Daf Ditty Eruvin 64: "Ἐν οἴνῳ ἀλήθεια"

I have drunk but one cup tonight,

and that was craftily qualified too,
and behold what innovation it makes here.
I am unfortunate in the infirmity,
and dare not task my weakness with anymore.

Othello Act 2 Scene 3

“Men have called me mad;

but the question is not yet settled,
whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence —
whether much that is glorious—
whether all that is profound—
does not spring from disease of thought—
from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect.”

Edgar Allan Poe.

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2
Nachman commented; ‫ – שמעתא הא מעליא כמה‬how good is this teaching. ;said ‫רב יהודה אמר שמואל‬
when, However – ‫שתה רביעית יין אל יורה‬Somebody who drank a ‫ רביעית‬of wine should not pasken
‫ – הלכות‬Rav Nachman said; - ‫ לא מעליא הא שמעתא‬This statement is not accurate, because, on the
contrary, a ‫ רביעית‬of wine actually helps clear one’s mind.

However, Rav Naḥman did not give his approval to all of Rav Yehuda’s rulings, as Rav Yehuda
said that Shmuel said: If one drank a quarter-log of wine, he may not issue a halakhic ruling,
as the wine is liable to confuse his thinking. With regard to this second statement, Rav Naḥman
said: This halakha is not excellent, as concerning myself, as long as I have not drunk a
quarter-log of wine, my mind is not clear. It is only after drinking wine that I can issue
appropriate rulings.

Rava said to Rav Naḥman: What is the reason that the Master said this, making a statement
that praises one halakha and disparages another? Didn’t Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina say: What is
the meaning of that which is written:

‫ְיַשַׂמּח‬ ,‫ָחְכָמה‬ ‫ֹאֵהב‬-‫ג ִאישׁ‬ 3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father; but he that
.‫הוֹן‬-‫ ְיַאֶבּד‬,‫ָאִביו; ְוֹרֶﬠה זוֹנוֹת‬ keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.

Prov 29:3

“But he who keeps company with prostitutes [zonot] wastes his fortune” (Proverbs 29:3)? It
alludes to the following: Anyone who says: This teaching is pleasant [zo na’a] but this is not
pleasant, loses the fortune of Torah. It is not in keeping with the honor of Torah to make such
evaluations.

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Rav Naḥman said to him: I retract, and I will no longer make such comments concerning words
of Torah.

It is not appropriate to single out one teaching - as opposed to others - as being particularly
beautiful, because it diminishes the honor of Torah. - ‫ אמר ליה הדרי בי נחמן רב‬regretted having
done so - and as Rashi adds, he said; ‫ עוד אוסיף לא‬- I will not do this again.

On the topic of drinking wine, Rabba bar Rav Huna said: One who has drunk wine must not
pray, but if he nonetheless prayed, his prayer is a prayer, i.e., he has fulfilled his obligation.

On the other hand, one who is intoxicated with wine must not pray, and if he prayed, his prayer
is an abomination.

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5
The Gemara poses a question: What are the circumstances in which a person is considered one
who has drunk wine; and what are the circumstances in which a person is considered one who
is intoxicated with wine?

The Gemara answers that one can learn this from the following event: As Rabbi Abba bar
Shumni and Rav Menashya bar Yirmeya from Gifti were taking leave of each other at the
ford of the Yofti River, they said: Let each one of us say something that his fellow scholar has
not yet heard, for Mari bar Rav Huna said: A person must take leave of his fellow only in
the midst of a discussion of a matter of halakha, as due to this he will remember him.

One of them opened the discussion and said: What are the circumstances where a person is
considered one who has drunk wine, and what are the circumstances where a person is
considered one who is intoxicated with wine? One who has drunk wine refers to anyone who
has drunk wine but whose mind remains clear enough that he is able to talk in the presence of a
king. One who is intoxicated refers to anyone who is so disoriented by the wine he has drunk
that he is not able to talk in the presence of a king.

