Ohr Fellowships. Drinking on Purim חייב איניש לבסומי

Transcription

1 Ohr Fellowships Drinking on Purim חייב איניש לבסומי Woah, Rabbi, hold on a minute! You mean to tell me that there's a mitzvah to get drunk on a certain day of the year? Awesome! Where do I sign up? Sources Why is one supposed to get drunk on Purim? [1] Gemara Megillah 7b [2] Abudraham on the Laws of Purim [3] Maharsha on Megillah 7b What are the parameters for the drinking (i.e. what to drink, and how drunk to get)? [4] Gilyonei HaShas on Megillah 7b [5] Ran (Commentary on Megillah 12) [6] Rambam Hilchos Megillah 2:15 [7] Bach on Orach Chaim 695:2 [8] Beis Yosef on Orach Chaim 695:1-2 [9] Shulchan Aruch with Rama: Orach Chaim 695:2 [10] Mishna Brurah, ibid. 4-5 [11] Beiur Halacha, ibid. ("Ad...") Find more sugyas at OhrOnCampus.com DRINKING ON Questions? PURIMComments? OhrOnCampus@gmail.com1

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3 Gemara Megillah 7b [1] Rava said: A person is obligated to become drunk on Purim until he cannot tell the difference between "Cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai." Rabah and Rabbi Zeira once ate their Purim seudah together. Rabah got drunk and slaughtered Rabbi Zeira. The next day, Rabah davened, and brought Rabbi Zeira back to life. The next year, Rabah invited Rabbi Zeira to eat with him again. Rabbi Zeira declined the invitation, saying, "We can't expect miracles to happen all the time!" Abudraham on the Laws of Purim [2] If you ask: How could the Chachamim require us to become drunk on Purim, if the Torah so often says that getting drunk is a huge stumbling block (as one can see from what happened to Noach and Lot)? One can answer that it's because all the miracles that were done for the Jewish people in the times of Achashveirosh happened through a party: First, it was at Achashveirosh's wine party that Vashti was expelled from her position as queen, as it says, "On the seventh day, when the king's heart was happy with wine, he commanded to bring Vashti..." (Esther 1:10) Soon after, Esther was appointed to replace Vashti through a party, as it says, "The king made a great party for all of his officers and his servants, a party for Esther..." (Esther 2:18) And after that, Haman's whole story and downfall came about through a party with wine. Therefore, the Chachamim obligated us to become drunk on Purim, because the miracle happened through a wine party that Esther made. So nowadays, we commemorate the great miracle that came about through drinking wine. 3

4 Maharsha on Megillah 7b [3] A person is required to become drunk until he cannot tell the difference between "Cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai" We can explain this according to what it says (Brachos 7a) that there can be a tzaddik who experiences bad in this world, [and the reason is] because he is not a perfect tzaddik, so he needs to receive his punishment in this world. On the other hand, there are wicked people who experience good in this world, because they are not completely wicked, and Hashem wants [to reward them in this world in order] to punish them in Olam Haba. But if someone is perfect tzaddik, then he can merits to have "two tables" meaning, to enjoy both this world, as well as the World to Come. Like Mordechai who merited to [be honored with] greatness even in this world [as well as receiving reward in the World to Come]. So too, the opposite case can be true a person can be completely wicked, and have no merits at all [and therefore experience bad in both this world and the Next World] like Haman, who was a descendent of Amalek, and Eisav, who lost even Olam HaZeh. About this concept, it says: "A person is obligated to become drunk on Purim so much so until he doesn't know the difference between 'Cursed is Haman' and 'Blessed is Mordechai.'" This means that he doesn't set his heart to distinguish between "Cursed is Haman" for Haman was a completely wicked person and lost both worlds and "Baruch Mordechai" for Mordechai was a perfect tzaddik who merited to enjoy both worlds. 4

5 Gilyonei HaShas [4] The Gemara says that a person must drink on Purim, and Rashi says that this means to become drunk with wine. This begs investigation: Where did Rashi get this from? From where do we know that the obligation is only with wine, and that one cannot fulfill the mitzvah with other intoxicating beverages? From the word mishteh which appears in the verse, one cannot bring a proof of the need for wine, for that teaches us a different halacha that one may not fast on Purim... and not only that, but that word does not necessarily imply wine specifically, for it could refer to any form of drinking that a person enjoys. In Responsa 1:462 of the Radvaz, it is clear that he also feels that the mitzvah is specifically with wine... And such is also the view of R. Eliezer Rokeiach... [And such would also seem to be the view of Rashbam in his comments to] Bava Basra 73b. There, the Gemara uses the phrase and they appeared like people drunk [Mivsami, whose shoresh is B-S-M] lying on their backs. The Rashbam comments that they were lying down with cheery faces like wine drunkards... which implies that he interpreted the word root B-S-M (which also appears in our Gemara in Rava s statement mandating drinking on Purim) as a reference specifically to drinking wine... Ran (Commentary on the Rif, Megillah 12) [5] Rabbeinu Ephraim (1200s) zt"l wrote that from the fact that Rabah got up and slaughtered Rabbi Zeirah as the Gemara describes, we see that clearly Rava's statement [that one should drink excessively on Purim] was rejected, and it's improper to follow it [and drink so much on Purim]. 5

