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| | The Purim Feast
A person is obligated to drink at Purim until he doesn't know the difference between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai'. Talmud, Tractate Megila, 7b.
What does this mean? 1. Is there a difference between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai'? If so, why should the distinction be blurred? If there is not a distinction between them, why does a person have to drink? 2. Is there any 'mitzva' to indulge in alcohol in order to loose one's intelligent faculties? If sechel is important, why would there be a mitzva to loose it?
In the following discussion, we will try to arrive at direct, simple interpretations, based on a number of the great poskim and commentaries. Obviously, there are many customs and points of view. The important thing is that one's intention should be "l'sheim shomayim" -- for the sake of Heaven. Our behavior on this holy day needs to be weighed and reconciled with yiras shomayim -- fear of Heaven. We should consider how our actions make impressions on other people, and that lack of self-control can lead to hurt feelings, damage of property and/or persons, and lack of reverence.
Which is Greater?
Both the Taz and the Gaon of Vilna explain that there is a great difference between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai', though they disagree which was a greater good.
The Taz says that if Mordechai had not achieved success, we would have been satisfied with the downfall of Homon. Yet, Hashem did much more than this. An even greater neis occurred, and Mordechai received great power and prestige. We would drink until we could not realize how much greater was the elevation of Mordechai than the fall of Homon.
The intention, though, is not to aim for this intoxication. Rather, he should thank and praise Hashem as long as he recognizes the tremendous brocha given to Mordechai. Should he reach intoxication, and not recognize the distinction any more -- he no longer has the mitzva, but becomes exempt.
Between the Names
The Gaon has a slightly different view.
"Keil Nekamos Hashem" -- Hashem is a G-d of vengeance (T'hillim 84:1) -- 'Great is n'kama (vengeance), because it is found between two names of Hashem' (Brochos 33a, Rashi). 'Great is knowledge, because it is found between two Names (Shmuel 1:2-3): "Ki Keil De'ah Hashem." ' (Brochos, Ibid.)
If a person has knowledge, he will discern that n'kama -- Hashem's vengeance -- is great. The vengeance at the downfall of Homon is greater than the elevation of Mordechai. Hashem's name is only complete at the downfall of Amalek. One who has no de'ah -- intelligence -- will not discern. A person drinks at Purim up until he reaches the level where he cannot discern. Then he has no simcha -- the simcha is the ability to discern. By that point, he must stop. (Biur Hagra to Shulchan Aruch, see Birkas Eliyahu)
According to the Taz and the Gaon, there is no mitzva to reach such a state; it is only that, once at this state, he can no longer fulfill the mitzva. He would celebrate until then -- because as long as he has not reached such intoxication, he has a mitzva.
Rav Shlomo Brevda defends the Gaon's peshat. We often see that salvation comes first, but the great praise and thanks follows a later stage -- the destruction of our enemies. Homon was forced to give lavish honor to Mordechai -- but the story did not end until Homon and his sons were hanged. Similarly, yetzias mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt) occurred at the beginning of Pesach; but Yisrael did not sing shira until the great vengeance took place at Krias Yam Suf (the Splitting of the Sea) on the seventh of Pesach. (Quoted in Likutei Hagaon Mivilna)
The Tur (simon 695) writes, "A person is obligated to become intoxicated until he cannot distinguish between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai'." The Beis Yoseif (Rav Yoseif Kairo, author of the Shulchan Aruch) expresses surprise at the Tur. True, Rava said, "a person is obligated to drink at Purim until he doesn't know the difference between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai' "; however, the next Gemara comes to a different conclusion. Raba invited Rebbi Zeira to the Purim seuda. After they ate and drank, Raba shechted Rebbi Zeira. Later, Raba brought Rebbi Zeira back to life. The next year, however, Rebbi Zeira refused to come to the Purim seuda of Raba. "Miracles don't always happen," he said. This story rejects the 'mitzva' of reaching intoxication. As a result of drunkenness, the worst offenses come about: Murder, adultery, etc. (Since intoxication leads to great offenses), there is no greater aveira. (It must be pointed out that the Maharsha did not take the story of Raba and Rebbi Zeira literally.) The Taz also quotes this and writes that the Talmud's conclusion is that one is not permitted to actually become drunk.
Interestingly, the Yad Efraim reports that he was shown in a dream that there is no contradiction in the Gemara. The story of Raba and Rebbi Zeira came to explain Rava's halacha: Wine makes a man's heart merry. We should be merry all day, rejoicing in Hashem's miracles, until the point where we can no longer discern them properly. We remain obligated up to -- but not including -- the point where we can no longer discern. We should not become overly intoxicated so that we become confused and cannot appreciate the greatness of the miracles!
The Complete Simcha of Purim
The Kol Bo writes: The mitzva of Purim does not mean that a person should become intoxicated. Drunkenness is completely forbidden. There is no aveira greater than it, because it causes forbidden relationships, murder and many other aveiros. Rather, one should drink somewhat more than usual in order to increase simcha. Make the impoverished happy, console them. Speak to the heart of the poor -- this is the complete simcha!
The Opinion of the Tur and the Rema's Reconciliation
The Tur did say that one should drink until he cannot distinguish between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai'." Consistent with this literal interpretation, the Rema writes in the Shulchan Aruch: "There are those who say that it is not necessary to become so intoxicated; rather one should drink more than one is used to, and fall asleep. Once he is asleep, he does not know the difference between 'cursed is Homon' and 'blessed is Mordechai'."
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