Image: Two shot glasses full of liquor. Image by saragraphika.
Every year I have the discussion with someone: “Rabbi, doesn’t it say in the Talmud that we HAVE to get drunk on Purim?”
This is not a trifling matter. On the one hand, that is a traditional understanding of the command that we celebrate on Purim. But on the other, we now know more about the dangers of over-consumption of alcohol.
Jewish tradition both encourages the use of wine for celebration, and encourages moderation in the use of alcohol. Shabbat and holidays are welcomed with a kiddush toast. The Passover seder requires four cups of wine. Many life cycle events include a cup of wine: even the baby receives a taste of wine at his bris!
On the other hand, our tradition has warnings against alcohol abuse. Noah shames himself and is shamed by his children for becoming a drunk. A midrash speculates that the sin of Nadav and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, was that they entered the Tabernacle drunk. (Leviticus 10:1-11) A line in Sanhedrin 70a quotes Rabbi Meir as saying that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was actually a grape vine, because nothing brings so much woe to human beings as wine.
So, to return to the issue of Purim and drinking, the discussion is set in motion by this passage from the final chapter of the book of Esther:
Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. – Esther 9:20-22
In Tractate Megillah 7b, the rabbis focus on the phrase “observe the days as days of feasting and joy.” Exactly how are we to observe it, they wonder?
Rava said: One is obligated to become inebriated on Purim until he cannot tell the difference between “cursed be Haman” and “blessed be Mordecai.”
So there it is, the famous line from the Talmud. However, notice (1) that that line is broken out from its context. Also (2) a key word in it is a bit less clear than it seems: the word for inebriated requires clarification from Rashi, who tells us that it means inebriated. The word itself is associated with fermentation, according to Jastrow (a dictionary of the Talmud.)
Then another story, not often quoted with the famous line, immediately follows:
Rabbah and R. Zeira joined together in a Purim feast. They became inebriated, and Rabbah arose and cut R. Zera’s throat. The next day he prayed on his behalf and revived him.Next year he [Rabbah] said: Will the master come and we will have the Purim feast together. He [R. Zeira] replied: A miracle does not take place on every occasion. –Megillah 7b
Rava said: One is obligated to become inebriated on Purim until he cannot tell the difference between “cursed be Haman” and “blessed be Mordecai.”
I heard an Orthodox rabbi teach on this idea. He said that in his community it is accepted that one take a nap – thus becoming unable to tell the names of Mordechai & Haman apart. He was opposed to becoming drunk – too many negative consequences.
Personally, I don’t want to drink until inebriated, but a nap is just fine.
I hadn’t considered that interpretation of the Talmud passage before but it makes so much sense to me! There are a lot of parallels between these men and Esther seems rather stuck in the struggle of power between them.
Purim was my first jewish holiday to observe, so it holds special meaning for me. I just started my conversion process and I do not drink so I instead threw myself into the books and tried to learn about it. But reading the English and German translations of the megillah I was rather put off by the story, even if I knew it in the sanitised version already. I never knew the ending and found myself uncomfortable with the amount of blood lust, considering that I then sat in a children’s play about how great everything went.
But one of my big challenges at the start was learning how to position myself toward the more bloody chapters of history and scripture. I have not found my position yet, but I quickly learned that I can both celebrate a triumph and be mindful of the cost in incurred. That was what I took from Purim.
Try taking a look at “Why the Horror Stories in Torah?” https://buff.ly/2CKfQKn
You are a quick study! That last line of yours is profound.