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Thursday, 27 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 7, 2024

If Alcohol is OK for a Farbrengen…

Watch how Chassidus teacher Rabbi Yossi Paltiel responds to the question, "If alcohol is ok for a farbrengen, why not marijuana?" Video

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Poshut
July 15, 2018 4:16 pm

The Rebbe said clearly in the later years, and very very frequently, that in truth one really does not need to consume a large quantity of alcohol in order for it’s good effects to benefit by a farbrengen. The Rebbe even motioned to a tiny drop, if a person believes properly, will open that person up to be b’simcha without any hagbolos. In a heoro there, I believe it was 5748, the Rebbe mentions that the only reason a person would have any desire to drink more than the tiniest drop is because the desire is coming from the nefesh… Read more »

Huh
July 15, 2018 3:34 am

Alcohal kills 100,000+ a year
Marijuana kills 0 every year

Mashpia: drink alcohol it’s chasidish
Mashpia: your kicked out of yeshiva for smoking marijuana.

Huh?

To #5
July 14, 2018 10:06 pm

Agree 100 percent. You couldn’t have said it better!

everyone wants to be such great chossidim
July 13, 2018 6:29 pm

but the chossidim back then also fasted a lot, davened the entire day, meditated with yichudim…that nobody wants to do but just the mashke they want to take on?

Thank you!
July 13, 2018 10:33 am

Thank you Rabbi Paltiel…What I don’t understand is why the yeshivos promote drinking. B”H my sons are grown up now but we spent many hours discussing this topic throughout their teenage years. Why are mashpiim farbrengeng with young teenagers just after bar mitzvah with mashke? And then they get loose and start speaking in ways that I don’t want my children to speak. Then I had to explain to them that even though these are a mashpiim – who normally I would be telling them to respect and look up to, that such language is not acceptable in my house.… Read more »

Reb Moshe's P'sack
July 13, 2018 9:58 am

Now, I don’t use weed, and don’t recommend it’s use for anyone just for fun or “feel good.” However, Reb Moshe, ZT”L, lived in the times when weed was illegal (Din malchuscha din). If it would be legal, I wonder what his P’sak would be.

hmmm..
July 12, 2018 10:25 pm

how come we’ve never heard of medical alcohol, but medical canabis is a huge and growing field of research?
oh, and weed never killed anyone and never will- but alcohol abuse kills innocents every day.

Black white gray
July 12, 2018 9:46 pm

Someone commented “everything in moderation” Except, not everything. There are things that are explicitly treif, min hatorah. Or from shulchan aruch. And then there is klipas noga – something neutral which can be used for good, or bad. Our choice. Our avoida. Alcohol is not treif. It is a tool that if used inappropriately can be dangerous. Like a car. The Rebbe made clear his position on it. DOn’t worhsip it. It is not the barometer of chissidishkeit. I beleive I saw an answer that indictaed even not to make kiddush on it (as we saw the rebbe never did).… Read more »

Well said
July 12, 2018 7:24 pm

For those who missed the point, the answer is no. The point of Mashke by a Farbrengen isn’t to get high. It’s because נכנס יין יצא סוד And by a Farbrengen אלץ איז אפען. Today people abuse this and therefore, forget about marijuana which is solely meant to get high, even Mashke should not be used. If one wants to smoke marijuana, מילא. But to say it’s chassidish? מהיכי תיתי? I disagree with the Rabbi in regards to banning Mashke completely for anyone under 40. The Takana of the Rebbe is good enough. Let’s actually implement “not more than 4”… Read more »

Excellent
July 12, 2018 6:54 pm

Thank you Rabbi Paltiel for finally taking a stand on this very disturbing issue. For some reason, alcohol has been treated like a cheifetz d’kedusha by many in our community when really it is at best a means to an end. Rabbi Paltiel is correct that in our western culture it is cool to get drunk and some Lubavitchers use the “say L’chaim” line as an excuse to imbibe on alchohol while pretending they are participating in a Farbrengen or simcha. I personally do not enjoy alcohol but felt a lot of pressure in my bochur days to drink since… Read more »

observer from london uk
July 12, 2018 4:30 pm

Thank you Rabbi Paltiel for saying what needs to be said so eloquently.. The truth is not always palatable and unfortunately as you say we are so afraid of the gevura/yirah aspect of yiddishkeit that we pussyfoot around these issues fearful of offending anyone . This causes so much more harm. I have a hilarious tip for anyone who wants to get rid of their mashke in a productive way. My husband (a chassidishe Yid) who rarely drinks, received a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label. Not wanting to throw it away he decided to soak the mouth pieces of… Read more »

wow finally!
July 12, 2018 2:54 pm

Thank you for this amazing eye opening and raising awareness video! Finally our rabanim and mashpiim are being honest and open about the problems! Im team #CancelTheMashke! we clearly are not on that madreiga like the elter chasidim back in russia! and we bh have a Rebbe like no one else who cares so much about us chasidim! lets bring more yirah to chabad! lets finally accept that we as chasidim can and should learn from other types of yidden who have yiras shamayim! i see first hand that chabad is bh starting to learn so much from other chasidim… Read more »

