By COLlive reporter
Last week, the Beis Din of Crown Heights issued a public letter signed by Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun, alerting about the extreme drinking of alcohol ahead of the holiday of Purim on Tuesday.
“The Rebbe’s well-known edict about limiting the drinking of alcohol … also applies on Purim,” they wrote in a letter hung at the main shul of 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.
They added:
“It has already been publicized several times to remind and warn about this subject of observing and totally fulfilling (“without any kuntzen” – evasive tricks – as the Rebbe said) this well-known edict not to drink alcohol excessively, especially by those aged under 40 years old, and particularly by unmarried young men, although even those aged over 40 also need to minimize their drinking.
“The responsibility devolves upon the mashpiim to repeat and make known all the details of this in accordance with what is explained in the Rebbe’s holy sichos, and that the edict applies in full force even on Purim, and that the responsibility applies not only to every individual regarding himself but also that he has the duty of watching over others that they should not drink excessively.
“Furthermore, there applies here the mitzvah, “And you should beware greatly for your lives”: Excessive consumption of alcohol can easily cause toxic poisoning and even worse (may Hashem, the All-Merciful One, save us). It is also extremely dangerous to drive under the influence of alcohol. Parents need to be alert to the phenomenon of alcohol drinking among young people, and to explain to them the dangers involved in this.”
The background to the writing of this letter was revealed by Rabbi Braun during a meeting on Motzoei Shabos, convened by Chevra Kadisha, Misaskim, and United States Chaplain Corps which launched Parents Against Underage Drinking organization (PAUD, and formerly Project Preempt), led by Rabbi Mendy Coen.
In his remarks, as heard by COLlive.com, Rabbi Braun said it is clear to him from conversations he has had with local residents that most parents are unaware of the frightening statistics of the dangers of underage and excessive drinking.
“We are not talking about not drinking for ruchniusdike reasons,” Rabbi Braun said. “It’s about Venishmartem me’od lenafshosaichem, literally about saving lives,” he said.
Rabbi Braun said despite the Rebbe’s directive against drinking for Yeshiva bochurim, which is one of the only times the Rebbe said not to do something rather than focusing on the positive, still, many bochurim drink excessively at Farbrenges and during simchas.
Rabbi Braun said that he was shocked to discover that a “Mivtzoim center” in 770 which offers supplies and paraphernalia for Mivtzoim also sells Mashke to the boys.
Upon inquiring about it, bochurim explained to Rabbi Braun that a new practice custom is to say l’chaim with a person after helping him put on Tefillin.
“I don’t see the connection between l’chaim and Tefillin,” Rabbi Braun said. “So a 13-year-old who could not buy alcohol in the store down the street is now able to buy it right in 770. The responsibility lies with the enablers, the adults who make this available.”
Rabbi Braun said another shocking incident happened just that day in 770 when a 12-year-old boy told him that he had been given a cup of wine to drink during the farbrengnen in 770 on Shabbos afternoon.
“Who would give a 12-year-old alcohol?” he asked. “We must hold the adults who are enabling it responsible.”
Thank you!
Now how do we actually wipe out this epidemic of alcoholism?
This anti-alcohol rhetoric has to stop!
I suffer from chronic sadness, and when I have a small L’chaim, my problems vanish. So what if I’m 15? Why do people want to take this from me?
If you have a headache, you take ibuprofen. Similarly, if you have a feeling ache, you take alcohol
Go get help. Actually. “Chronic sadness” sounds like it could be serious, please find a therapist.
There’s this belief that is encouraged by some mashpiim,parents and rabbis that a few lchaims (which usually leads to being typsy if not drunk) helps bochurim open up so they can be involved and in the farbrengen and connect. It’s a real thing!
Using alcohol to soothe emotional pain is like using numbing gel to soothe an infected tooth. The underlying cause must be treated for true and lasting relief. Please get therapeutic help!
Why can’t the “lasting relief” be alcohol? Finding an alternative lasting relief is required only if alcohol is a severely limited resource, but it isn’t.