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The Gemara now cites additional teachings relating to the drinking of wine. Rami bar Abba said:
Walking a path of a mil, and similarly, sleeping even a minimal amount, will dispel the effect
of wine that one has drunk. Rav Naḥman said that Rabba bar Avuh said: They only taught this
with regard to one who has drunk a quarter-log of wine, but with regard to one who has drunk
more than a quarter-log, this advice is not useful. In that case, walking a path of such a distance
will preoccupy and exhaust him all the more, and a small amount of sleep will further intoxicate
him.

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I can make an argument that exempts the entire world from judgment, from the day that the
Temple was destroyed until now. As it is stated:

“Therefore, hear now this, you afflicted and drunken, but not from wine” (Isaiah 51:21),

which teaches that in the wake of the destruction of the Temple, all Jews are considered
intoxicated and are not responsible for any sins they commit.

Lord give me a touch of madness!

Psalm 34

Of David, when he feigned madness in the presence of Abimelech, who turned him out, and he
left.

Midrash Tehillim 34:1

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King David asks for a touch of madness to escape the claws of his enemies, despite his prior
pious deflection of such character defects. How when facing mortal danger, he is perfectly
willing to ask for madness.

Psalm 35

Of David. O LORD, strive with my adversaries, give battle to my foes,

Midrash Tehillim 35 citing Isa 51:21

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The midrashic intertext for this pericope is precisely the prooftext (Isa 51) from our daf. King
David’s prayer for help with defeating his enemies is overcome and prostrate, but not under the
influence of intoxicating drink. They were prostrate by the wrath of God. We are alone with
nobody to assist us by You Lord.

Written in a post-exilic period the ba’al Hamidrash is projecting the prayer for help in a time of
national impotence. The association of wine and suffering is a profound protest. How can one be
drunk on suffering? Affliction is so great that, like alcohol it causes inebriation, numbing and a
loss of control. On the national level, it must become a source for mitigation.

In a true misreading of the verse in Isa, which states “Therefore, hear now this, you afflicted
and drunken, but not from wine” (Rashi adds: Drunk from something else other than wine.)
The prophet writes: Like an antelope caught in a net— Drunk with the wrath of the LORD, With
the rebuke of your God. Therefore, listen to this, unhappy one, who are drunk, but not with wine!
Thus said the LORD, your Lord, Your God who champions His people: Herewith I take from
your hand The cup of reeling, The bowl, the cup of My wrath; You shall never drink it again. I
will put it in the hands of your tormentors…

Using this intertext of drinking the cup of wrath until drunk is used to highlight the post Hurban
state (midrash Tehillim) using the same metaphor, this time drunk with affliction.

We have moved from wrath to affliction, but the wine remains the same and the inebriation from
it remains the same.

An Ambivalent attitude to wine

RAMBAM: Hil De’os 5:3

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“When the wise man drinks wine, he drinks only enough to accompany (lit., ‘soak’) the food in his
innards. Anyone who becomes drunk is a sinner, is disgraced, and loses his wisdom. And if he
becomes inebriated before the unlearned, he has desecrated the Divine Name. It is forbidden to
drink in the afternoon, even a small amount, except as part of a meal, as drink which
accompanies a meal does not intoxicate. [Thus, scholars] are only careful [to refrain] from wine
after the meal.”

The Rambam here is continuing to discuss the more proper behavior appropriate for
the Torah scholar. In this law, he recommends that the scholar be careful to avoid inebriation,
especially in the presence of the unlearned. This law thus parallels many of the other laws of this
chapter — advising the scholar to refrain from types of behavior not strictly speaking forbidden
by the Torah, yet which the sensitive soul will surely take care to avoid.

Wine has a curious place in Rabbinic literature. On the one hand, the Prophets go all out in
condemning drunkenness and wild revelry. (See Isaiah 5:11-14, and 24:9 for a few examples.) Yet
wine has a significant place in Jewish worship. Most of the offerings in the Temple were
accompanied with wine libations.