Mivtzoim?
July 12, 2018 2:28 pm

We probably can’t go on mivtzoim either, because of the damage that may come if done wrong…? ps pls dont say things in the name of the rebbe if the rebbe does it troughout the nesius. Thank you. pps. Rabbi Paltiel, when was the last time you said “zog lechaim” by a farbrengen? or did you just discover this Shita today? (Let us be clear, he didn’t say that it can be a tool if used wrong, he said: “In the early years, the Rebbe himself said l’chaim (True), but at a certain point (when exactly?), he didn’t want people… Read more »

Reb Moshe
July 12, 2018 1:32 pm

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein’s psak is that marijuana is asur.

thank you
July 12, 2018 12:49 pm

I wish every person in my shul would hear this answer. and the kids who look at the adults!! Thank you Rabbi Paltel

Wow!
July 12, 2018 11:41 am

Wow – a must-see.

Rabbi JJ Hecht. Z"l
July 12, 2018 11:09 am

I heard that each morning, Rabbi Hecht would take a cup of vodka before putting in an exhaustive day in his work for the Rebbe as head of NCFJE
But here is the difference…he utilized properly to energize in avodas hashemi. Not the same to drink all night and sleep through zman krias shema and Teffila…and turning into an alcholic… saying….this is Chassidus!!!

Essex UK
July 12, 2018 11:07 am

Nicely said,
I do believe it is worth in this setting perhaps to have an expert in the ills of drugs (of any sort) including alcohol, sitting with the Rabbi in a form of a discussion to answer a question like this.
The word marijuana / weed should have been used in the response.
Lets not be scared of it, understand it like alcohol and then address the issues associated with it.
Its another level of education that we must share with all.

SPOT ON!!!
July 12, 2018 11:01 am

ANYONE WHO QUESTIONS THIS ARTICLE (especially with the WHAT ABOUT THE CANNABIS?) has an ABUSIVE problem themselves!
The REALITY CHECK is that the younger generation in today’s society display anger & non-acceptance to everything they’re in disaggreance with.
WAKE UP EVERYONE…& SMELL THE COFFEE!!!
BOTH OF THE ABOVE IS AN ADDICTION.

Said this..said that...but what did the Rebbe mean....
July 12, 2018 10:57 am

Its funny how suddenly we became such detail followers about this….”Rebbe said only 4″….Are we so exacting in all else Rebbe said????
The Rebbe surely wouldn’t mind if we internalize a chassidisher vort…at a farbrengen with grape juice or 5% Kedem wine.
Let’s get real…I have a friend who died at 50 from chassidishe mashke….where does it all lead when each push one another….”nu nu…zug lechaim” at fabrengens???!@@

Self Defense Studio CH
July 12, 2018 10:44 am

teach kids do sport.no drugs and alcohol.

Everything in moderation
July 12, 2018 9:54 am

That was one of my father’s

Bereaved mother
July 12, 2018 9:42 am

No more mashke please!!! Rabbi Paltiel knows several buchurim who are no longer with us, who began their yeridah thru fabrengens. STOP IT NOW……;ALERT THE HANHALLAHS…EVERYONE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY….LUBAVITCH STANDS FOR LIFE, NOT THE OPPOSITE!!! In this generation, we need to bring back good old wholesome American values, follow American law and cut this Russian peasant custom! It is NOT chasasidishe to drink…it is goyish here in America…..and has always been. We grew up knowing Jews dont drink…..seeing only goyish neighbors drunk…NEVER did I see a Jew drunk until I moved to Crown Heights. It is disgusting …..and a… Read more »

Brian Miller
July 12, 2018 9:09 am

I agree 100% percent. There is a pamphlet “Mashke” with many references of the Rebbe saying not to drink. Why do so many people who are very connected to the Rebbe and under 40 have anything more than a scant revi’is? Thank you Rabbi Paltiel.

the Rebbe did NOT say this
July 12, 2018 8:14 am

the Rebbe did NOT say no to Mashke at a Farbrengen!
the Rebbe set a limit, but he did not ban it.
Rabbi’s, please, when say something in the name of the Rebbe, please supply sources.
thank you.