Whoever is responding this way is doing this just to provoke. Alcohol related problems are nothing to joke about.
You don’t “suffer from chronic sadness.” Nor are you 15. You’re stam a letz, trying to undercut an important initiative.
The same people who (used to) give teenagers vodka to drink at Yeshivah during fahrbrengens so they would be varying degrees of drunk, which was highly encouraged, are now saying to not get totally drunk, just mildly drunk?
Thank you!
This has been going on for 50 years with Yeshivahs putting out vodka for teenagers at fahrbrengens thinking it’s going to magically change bochrim b’ruchnios. Those kids are parents and grand parents and condone drinking, with the result that Chabad has many, many alcoholics which should have nothing to Yiddishkeit.
I have gone through the whole yeshiva system. Very few alcoholics, and those who are, it’s not caused by yeshiva.
I have seen first hand a bochur being taken to the ER because he drank so much. He had too much alcohol in his blood, it was serious. He needed to stay off any alchohol for a long time. This was in a yeshiva, that provided the mashke at a farbreingen. The boys were encouraged by the mashpia to drink. Responsible???
What do you think they should be putting out, bartenua wine?
Yes, the same people have been better informed and are now more careful with this issue. Have you never changed your mind on a subject about which you have become better informed? I certainly hope you have; it would be quite “ironic” otherwise.
P.S. it would also be nice if you stopped looking to criticize so freely.
Everyone has there teenage years that its normal to go a bit crazy and Everyone has there adult years that you get all nervous for the teens
Famous psychiatrist, Rabbi Twersky, A”H.
founded the Gateway center in Pittsburgh
to help alcoholics.
He was quoted as saying: “These Farbrengens
are ruining people’s lives.” That’s because –
well there used to be a sentiment that you’re
not part of the club if you don’t have L’Chaim
on vodka. I hope that has changed now, and everyone
will practice moderation.
I have seen the horrible Chillul Hashem that occurs
when people, even elderly, overdo it!
what about mashpeem that get drunk during a farbrengen and set a wrong example,are going against the rebbes wishes
l’chaim in yeshiva helped me connect to the rebbe. It was done with song and warm stories. yes I was underage in yeshivah but it wasn’t excessive and it was powerful.
Do u think that THAT’S the way the Rebbe wants u to connect to him? The Rebbe himself said not to drink more than a certain amount of Lchaims when you’re under 40! If u really need a Lchaim, there’s grape juice!!
The rebbe said a certain amount of lechaim not grape juice
L’chaim Moshiach should come right now! see?
Finally, our leaders of the Chassidishe world have woken up! As a 14-year-old in Yeshiva, my son always got tons of alcohol at the farbrengens. Saying l’chaim was considered the Chassidishe thing to do. And it was us, the parents who didn’t understand when we would protest. One year, Sukkos was getting to freezing temperatures. As usual, they had held a farbrengen in the sukkah and had endless L’chaims and my son had passed out and all his friends left him there alone without his coat in the middle of the night in the freezing cold. Around sunrise, he finally,… Read more »
You people don’t know what goes on in Litvish Yeshivos. B”H in Chabad the problem is getting high “only” on booze. In all Litvish yeshivos bochurim also get high. But not on booze! There they get high on drugs. All Litvish yeshivos are infested with recreational drugs. From the mild weed to harder pills. In Lubavitch bochurim get high with a few l’chaims. Ok, it’s not a good thing. But it’s a heck of a lot better than bochurim getting high on drugs – some are very dangerous ones! Bochurim in ALL yeshivos seek to escape by getting buzzed or… Read more »
It’s also a lot better than what goes on in public schools. That makes it good? It’s not an issue anymore??
What stupid logic. It’s worse there so we have no problem. They have more deaths than us so it’s all good? Moshel. They steal 50 cars a week, we only steal 25 cars a week, so all good. And wait 40 years for the liver to pack up.
What you are saying is not true.
Stop trying to divert attention from the issue at hand.
Selling Mashke to under aged boys in the name of Mivtzoim needs to stop now.