{"id":8788,"date":"2010-05-16T10:00:47","date_gmt":"2010-05-16T07:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=8788"},"modified":"2018-02-26T10:22:55","modified_gmt":"2018-02-26T08:22:55","slug":"05-16-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-16-10\/","title":{"rendered":"10. The Mitzva to Drink"},"content":{"rendered":"
The mitzva to rejoice on Purim is very unique. It is even greater than the mitzva to rejoice on the festivals (Sukkot, Pesa\u0125, and Shavu\u2019ot), about which it says, \u201cYou shall rejoice in your festival\u201d (Devarim 16:14). Since most people enjoy drinking wine, it is a mitzva to drink wine on the festivals; however, there is no mitzva to drink a lot (sa 529:1-3). Regarding Purim, however, there is an explicit mitzva to drink a lot. Moreover, the essence of Purim is that it should be \u201cdays of feasting (mishteh<\/em>, lit. \u2018drinking\u2019) and joy\u201d (Esther 9:22). Therefore, the Sages said, \u201cA person is obligated to get drunk on Purim until he does not know the difference between \u2018Cursed is Haman\u2019 and \u2018Blessed is Mordechai\u2019\u201d (Megilla<\/em> 7b).<\/p>\n
There are many opinions regarding the parameters of this mitzva, and they can be divided into two main categories. Some take the words of the Sages literally, meaning that one must get so drunk that he actually cannot differentiate between \u201cCursed is Haman\u201d and \u201cBlessed is Mordechai\u201d (Rif, Rosh). That is, he should reach a state of simple joy, in which there is no distinction between different levels. In the eyes of one who has reached such a state, \u201cCursed is Haman\u201d is the same as \u201cBlessed is Mordechai,\u201d since everything is good and everything is for the good. This is the nature of drunk people: They cannot perceive details; everything seems the same to them. However, if one knows that he is liable to do prohibited or disgusting things while he is in a state of drunkenness, he must refrain from reaching such a state. Rather, he should drink heavily until he falls asleep as a result, and while he sleeps he will not be able to differentiate between \u201cCursed is Haman\u201d and \u201cBlessed is Mordechai\u201d\u2014that is, between good and evil.<\/p>\n
Others maintain that the mitzva is to drink more than usual, until one becomes tipsy, but one should not become so drunk that he is liable to act unbecomingly. The reasoning behind this viewpoint is that the halakha<\/em> does not follow the talmudic opinion that one must drink \u201cuntil he does not know\u201d (Rabbeinu Ephraim). Alternatively, we accept that opinion, but we interpret it to mean that one should drink until he cannot pronounce his words properly, and when he has to repeat the phrase \u201cCursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai\u201d several times, he will occasionally stumble (Tosafot<\/em>, Ran).<\/p>\n
In practice, each person must choose for himself the way that will best allow him to drink and rejoice for the sake of heaven. Since people\u2019s natures are different from one another, there are varying opinions as to how one should drink and rejoice.[11]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n