As the Possuk states: “Wine which causes HaShem and men to rejoice” symbolises the intellectual attribute of Binah, as the Possuk states: “A happy mother of children” and our Sages of blessed memory state: when wine enters the body a secret emerges. In other words, there is something within that is concealed and secret (the state Sod - secret) and as a result of the wine this secret is revealed and animated. This is what happened with Nodov and Avihu, that their Avodah was in a state of ‘Rotzoi’ surging towards HaShem in absolute perfection.
However, the original intention [of creation] is that there shall specifically be an Avodah of ‘Shoiv’.
Intoxication and the Mindset of the Seventy Elders
Our Sages state: In the Talmud (Eiruvin 65a) Rabbi Chiyya said: Anyone who remains settled of mind after drinking wine, and does not become intoxicated, has an element of the mind-set of seventy Elders. The allusion is: Wine [Yayin spelled Yud, Yud, Nun] has the numerical value of seventy. Similarly, the word for secret [Sod spelled Samech, Vov, Daled] has the numerical value of seventy. Typically, when wine enters the body, a secret emerges. Whoever does not reveal secrets when he drinks is clearly blessed with a firm mind, like that of seventy Elders. (also brought down in Talmud Sanhedrin (38a)).