We usher the Sabbath both in and out on a cup of wine. Wine is a central component of the
Passover Seder. And of course, on the upcoming holiday of Purim, folks who are generally almost
pure teetotalers celebrate the salvation with multiple “l’chai’im’s (“to life!”).

In fact, the same Scripture which denounces drunkenness too states, “And wine gladdens the hearts
of man” (Psalms 104:15), and “Wine gladdens life” (Koheles (Ecclesiastes) 10:19). And finally,
the Talmud, in discussing how to celebrate the festivals, states: “There is no true happiness without
wine” (Pesachim 109a).
DON'T DRINK AND DAVEN1

Rav Mordechai Kornfeld writes:

Our Daf: Rabah bar Rav Huna states that a "Shasuy" (one who is slightly intoxicated) may not
pray, but if he prays his Tefilah is valid b'Di'eved. A "Shikor" (one who is significantly

1
https://www.dafyomi.co.il/eruvin/insites/ev-dt-064.htm

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intoxicated), though, may not pray, and if he prays his Tefilah is not only invalid b'Di'eved, but it
is considered an abomination.

What is the Halachah in practice regarding one who is Shasuy or Shikor?

As our daf makes clear, the Shasuy and the Shikor have different Halachos.

TUR (OC 99) explains that "Shasuy" refers to one who drank a Revi'is of wine or another
intoxicating beverage (Mishnah Berura 99:1), but he is still sober enough to speak in front of a
king. "Shikor" refers to one who is unable to speak coherently in front of a king. Based on these
definitions, the differences in Halachah are as follows.

PRAYING WHILE INTOXICATED.

SHULCHAN ARUCH (OC 99:1) rules in accordance with the Gemara here that a Shasuy or
Shikor may not recite Shemoneh Esreh until the effects of the wine subside. If he prayed anyway,
a Shasuy need not pray again after he becomes sober, but a Shikor who prayed must pray again
when he becomes sober.

The Shulchan Aruch (99:3) adds that one may trust his own judgment to determine when the effects
of the wine have passed, and he is capable of praying properly.
MISHNAH BERURAH (99:3 and 17) cites the opinion of the YAM SHEL SHLOMO who rules
that if one is only Shasuy and the time for Tefilah will pass soon, he is permitted to pray before
the time passes, because nowadays no one is considered to have proper Kavanah in his Tefilah
even when fully sober. A Shikor, though, may not pray even in such a situation.

REMA (99:3) states (see above) in the name of the TERUMAS HA'DESHEN (#42) that since
the degrees of Shasuy and Shikor depend solely on the level of a person's cognizance, nowadays
even one who has consumed more than a Revi'is of wine is not automatically defined as Shasuy,

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and he may pray if he feels that his mental faculty has not been affected by the alcohol. This is
because our wines are very weak. (The Rema adds that this certainly applies if one prays from a
Sidur, which enhances his ability to concentrate on the Tefilah; see Darchei Moshe OC 99:3,
Mishnah Berurah OC 99:17.)

RECITING SHEMA WHILE INTOXICATED.

REMA writes that the Halachos that apply to reciting Shemoneh Esreh also apply to reciting
Shema, and to the blessings before and after Keri'as Shema (Mishnah Berurah 99:7), while
intoxicated. However, the Mishnah Berurah (99:8, 185:6) writes that if, b'Di'eved, one finds
himself Shasuy or even Shikor at the end of the time to recite Keri'as Shema, he should recite
Keri'as Shema. He bases this ruling on the Acharonim who disagree with the Rema and maintain
that the Halachos that apply to reciting Shemoneh Esreh while intoxicated do not apply to reciting
Shema while intoxicated.

RECITING OTHER BLESSINGS WHILE INTOXICATED.

