I've stopped ranting about the dangers of drinking excessively on Purim, I have long since laid that banner down. I'm tired of hearing, "You don't understand. That's the only outlet these boys have.", because that argument is shameful in itself on so many levels.
So here-forth instead I put to you my Purim Drinking Etiquette. It should be self-explanatory, but it's not.
If you drink a lot - DON'T DRIVE.
If you vomit - CLEAN IT UP
If you break something or damage property - understand that actions have consequences. Be the mentsch we know you really are down deep inside: report the damage, and take financial responsibility for it.
Oh, and one more.....
If you are charged with overseeing a drunken bunch of Yeshiva boys who don't know how to do on much on Purim but drink and act like animals and create a chillul Hashem for all non-Jewish workers who are charged with cleaning up (because we don't allow them normal, healthy outlets [such as sports] all year long...) - REMEMBER - YOU ARE THE GROWN UP. If you cannot handle the crowd, call for backup. If backup is not available, call the police. If chas v'sholom, somebody gets hurt, "I couldn't control what was going on", will not be a valid response!
{stepping down from my splintered and vomit soaked soapbox now}
6 comments:
It is extremely upsetting that boys' drinking is validated at all. It doesn't help that music videos on YouTube glamorize Purim drunkenness, I must say.
Alcohol has been disturbingly fetishized by the Jewish community, and as a local shul reminded us, it is not specific to Purim. Drinking is merely a symptom, not just the cause; anyone (boy or man) who feels the need to numb themselves in such a manner needs to get real about what's eating them up inside.
The only way for the "groups" to stop excessive drinking is for the people from whom they collect to refuse to give if the boys are drunk. When the Yeshiva feels a financial consequence to turning a blind eye to this-it may change.
I dont believe it is chillul Hshem when the non-jewish workers who are charged with cleaning up after purim are the same ones interacting with the same students throughout the year who are aware that this is a once a year event and that this behaviour is an abberation. I would go so far as to say that the uniqueness of the day highlights the kiddush Hashem that yeshiva boy make throughout the year.
Also don't quite understand your characterization of drunken Yeshiva boys as a group that doesn't "know how to do much but drink and act like animals" I mean what IS that? Do you really believe from all you've seen of them that that is all they are capable of?
wolfie, I don't think that a chillul Hashem can be excused so easily. It's not really a 'for each Kiddush Hashem you get one free Chillul Hashem' system.
@Ephraim I'm not saying that the kiddush Hashem negates the chillul Hashem, I'm saying there is no chillul Hashem. I dont believe that every instance of "bad behaviour" witnesed by a non jew is automatically a chillul Hashem. I think the fact that it IS a one time a year behaviour may in fact constitute a kiddush hashem as the non jewish workers contemplate how unusual the behaviour actually is.
IOW, Wolfie, you believe that being bad now and then is good PR because it makes people appreciate how good you usually are?
Suppose you went to a great restaurant and had a perfectly repulsive meal. Would you really say to yourself "this disgusting meal only proves what an exceptionally good restaurant this is", or would you say "I always thought this was a fantastic place but evidently I was wrong"?
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