1) In Hilchos Purim the Shulchan Aruch (695:2) brings down a very interesting and well known halachah: חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי. Most explain this phrase to mean: “A person should become intoxicated on Purim to the point of no longer being able to differentiate between ‘Cursed be Haman’ and ‘Blessed be Mordechai’”.
However, the phrase can also be read as a personal requirement, לבסומי בפוריא – “to become intoxicated with Purim itself!” In other words, on Purim, a person should become so infused with happiness and excitement for the Purim miracle, love of Hashem, and all that Purim represents, that he in effect becomes intoxicated with Purim. In this way, a person will no longer be able to distinguish the good parts of the story (Mordechai) from the bad parts (Haman), as he will come to realize that all of the elements were part of the wondrous miracle. No wine necessary! (Sefer Iturei Torah, vol. 7, pg. 146, citing Ohr HaNer)
2) The halachah in Shulchan Aruch states: חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא – “A person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim”. However, the Gemara (Megillah 7b) from which this halachah is derived states: אמר רבא מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא, which is commonly translated as, “Rava said: A person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim”.
The phrase Rava uses is מיחייב, which literally means the question, “Who is obligated?”. This wording stands in stark contrast to the word חייב used by the Shulchan Aruch, which specifically means “one is obligated”.
Following this statement in the Gemara, Rava goes on to relate an incident where Rabbah became intoxicated at his Purim seudah and killed Rav Zeira. Rav Alter Meir suggests that Rava was not stating that the halachah requires one to become intoxicated, but was instead indicating that intoxication is in fact specifically not an obligation. By saying, מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא, Rava was asking the rhetorical question: “Who can be obligated [i.e., how can it be possible that it is an obligation] to become drunk on Purim, because we see that the results can be disastrous, as is demonstrated by the story of Rabbah and Rav Zeira!” (Sefer Iturei Torah, vol. 7, pg. 146, citing HaRav Alter Meir)
3) The Gemara (Bava Metzia 23b-24a) states that it is the practice of talmidei chachomim, to deviate from the truth in regard to the following three things: 1) Maseches, i.e. out of a sense of modesty, a talmid chocham will understate the extent of his Torah knowledge, 2) Ushpiza, hospitality – when asked, a talmid chocham will downplay a favorable experience he has as a guest at someone’s home, to prevent the host from being mobbed by unwanted guest, which would cause him to exhaust all of his financial resources in hosting them; and 3) Puraya. The Maharsha explains that puraya, refers to Purim, meaning that talmiday chachomim have a minhag to drink some wine and only pretend to become drunk, while they are not actually drunk at all. Accordingly, perhaps it is a higher madriegah [level], for one to consume some wine on Purim, and become emotionally intoxicated, while not actually becoming alcoholically intoxicated. (Maharsha, Bava Metzia 23b-34a, expanded by R’ Aryeh Pinchos Strickoff).
4) The Yad Efrayim explains that the mitzvah is, עד דלא ידע – “[One should become intoxicated] until the point where he cannot differentiate [between ‘Cursed be Haman’ and “’Blessed be Mordechai’], but no further! In other words, one should only become intoxicated to the point of, but not including the point of, being unable to differentiate between ארור המן, and ברוך מרדכי. He explains that the purpose of drinking on Purim is to bring a person to the level of happiness where he will praise Hashem for all the miracles He brought for us. However, Chazal set a boundary on drinking, because past that point, instead of praising Hashem, one can come to foolish behaviour.” (Yad Efrayim, Orach Chaim 695:2)
5) Many hold that drinking on Purim is a voluntary mitzvah that is a praiseworthy act, but not an obligation. (See Maharil, Minhagim, Hilchos Purim 10, Hagaos Maiminiyos, Hilchos Megillah 2:15)
6) Many hold that getting very drunk is not necessary, and just drinking a bit more than one is accustomed to enables one to fulfil the obligation. By drinking on Purim a little more than one usually does, one is considered intoxicated for the purpose of the mitzvah. In addition, the Rema suggests taking a nap, whereby one’s unconscious state will preclude the differentiation between ארור המן, and ברוך מרדכי, thus fulfilling the obligation. These poskim conclude that each person should do what he feels comfortable with, as long as his intention is for the sake of Heaven. (See Kol-Bo, 45, Rema, 695:2, Biur Halachah, Aruch HaShulchan)
Wishing you and your families a Freilichen Purim!!!