The Rema writes that one is permitted to recite blessings l'Chatchilah, including Birkas ha'Mazon,
even if one is a Shikor. However, the Mishnah Berurah (99:11; Bi'ur Halachah 185:5) cites
the VILNA GA'ON and PRI MEGADIM who do not permit one to recite any blessing while
intoxicated (l'Chatchilah).

When one is only Shasuy, he is permitted l'Chatchilah to recite other blessings (TOSFOS
DH Shikor, based on the Yerushalmi).

(Of course, if one is so inebriated that he is completely out of his senses, he is considered a Shoteh
who is exempt from all Mitzvos Aseh. If he recites any blessing while in such a state, he must recite
it again when he is no longer under the influence of alcohol, provided that the allowable time
period for the blessing has not passed; see Mishnah Berurah 99:11.)

Passing Judgment on Halakhic Rulings

Steinzaltz (OBM) writes:2

With regard to the question of how to establish an eiruv for a courtyard where a non-Jew lives (one
who is not interested in cooperating by leasing his part of the courtyard to the Jewish
residents), Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel suggests that, if necessary, a legal fiction can be
created.

2
https://steinsaltz.org/daf/eiruvin64/

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One of the Jews can ask his permission to use the courtyard for some other purpose – storage, for
example – and then can act as an agent for the non-Jew to establish the eiruv.

Upon hearing this suggestion, Rav Nahman commented that it was an

excellent halakhic statement.

The Gemara quotes another unrelated statement of Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel, which says
that someone who drinks a revi’it of wine should not rule on issues of halakha, until he has
recovered from its intoxicating effects.

Upon hearing this, Rav Nahman commented that it was a poor halakhic statement. Rav Nahman
claimed that his personal experience was that until he drank a revi’it of wine he was not able to
think clearly.

Upon hearing Rav Nahman’s reactions to the statements of Rav Yehuda in the name of
Shmuel, Rava pointed out the homiletic teaching based on the passage in Mishlei (29:3)

‫ְיַשַׂמּח‬ ,‫ָחְכָמה‬ ‫ֹאֵהב‬-‫ג ִאישׁ‬ 3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father; but he that
.‫הוֹן‬-‫ ְיַאֶבּד‬,‫ָאִביו; ְוֹרֶﬠה זוֹנוֹת‬ keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.

Prov 29:3

– “He who loves wisdom gladdens his father, but he who keeps company with prostitutes (zonot)
wastes his fortune” – that someone who says “this teaching is pleasant [zo na’a], but this is not
pleasant,” will lose the fortune of Torah.

Rav Nahman accepts Rava’s rebuke and commits to refrain from passing such judgment on the
future.

RASHI (op cit)

Rashi in Mishlei explains the homiletic teaching as being based on the fact that this is the only
time in Tanakh that the word “Zonot” is written with full vowels. Thus, the interpretation is to
break the word in half – zo na’ot – “this is pleasant.”

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what appears attractive to one person is seen
otherwise by another, with regard to halakhot it is inappropriate to say that one statement is
beautiful, and another is not.

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The Meiri explains that even as choices need to be made in order to establish the halakha, it is
inappropriate to state that one position is unpleasant; rather we accept one and reject the other
based on objective criteria.

L'Chaim, Yom Kippur, and Sin

Rabbi Jay Gelman writes:3

One of the methods used to help people remember those whom they meet is the mnemonic device
of associating the person with some easy-to-remember concept. By linking the new with the
known, we increase our capacity to retain that new information.

For our Sages, there was no better association than that of Torah. "When Rabbi Abba the son of
Shumni and Rav Menashia the son of Yirmiya from Gifti were talking leave of each other on the
banks of Yofti River, they said to each other, 'Let us say something that the other has not heard, as
Mari the son of Rav Huna said: a person should only depart from his friend with words of Jewish
law; as a result of this, he will be remembered'" (Our Daf)

The example cited by the Gemara is most fascinating. One of the two (the Gemara does not say
whether it was Rabbi Abba or Rav Menashia) began by teaching the difference between being
under the influence of alcohol, shatui, and being drunk, shikor.

