By COLlive reporter
A proposed ban on the consumption of alcohol by teens was not well-received in Chassidic circles in Israel.
Knesset member Yariv Levin suggested a bill that would prohibit minors from drinking alcoholic beverages, or even being seen holding one.
The Likud lawmaker blamed hard drinking by youths for fatal car accidents, violence and other crimes.
But Chassidim fear the ban might put an end to Farbrengen or Tish gatherings where L’Chaim is often said on wine, vodka and whiskey.
In Lubavitch, the Rebbe restricted L’Chaim for adults to be no more than 4 Revi’is cups (less than 3.5 ounces each).
Regarding minors, the Rebbe once commented during a visit to Camp Gan Israel in New York that L’Chaim can be said on soda too.
Chabad’s spokesman in Israel, Rabbi Menachem Brod, told the Maariv daily he supports the ban.
“Saying L’Chaim should end much before a chance of getting drunk. We’re talking about a taste alone and should be minimal.”
Brod added that he would add an exception to the bill that “minimal drinking is permitted for religious reasons and with adult supervision.”
Great…what mesiruss nefesh having a lechaim will be!!!! now bochrimagain have a chance to get arrested for farbrenging!!! (just like the old times in Russia…)
That in Russia (not for lack of mashke) they would farbreng – young and old – with a keleshik (about 1 oz) of mashke on the table and by the end of the farbrengen there would be some mashke left in the glass. It’s should be pretty obvious that a farbrengen is meant to correct character flaws not create them. Over consumption of mashke causes the person to be drunk and in an unreceptive state, to the point that they don’t hear and/or don’t care about what the mashpia is saying. All of this said when there is a mashpia… Read more »
It’s the phoney fraud fakes who DONT OBEY the REBBE
My boys were told by me in no uncertain terms that they should not have lchaim on mashke at young ages by their school farbrengens
BH I have succeeded in instilling in them a very judicious approach to the use of alcohol. You dont need to be drunk to be chassidishe.
BTW I am geze going back to the times of the alter rebbe, so dont label me as an outsider to try to validate alcoholism.
If you don’t understand why there is such a ban,I urge you to get in touch with a family who has either lost a member to a drunk driver, or a drunk driver…..! Both of them will have the same response! “I wish I/he wasn’t drunk”.
i think that tiil bar miitzva a kid should ONLY be allowed a easyer wine(not 30, 35percent alcohol) for kiddush from 13+ 1 cup of l’chaim WITH GROWN UP THAT IS NOT DRUNK SUPERVISESfrom 20 2 cup from 30 three cup and from 40 you should know know how to take take of yourself!!(couse if from bar-mitzva you make 4 l’chaim you be temted bor a 5. THAT THE REBBE DOES NOT ALLOW AND YOU VIALLATING THE MITZVA OF hishamer MEOD lenafshoseichem)
How can Chabad be against a ban that will save lives? After the story about R. Simon this is an embarrassment.
but to say that a minor cannot imbibe alcohol or be seen holding one while a kid a couple of years older then him lives with it is sheer madness
though it would seem in my opinion that the culture of drinking is a problem among a few yechidim and also some major mashpiim who cannot function without a drink and must get everyone to drink with them
Anyone who thinks the problem is under control, or that bochurim do not drink enough to cause danger to themselves or others is simply fooling themselves.
It is bad enough when r’l someone ends up killing another jew in an accident – but do we have to allow ourselves and our children to be ‘keilim’ to accept the reponsibility of causing the accident!?!
And how many ppl can’t stop ….
I think every Chabad parent should be made to read the AA book
everyone should learn from the tzafser bochrim they very mapkid not to oiver the gezeyre
It is very needed I just returned from Israel and spent simchat Torah at Chabad. There was way too much alcohol and no supervision. it is unacceptable to see such young kids drunk and noone caring. Farbrengens dont have to be about the drink its all about the soul. feed it dont drown it..
This could be a terrible impediment to mashpiyim. How else can they sell the “true faith” if not to intoxicated minor minds.
Read what our Rebbeh said about mashkeh at a chassisishe table You’ll be shocked speechless!!! The Rebbeh abhores Mashkeh as a rule, especially at farbrengens of youth and persons under 40 who are at greater risk of being tempted to take more than 4 shots = total 4 ounces over entire farbrengen sitting!! The Rebbeh screemed begged and pleaded that his chasidim never violate the rule of 4!! The Rebbeh said to view mashkeh as a “davat maaus” = a disgusting thing to be avoided. The litmus test of a True Chossid is one who puts aside peerpreasure or other… Read more »
After what was going on here in CH over the last days of yom tov, let them say l”chaim on Grape Juice.. it’s gotten way out of hand. and by the way. I’m not a BT.
I assume you mean of wine, not other hard drinks.
th eRebbes gezeire is to say not more then 4 times totaling not more then a reviis not as they wrote (total 4 x 3.5 oz)!
pls correct
this is the firs t smart thing that i heard before ever. for once those bachurim should learn to act normally and all