ב"ה
Thursday, 6 Tishri, 5784
  |  September 21, 2023

‘Simchas Torah Shat Nisht’

Op-Ed: “There was some banter, maybe a bit of stumbling, and the next morning there was definitely a headache, but it was all part of the fun. It was good-natured, comical, and special. It was Simchas Torah!” Full Story

Mrs. Simcha Yadgar, 83, OBM

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Moderate drinking
October 16, 2022 11:47 am

One thing you have to understand is that moderate drinking is very difficult for a lot of people.

Studies show that driving on a straight road, most drivers will speed

Drinking feels good, one wants to continue to feel good.

It takes a lot of self control and many hangovers to get yourself to a place where you can drink moderately.

Sadly for some, it never happens.

That’s why drinking in minors is illegal, because they lack the ability to make informed decisions. Many adults do too .. but adults hopefully have some experience to know better.

Stam lehoir
Reply to  Moderate drinking
October 18, 2022 8:18 pm

I was at hakafos until around 3 on shmini atzeres and on simchas torah until around 5 I didn’t see any inappropriate behavior aside for some frencheis who always get drunk ‘וכו

The flawed notion
October 16, 2022 11:58 am

The assumption that the majority of lubavitch is drinking for the true and pure expression of Simchas torah, is essentially flawed. The common farbrengens of the previous generations, were a group of friends coming together to discuss their challenges in Avodas hashem and the lchaim was used as a way to become more open. Or in regards to Simchas torah the lchiam was used to express the inner joy of receiving the torah. But that can only come after the true joy is already planted in your life, and cannot be manufactured through excessive consumption of alcohol in the name… Read more »

It's a nice spin
October 16, 2022 12:08 pm

But given the fact that in our generation, many do struggle with not knowing how much is too much and there is altogether too much “letting go,” now isn’t the time to wax nostalgic about the beauties of “letting yourself go” with mashkeh. The toll in lives, health, shalom bayis etc is simply too high.

Yay
October 16, 2022 12:13 pm

I think even little kids should have have lchaim, just to taste true fun.

uhm
Reply to  Yay
October 16, 2022 1:16 pm

hope your talking about grapejuice.

Obviously not grape juice!
Reply to  uhm
October 16, 2022 1:32 pm

Maybe not geleh but for sure vayseh

Love this so much
October 16, 2022 12:22 pm

Beautiful piece!

Yanki
October 16, 2022 12:24 pm

Wow, a real article, with no click bait. While I may have worded the caution a bit stronger, I appreciate and echo the sentiment. Good ol’ Lubavitch varemkeit needs to make its way back. The young generation needs to know what true Lchaim farbrengens are supposed to look like and discern them from the dubious-meaning party-goers of the Avenue.

Gut Yom tov!

Responding
October 16, 2022 12:51 pm

Today’s drinking is on a whole different level then before gimmel tammuz drinking. Today it’s for relieving themselves from the pressure of being teenagers or/and mental health….
The bottom line is: there is a saying when you drink wine all the secrets come out. Before gimmel tammuz our Rebbe, our Rebbeim revealed G-dly secrets. Unfortunately today the youth are revealing the truthful secrets of today’s society/community. It’s not a phase and it’s not “he has an issue to be drunk, ” it’s what going on within the community that no one wants to address or talk about.

Not the only Farbrengen
Reply to  Responding
October 19, 2022 4:56 pm

Chassidim farbrenged together between themselves and with mashpi’im before gimmel tammuz as well. It wasn’t only the Rebbeim sing g-dly secrets, there were mashpi’im who said L’chaim and instructed others to do so.

All truths
October 16, 2022 1:13 pm

It’s all true. The good, the bad the ugly and the pretty. The extremes are usually best left there and moderation – a blend – offers the sweet spot. Sometimes, some mood enhancer, elevates the experience. Try to be honest with yourself, and perhaps have one or two relatively unbiased friends from who you can check yourself if aligned with your ideals and objectives. Laugh, cry, think, feel, dance, introspect, give, take, push, pull, sleep, run… Live fully. Don’t kill yourself trying to live and don’t lock yourself to be free. L’Chaim – a nice one word encapsulation of this:… Read more »

What Memories
October 16, 2022 1:52 pm

What memories do you want your children to have? Brechting tatteh who goes around pulling beards and using nivul peh or tatteh who is b’simcho giving out brochos b’ahavas Yisroel?

Know your limits…

Beautiful!
October 16, 2022 2:20 pm

Thank you for the beautiful vibes in this article! Let’s remember that the most important part of our life is our hiskashrus to the Rebbe, and one of the only things (or the only thing?) which the Rebbe said breaks/weakens this connection is ignoring his limits on drinking l’chaim. We all want to be the Rebbe’s shluchim, do the Rebbe’s mivtzoim, go on the Rebbe’s tahalucha, etc. – let’s make sure that the Rebbe also wants us there by following this important directive. [P.S. For those who didn’t understand: The Rebbe made it clear that those who chas v’shalom drink… Read more »

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