A Mashpia responds
July 12, 2018 5:31 am

Did i hear correctly?! The Rebbe was against l’chaim?! The Rebbe ended every sicha at every farbrengen with the word L’chaim and drank a L’chaim (wine). Every Shabbos farbrengen the Rebbe gave bottles of vodka as his participation in various holy events. Drinking to excess? Drinking socially? Turning alcohol into a thing on its own? Yes, that is absolutely forbidden and not chasidish or Jewish. This is what the Rebbe waged a war against. Mashke has its benefits, when used properly, like everything else in Hashem’s universe that is not forbidden by the Torah. But in our zealousness to protect… Read more »

influince
July 12, 2018 4:51 am

first you don’t give achool to under 40 and people will catch on and follow you cant change the world in one day first you have to change yourself then you can think about your friends ect

if
July 12, 2018 4:44 am

the rebbe did not want achool and he did not want drugs so if your going to be fine with your children drinking then you cant be upset when you find out there smoking weed you cant pick and choose because once you start bending the rules then theres nothing there

ps not saying weed is a good thing.

a bocher.

the title
July 12, 2018 4:40 am

if your not going to answer the q why is the headline the q

To no.1
July 12, 2018 2:24 am

The Rabbi did answer the question. Even tho he says he is not going to, he actually did very clearly. Perhaps he shouldn’t have used the words ‘not going to’ coz maybe it was disheartening and misleading for less perceptive readers; but he definitely didn’t disappoint.

to no.5
July 12, 2018 2:19 am

Not in Chabad, And we are talking only about Chabad now.

alcahol
July 12, 2018 12:55 am

alcohol is good for certain thing like shaking ………
and i think its all fine in moderation alcohol and Mariana.
alcohol is good way of getting off of drugs. by the way drinking alcohal is good for not talking in shul and its good for not remembering anything bad. so i think its ok for me to drink

The Rebbe said
July 11, 2018 10:40 pm

No to mashkeh. That ended the pretense that Mashke was a chasidic minhag.
When are people going to admit and submit to this reality.
Dor Hashvi’i did not need mashke. It was for Russia.

Suggestion
July 11, 2018 10:35 pm

Rabbi Paltiel: It would be beneficial also to bring an awareness of fundamental matters in Yidishkeit which tragically is also violated carelessly…especially in the daled Amos of the Rebbe in 770. One example is the talking in shul during davening
Despite the gevald..in Shulchan Aruch and Tanya about this???

Disappointed
July 11, 2018 10:11 pm

Where’s the Torah in the drosha? Just a complete lack of even any concern for laying out anything precisely true. Rabbi mentions 4 until 40 and skirts around equating but not equating mashke with the dovor acher. The world is on fire and the dovor acher is a far greater threat to our youth and yungerleit than saying too much lechaim at farbregen The Rebbe was asked, likely more than once, as to the difference between mashke and the dovor acher. Rabbi Abramson asked the question early on in his journey and recounted his recollection of the answer in a… Read more »

Amazing clip
July 11, 2018 9:49 pm

Thanks for making us aware abt issues today and rebbes outlook. Rabbi paltiel you are so intelligent and clear. Thanks for your amazing response!!!

Do not give mashke to under forty
July 11, 2018 9:26 pm

Tell them not to give mashker to under forty youngerleit on Simcha Torah specially not kids and bochurim which they do give regardless of the rebbes wishes and danger , I bochur died from choking on his vomit from Mashkeh on Simcha Torah

BAKASHA NAFSHIS
July 11, 2018 9:20 pm

we are well aware that different people have different tolerances to many of the elements. Mashke alcohol can and does have adverse reactions and they differ from person to person! How many ADDICTS will it take for our MASHPIIM to realize they are contributing to this MACHALAH!!! they put it into Kedushah by saying we watch that the Bochurim don’t drink much. who is to say how much is TOO MUCH if it in fact differs from one to another

ACROSS THE GLOBE
July 11, 2018 9:13 pm

Rabbi Paltiel can you please would you please send this clip to EVERY SINGLE LUBAVITCHER YESHIVA ACROSS THE GLOBE!!!

Cause and affect
July 11, 2018 9:11 pm

Dear Rabbi,
The reason why people have Ahava without Yirah is because they are taught to have Yirah without Ahava…think about it!

WOW
July 11, 2018 8:46 pm

So well said.

Marijuana for over 40
July 11, 2018 8:37 pm

Alcohol is accepted (or once was) as a tool to farbreng for older people, why not marijuana? you should’ve just answered the question with the ”pretense” (if that’s what you want to call it) that alcohol is accepted.

finally bringing some chochma bina and daas to chabad
July 11, 2018 8:16 pm

So many people have been ruined by kiddush clubs, Purim drinking (which deserves its own video because in that case, the drinking is actually encouraged by many yeshivos!) and farbys that are not productive, just drinking parties and empty talk. The question that should always be asked is does this help improve my character and my seichel?

Why not answer the question?
July 11, 2018 7:54 pm

Sorry rabbi but Question still stands..

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