Drinking Alcohol - Forbidden or Permitted?
Wine makes the heart rejoice, but it also causes some of us to commit negative acts. So does the Torah recommend drinking? Where is the difference between wine, beer, or vodka? And what's the connection to a sheep, lion, and pig?
Alcohol can be confusing. On one hand, there are quite a few cases in Jewish sources where alcohol led people to terrible situations - from incest to murder. From this, one might understand that we should keep a serious distance from anything that could disturb our clarity. On the other hand, wine holds a special status in Judaism - it has its own special blessing ("Who creates the fruit of the vine"), we use it for Kiddush on Shabbat, at weddings, and circumcision ceremonies, and on Purim it's even a mitzvah to become intoxicated. On the third hand, mishaps often occur following supposedly permissible drunkenness. So what exactly is Judaism's position on this issue?
Rabbi Pinchas Badush prefers to begin with the more positive aspects of alcohol. "It is said that wine gladdens the heart of man," he says. "The Torah says that wine is holy praise to Hashem, but at the same time it also says 'you shall be holy.' Maimonides says that when the Torah tells you to be holy - one must be careful of the concept of being a scoundrel with Torah permission. What does this mean? A person might drink excessively, but only consume wine with the strictest kosher certification, and therefore claim to be within the bounds of Torah. They must be careful not to be a scoundrel with Torah permission, meaning they need to know not only what to use, but how to use it. It's like a person who uses their car for holy purposes, but the moment they drive in a wild and dangerous manner - the useful tool becomes a killing machine."
You spoke about wine. What about intoxicating drinks like vodka, beer, and others?
"The virtue of joy is found only in wine, which is why it has a special blessing. Other alcoholic beverages can create an unnatural sensation, but not true joy. If someone drinks them in the right amount and at the right times, it's possible. But when drinking becomes something routine and daily, it's like drugs that cause you to escape responsibility. It's an addiction to something that doesn't give a person any kind of elevation."
Rabbi Yitzchak Gabai expands on this: "Maimonides writes that when a person drinks wine during a meal, they should intend for it to be for the sake of Heaven. In the Laws of Character Traits, he writes that anyone who gets drunk - this is sinful and disgraceful, and one loses their wisdom. When a wise person drinks wine in the correct amount to help digest food, like the French for example, that's fine. But even this should be done with positive intention. In the Book of Esther it says 'the drinking was according to law, with no coercion.' What does 'according to law' mean? The Talmud states that eating exceeded drinking. In other words, this wasn't drinking for letting loose at a bar, but simply eating with wine alongside to help digest the food. But drinking in order to get drunk - there is no permission for this whatsoever."
Already in the story of Noah, Rabbi Gabai reminds us, we see that the Torah condemns drunkenness, through the verse "And he planted a vineyard, and drank of the wine, and became drunk, and uncovered himself within his tent." In other words, after Noah left the ark, he planted a vineyard, made wine, got drunk - and from there the plot became complicated. "The Torah condemns this and calls it 'vayachel'," explains the Rabbi. "When he left the ark, it's written that he was in a certain state of holiness because Hashem chose him to continue humanity. But then it says 'vayachel' from the word 'chulin' (mundane), meaning he lost his holiness as a result of that drunkenness."
Rabbi Eli Amar brings a midrash from the Noah story to illustrate the point. "The midrash writes that Satan poured the blood of a sheep, and then a lion and a pig, on the vine that Noah planted. In the end, we know what the results of the drunkenness were. But what's the significance of the sheep, lion, and pig? The midrash explains that when a person first drinks, he's like a sheep - full of smiles, in a good mood. Then he drinks another glass, and begins to talk like a lion - 'me and me.' But with the third glass, he loses control, vomits, debases himself, and everyone who passes by is disgusted by him. In other words, wine has a certain effect that works gradually."
And what about getting drunk on Purim?
Rabbi Gabai: "Even on Purim there is no permission to get completely drunk, because this would nullify several mitzvot. 'A person is obligated to become intoxicated,' it says, meaning a person should drink wine in a certain amount until reaching a state of certain joy, but on the other hand not to get drunk. One must maintain clarity of mind even on Purim. Beyond that, when people get drunk, you can see it through the well-known saying 'wine enters - secrets come out.' Wine and secret both equal 70 in gematria. When a person gets drunk, it brings out what they have inside. Therefore, there are those who reveal what they have inside, and it doesn't look good, but there are also righteous people or Torah scholars who drink to become intoxicated, and then because their inner being is so full of Torah - even when they drink, violence doesn't come out of them, God forbid, but rather words of Torah with the deepest insights. In my yeshiva, there were many who got drunk, and they would simply grab a Gemara and start dancing. Hitting and violence? God forbid. They would actually kiss and hug each other. As mentioned, the question is what is the inner nature of the person."
Perhaps in the current generation it's better to completely forbid alcohol? After all, most drinkers don't really know how to keep proper limits.
Rabbi Badush: "Sometimes one needs to be careful not to forbid things from the outset that the public cannot abide by. Those who use it in a negative way - they won't heed the prohibition anyway. In the Talmud, it says that a heretic asked one of the Tanna'im why Hashem doesn't eliminate the sun and moon, since many idolaters were worshipping them at that time. They answered him that Hashem created the world for the benefit of His creatures. If there are those who use the tools of creation in a negative way that harms themselves, Hashem will not take away the benefit for the rest of creation."
Rabbi Amar adds: "Judaism always balances. The Torah doesn't want complete abstinence from drinking, but only to act according to the right measure. We make Kiddush over wine, meaning we sanctify the material. The principle of integration is the guiding principle in everything related to wine. It's not extreme, not black and white, but in the middle - exactly like all the ways of Judaism. However, it must be emphasized - whoever feels they have no control when drinking should do the calculation for themselves. If they assess that they won't be able to handle it, they should refrain. Why deal with it? In the past, a Nazirite was instructed not to even approach a vineyard, but to go around it, so as not to be tempted. Likewise, a person who knows they generally cannot control themselves, and even regrets things they did and said while drunk, should avoid drinking alcohol as much as possible."
