Jerusalem – Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Drunkenness is Abominable

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    OVADIA YOSEFJerusalem – Shas’ spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia, Yosef said that “drunkenness is an abominable and nefarious act” and that in Purim one must drink very little wine, only as a symbolic act to remember Ahasuerus’ feast – without getting intoxicated.

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    Rabbi Yosef said, “Haman was intoxicated, but we must act with good manners.” The rabbi recommended drinking until one falls asleep – a situation in which one does not distinguish between ‘Haman the agitate’ and ‘Mordechai the blessed’.”

    “A man that is drunk – what good is he?” wondered Rabbi Yosef, and stated that instead a man must “take a rest, rise up and practice religion throughout the day. Some people are up to no good. They get drunk and then take the bus and act in a rowdy manner – that is defamation of God,” he said.


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    30 Comments
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    observationist
    observationist
    14 years ago

    From what I see Adar is slowly becoming AV. Don’t do this don’t do that that’s treif celbration is becoming illegal !!!!

    Thanks for the Daat Torah!
    Thanks for the Daat Torah!
    14 years ago

    Yaser keyach Chacham Ovadia. He is like a Sfardishe Litvak in some ways.

    Chazak uvaruch!

    anonymous
    anonymous
    14 years ago

    Kol hakovod to a talmid chochom, a wise admonition

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    No nothing will change until the Litvishe yeshivos admonish their bochurim. By admonish I mean throwing out any bocher who is drunk. Simchas Purim can be leibedig and fun without drunkeness

    Monsey Man
    Monsey Man
    14 years ago

    Considering that the Chacham is from a(n Arabic) culture in which drinking is not a component of life whatsoever, the context is well worth considering.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    It seems as though our Torah leaders see purim as a holiday of extremes: either people get drunk of their butts and make a total chillul hashem, or they don’t drink one bit of alcohol and make a kiddush hashem. The only problem is that neither of the 2 categories are mutually exclusive. I’ve seen people who aren’t drunk make a chillul hashem and I’ve seen drunk people making a kiddush hashem.

    What our rabbi’s need to come out saying is that people need to exercise some self-control. Don’t be an immature idiot, and know yourself.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I can’t believe that all these ppl are falling for it!!!! Guys… Everyone has been getting drunk for thousands of yrs!!!! Now just cause a few gabboim with an agenda convince or claim that their rabbi said something doesn’t mean its true or right!!!!! Drink drink be merry!!

    A Yid
    A Yid
    14 years ago

    Last night, I came upon a multi-car accident, courtesy of our Purim drivers (this was before Hatzolah and NYPD arrived and cordoned off the area). That was after seeing over a dozen inebriated teens, boys and girls, ‘hanging out’ (doubtless they were being zerizim makdimim le’mitzvos by getting stoned the night before the seuda).

    Historically, of course, had Esther been stone drunk, we might not have been saved in the manner in which we were saved. It was her ability to get the enemies drunk, while retaining her own cognitive abilities, that saved her people.

    Let’s leave aside varying definitions of the phrase ‘chayav eeneesh liv’besumei.
    Major poskim since the time of the Remo have forebidden inebriation to the point wherein one cannot act properly (see the Shaaray Teshuva, to the Mishna Berura, on the relevant siman in Shulchan Aruch). I doubt any posek imagined, in his worst nightmares, what passes for frumkeit on Purim these days!

    The Yabia Omer, Rav Ovadia Yosef, shlita, is reminding all of us of priorities in our avodas Hashem. Let’s heed his call, and that of Rav S. Kamentsky and so many others, and guard ourselves and our loved ones today!

    normal jew
    normal jew
    14 years ago

    suddenly every rov is deciding that your not allowed to drink it says in shulchan aruch that you should drink on purim all these misnagdim are stupid

    Adults should set stage
    Adults should set stage
    14 years ago

    The adults in our communities should set the stage for mature and responsible behavior. They shouldn’t indulge the youth and condone foolishness.

    Sol
    Sol
    14 years ago

    It’s nice to know that ultra-orthodox rabbis are just as capable as their Reform colleagues of re-interperting the Shulchan Aruch, Rambam etc. when it suits their objectives.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Halevai, that all those who are so concerned about following shulchan aruch by getting drunk on Purim, should be so makpid on following the rest of shulchan aruch.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I have a better idea……maybe we should all never leave our houses ever again,in this way we can be certain that we wont do anything wrong ever again…if this doesn’t work,,,then maybe we could just kill ourselves and then we’ll definitively not do anything wrong…

    MOSHEKAMM
    MOSHEKAMM
    14 years ago

    I wish he was right. I dont think he is though.I would like never to feel the nausea,but I must drink. also i dont think ad diloh yudah means to sip a little and take a nap.i think that means get crazy drunk.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I don’t know about any of you, but I saw more drunken teens than ever before during Purim. Neither the Sefardim nor the Ashkenazim are listening to their respective Rabbanim.

    Avi
    Avi
    14 years ago

    I don’t understand how rabbonim can take a machlokes rishonim such as this and over-simplify it to black and white. I always thought that the only honest way to approach the issue was like the Rama: “אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכוון לבו לשמים”

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I am amazed at the idiots here who are challenging Rav Ovadia Yosef shlit”a for claiming the obvious conclusion after review of the poskim and observing the negative consequences of misinterpreting the halacha. The argument that he is against drinking is foolish – he is against intoxication. What part of his quote was misunderstood. He is perfectly right. And he was not bribed by the Twerski’s, Kaminetzky’s, or the Horowitz’s. I would also bet there is not one of the commenters who challenge Rav Ovadia who have a fraction of a percent of his Torah knowledge.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    To Chacham Ovadya , I say “Chazak Ubaruch” .
    To all others, I say “YOM KIPPURIM” ?!?

    ToEachAZivug
    ToEachAZivug
    14 years ago

    THis is probably not compliant with VIN guidelines, hwoever, I will state it anyway.
    If only the rabbonim would put as much effort and energy into ridding the frum community of the shidduch crisis as they do with something as trivial as drinking on Purim, then would we all experience a lot more simchas. Are we so naive that we will stop drinking only if a rabbi tells us that. We have been bombarded these last two weeks by rabbonim of all cultures telling us not to drink. I need a rov to tell me this. Any emergency room doctor, physician assistant or other health care professional can get the point across likewise. Or so I think. The rabbonim should start getting involved to a much larger degree with the shidduch crisis. It is a growing problem that shows no sign of letting up.

    Personally, the only comminications I receive from gedolim and rabbonim are to collect gelt. Why do I not see any strong initiative or movement undertaken by rabbonim to rid us of this shidduch crisis. I am a victim of it and going to shul each day I see how people are being pained by this phenomena. I would like to see rabbonim issue letters, kol korays, etc about this enormous problem destroying us.

    Brooklyn Jew
    Brooklyn Jew
    14 years ago

    I and most of my yeshiva here in Israel have gotten drunk. However nobody acted rowdy or obnoxiously ,rather only the purest of pure ahavas yisroel emerged, it emerged so much that even secular people were saying how beautiful it was to watch us. All you guys are either just jealous, have a bone to pick or you just say the wrong drunks. Nobody says you have a right to act irresponsibly just because you’re drunk but no drinking but a few sips come on!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I still dont get it ,what is wrong with taking some mashke on purim?