A "fitting" application of a prudent mishnah

Earlier this month, concerned about the consequences of merrymakers overdoing things in their Purim celebrations, I wrote:

At Avot 2:13 Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel describes the "good path" as that taken by the person who foresees the consequences of his or her actions.

This observation is not aimed solely at people who are more fun to deal with when they are sober. It is of general application, including those that have nothing to do with the niceties of religious practice.

A couple of days ago I visited one of our local general stores. Once upon a time it was quite shabby and poorly lit, but shortly before Covid it received a welcome and somewhat overdue internal overhaul. Old wooden shelving was replaced by smart new display units on which the goods on sale were piled floor-to-ceiling. Like many stores of its kind, this one had narrow aisles that particularly favoured customers who were slender and unencumbered by buggies.

When I got to the store, I spotted that it had taken delivery of a number of smart heavy duty flat-pack display units for some of its better-selling products. Staff members had taken a few of them inside the store and immediately began to assemble them. Once they had done so, the horrible truth emerged: they were of no use since there was nowhere to put any of them without blocking the aisles to the point of impassability. Since they were large and bulky, manoeuvring them down the aisles towards the exit was tricky, especially on account of their large size.

Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel would have been happy to offer his advice here, I’m sure. A moment’s thought would have revealed how prudent it would have been to work out first where the display units might go and then to measure them up to see if they would fit. Time and effort would have been spared and several tempers would have remained considerably cooler.  

Purim: handle with care!

This week marks the festival of Purim, which has the potential to be a time of great joy and happiness, not to mention a sort of "final fling" before families throughout the Jewish world knuckle down to a month of preparation for Pesach.

A perennial Purim discussion point relates to the age-old question: "should I get drunk?" According to whom one asks, drunkenness is permitted, prohibited or obligatory. Among those who permit or require it, the degree of inebriation may be minimal, moderate or maximal. Then those who employ the test of confusing blessing Haman with cursing Mordechai have different yardsticks by which to measure this particular mental state.

Pirkei Avot gives no specific guidance as to how one conducts oneself on Purim and does not of itself advocate abstinence, moderation or abandoning oneself totally to the deep and meaningful spiritual experience that some of us seek. That is not to say that it has no general guidance that should be borne in mind before choosing to get drunk.

There is one particular piece of guidance from Avot that seems apposite to me here. At Avot 2:13 Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel describes the "good path" as that taken by the person who foresees the consequences of his or her actions.

The problem with drunkenness is that one's ability to foresee the consequences of one's conduct--and also one's ability to act responsibly where one can do so--seems to diminish proportionately to the amount of alcohol consumed. One of the foreseeable consequences of getting totally drunk on Purim is that someone has to clean up the mess afterwards. Given the effects of a heavy hangover, the person doing that cleaning up is often enough someone else -- and it is not pleasant. Shared spaces such as bathrooms and staircases can be especially sordid, as can hard-to-clean items such as carpets and bedding.

We live in a real world in which, whatever any of us thinks or says, some people will get drunk on Purim. Some will have had a wonderful time in doing so and will look forward to repeating the process next year; some may have had a spiritually elevating "out-of-brain" experience. Others, waking up with a splitting headache and a dry tongue, may croak "never again!"

My message to all of you is this: Purim same'ach! Have a wonderful time but, before you do, please give a thought for others who may be adversely affected by what you do. Think how strange or frightening you may appear to small children. Bear in mind that you share the pavements and the roads with other users. And do try to make sure that your fun and enjoyment are not at the expense of others.