
Although Purim and Good
and whether Manischewitz was
Friday so rarely coincide
served at the Last Supper. As far
(strangely, it will happen again
as we know, none of the apos-
in three years, then not
des was asked to pass the
until 2113), I am not the
RABBI
hamantaschen.
first to make the connec-
JOSHUA
But this year, although
tion between the deaths of
HAMMERMAN
the markets have been
Haman and Jesus.
Special
stocked with matzot since
The ancient Aramaic
Commentary
Presidents' Day, that
translations of the book of
prankster Purim is showing
Esther in fact use the word
up instead. So while our
tzalab, meaning "crucify,"
Christian neighbors will be commem-
in describing Haman's fate, a view
orating the crucifixion, we'll be con-
echoed by the first-century historian
templating the passion of the prune.
Josephus, and there is doubt as to
And rather than dwelling on those
whether hanging using a noose was
eternal questions of collective guilt, this
even known in ancient times.
year Jews will proudly proclaim on
During the fifth century, Byzantine
Good Friday, "We did it! Yep. We
emperors forbade the Jewish practice
hanged him" — speaking of Haman, of
course, and not about Jesus.
HAMMERMAN on page 34
jN
3/24
2005
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