6 Rambam Hilchos Megillah 2:15 [6]. ושותה יין עד שישתכר וירדם בשכרותו... [During one's Purim Seudah] one should drink wine until he becomes drunk and falls asleep from his drunkenness. Bach on Orach Chaim 695:2 [7] According to my simple understanding, this should be understood according to its simple meaning that a person should become so drunk until he cannot tell the difference at all between "Cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai." This level of drunkenness is close to the level that Lot experienced. And one should not wonder, "How could Chazal permit one to become so drunk, for we see that Rabah and Rabbi Zeira were so drunk that Rabah got up and slaughtered Rabbi Zeirah?" for in truth, the correct approach is what Rabbeinu Ephraim (1200s) wrote: That from the fact that Rabah slaughtered Rabbi Zeirah, we see that Rava's halacha is rejected. Both the Baal Ha'Maor and the Ran cite Rabbeinu Efraim's opinion as well. It seems that for this reason, those who arranged the Talmud placed the story of Rabah and Rabbi Zeira after Rava's statement, to indicate that the conclusion of the Gemara is to paskin based on the danger shown by the story, against Rava's initial statement. However, this only retracts Rava's assertion that one should get exceedingly drunk to extreme levels, but a person must still drink a lot, more than he usually does, and get drunk to reach a state of happiness at his Purim Seudah. And he can even reach a state where he cannot speak properly in front of a king, but should make sure to maintain his wits about him throughout. And the Hagahos Maimoniyos writes in the name of the Raavyah (R. Eliezer ben Yoel ha'levi, ) that this is only to enhance the mitzva, but one can fulfill his Purim Seudah even without drinking According to my simple understanding, this should be understood according to its simple meaning that a person should become so drunk until he cannot tell the difference at all between "Cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai." This level of drunkenness is close to the level that Lot experienced. And one should not wonder, "How could Chazal permit one to become so drunk, for we see that Rabah and Rabbi Zeira were so drunk that Rabah got up and slaughtered Rabbi Zeirah?" for in truth, the correct approach is what Rabbeinu Ephraim (1200s) wrote: That from the fact that Rabah slaughtered Rabbi Zeirah, we see that Rava's halacha is rejected. Both the Baal Ha'Maor and the Ran cite Rabbeinu Efraim's opinion as well. It seems that for this reason, those who arranged the Talmud placed the story of Rabah and Rabbi Zeira after Rava's statement, to indicate that the conclusion of the Gemara is to paskin based on the danger shown by the story, against Rava's initial statement. However, this only retracts Rava's assertion that one should get exceedingly drunk to extreme levels, but a person must still drink a lot, more than he usually does, and get drunk to reach a state of happiness at his Purim Seudah. And he can even reach a state where he cannot speak properly in front of a king, but should make sure to maintain his wits about him throughout. And the Hagahos Maimoniyos writes in the name of the Raavyah (R. Eliezer ben Yoel ha'levi, ) that this is only to enhance the mitzva, but one can fulfill his Purim Seudah even without drinking 6

7 Beis Yosef on Orach Chaim 695:2 [8] It says in Orchos Chaim (Hilchos Purim 38): "A person is obligated to drink wine on Purim" not that he is obligated to become totally drunk and intoxicated! Because getting drunk is completely forbidden, and there is no greater sin than this, since drunkenness causes one to engage in illicit relationships and murder and many other sins, too. Rather, the requirement is just that a person should drink a little more than he is used to drinking. Shulchan Aruch with Rama: Orach Chaim 695:2 [9] A person is required to drink on Purim until he cannot tell the difference between "Cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai." RAMA: Some say that one does not have to become drunk to such a great extent. Rather, he should just drink a little more than he is used to, and then fall asleep. While he is asleep, he will not know the difference between "Cursed is Haman" and "Blessed is Mordechai." And whether one does more or less, the most important thing is that he should [drink or sleep with] for the sake of Heaven. Mishna Brurah, ibid. 4-5 [10] Between "Cursed is Haman" Because this was the first downfall, that we got revenge on Haman. And an even greater thing happened that Mordechai was [honored with] greatness Hashem blessed him that his position was raised. Before a person gets drunk, a person will have already thanked Hashem for these two good things that happened in the Purim story. Therefore, Chazal said that one should keep on praising Hashem for these things with joy, until he reaches a point that he cannot distinguish between these two great things. The Elya Zuta writes that a person [while drunk on Purim] should be extra careful to wash Netilas Yadayim and say "Hamotzi" and to bentsch, so as to ensure that his happiness from drinking is a meritorious one [and not one that led him to skip mitzvot.] And the Pri Megadim writes that it s possible that the seudah on Purim and Matanos L'Evyonim and Mishloach Manos are all mitzvos that require kavannah in order to fulfill And Sleep... And such is the proper thing to do [i.e. the Mishna Berura endorses and recommends the Rama's suggestion of drinking a little and then taking a nap] 7

8 Beiur Halacha, ibid. [11] Until he does not know the difference between... This is what the Meiri wrote: "A person is required to increase his joy on Purim, and increase his eating and drinking until he is not missing anything. But nevertheless, we are not commanded to get drunk and denigrate ourselves from the joy for the type of joy we are required to experience is not empty joy over ridiculous things; rather it is the joy of pleasure that will lead us to love of Hashem and to give thanks for the miracles that He did for us." And see over there how the Meiri explains the words of the Gemara. And these are the words of the Chayei Adam: "Since all the miracles came about through wine, therefore the Chachamim required us to get drunk and to at least drink more than we are used to drinking, in order to remember the great miracle. That said, if a person truly knows himself and knows that if he becomes drunk, he will come to become lax in any mitzvah, be it Netilas Yadayim, or a brachah, or bentsching, or that he will not daven Mincha or Maariv, or that he will act with lightheadedness it is better that he should not get drunk to begin with. Most important is that all his actions should be done for the sake of Heaven." 8

9 CONCLUSION DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions presented in this sourcesheet should not be taken as halachah l maaseh. Before applying these halachos to real-life situations, one must consult with a competent halachic authority. 9