Sleeping Instead of Drinking

The Rama says if you can’t drink wine you should go to sleep; what’s the p’shat?

If you can’t drink wine, you should demonstrate some other form of simcha. Sleeping is a simcha too, yes. It doesn’t mean you should sleep all day long. If you can’t drink wine, you can also open Gemara, why not? That’s also a simcha. And if they don’t let you learn in the house, go to the public library with your Gemara. Sit in the public library and learn Gemara. Nobody will bother you there, I can guarantee you that.

March 2001