This distinction clarifies the immediately preceding Talmudic discussion on the impact of drinking
on various aspects of Jewish law. One of those involves prayer, where the Talmud rules that
"ashatui should not pray, but if he prays, his prayer is a prayer; a shikor should not pray, but if he
prays, his prayer is an abomination". A shatui, he explained, is one who can speak before a king;
whereas a shikor has drunk so much that he cannot appear before a king.

When one drinks too much it is quite common to become forgetful. Alcohol, at least temporarily,
alters our perception of reality (making driving so dangerous). By leaving a friend with words of
Torah, we try to keep memories alive and associate the finite with the infinite. This same concept
is expressed in the custom of learning Torah in observance of a Yahrzeit, linking the living with
those no longer part of this world. The imagery of the two rabbis parting with words of Torah on
the banks of the river highlights the link between water, the basis of physical life, and Torah, the
basis of Jewish life.

Yet, while excessive drinking is frowned upon (to put it mildly), Rav Elazar ben Azaria taught: "I
could justify the exemption from judgment of all the world from the day of the destruction of the
Temple until the present time, for it is said:

3
https://www.torahinmotion.org/discussions-and-blogs/eiruvin-64a-65a-lchaim-yom-kippur-and-sin

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'Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted and drunken but not with wine'" Isa 51:21

Rav Elazar ben Azaria, who personally lived through the destruction of the Temple, understood
that in a post-Temple period, no one should be punished for non-observance. The sorrows of the
exile have caused our sinning, like a drunk oblivious to his actions. Take away our suffering, Rav
Elazar ben Azaria argued, and we will be able to focus on the message of Torah.

Rav Elazar ben Azaria joins a long line of rabbinic attempts to mitigate and explain the wrong
choices we so often make. Yet the Talmud unfortunately (or perhaps most fortunately) rejects his
analysis. Excuses, even very good ones, are not enough. We may not drink away our sorrows; a
drunk is responsible for his actions: "His buying is buying and his selling is selling; if he violates
a crime that carries the death penalty, he is put to death...the principle of the matter is that he is
like a wise man in all matters except that he is exempt from prayer" (tomorrow’s Daf)

While the Gemara rejects Rav Elazar ben Azaria's claims, that was in the second century. Perhaps,
after 1,900 years of exile and living in a post-Holocaust age, his arguments resonate with much
greater force. The fact that after so much suffering--suffering that Rav Elazar ben Azarai could
not envision--Jews still identify as Jews and with Judaism even while engaging in sin is truly
amazing and should exempt us from punishment.

While rejecting his overall argument the Talmud does accept Rav Elazar ben Azaria's teaching in
the realm of insincere prayer. Prayer requires the utmost of devotion and clarity, something not
possible if one has consumed alcohol. With the destruction of the Temple, and the problems
weighing on our minds, we can justify prayer without devotion. While the Talmud's exemption
from punishment for lack of prayer is rooted in the suffering of the Jewish people, thank G-d, for
many today, there is a different excuse: that of prosperity and good times. Thankfully for many,
life is so good that beseeching G-d for our needs is most difficult to do.

We may have excuses for the lack of devotion in prayer, and our Sages may be able to help us in
heaven; but that is also our loss. Prayer affords us quiet time (at least, that's what it's supposed to
do) to reflect on--and to develop in the most intimate of ways--our relationship with God. We
would do well to remember that.

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‫‪Stone Cold Drunk4‬‬

‫אמר רב ששת משום רבי אלעזר בן עזריה יכול יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין מיום שחרב בית המקדש‬
‫ועד עכשיו שנאמר לכן שמעי נא זאת ענייה ושכורת ולא מיין מיתיבי שיכור מקחו מקח וממכרו ממכר עבר עבירה‬
‫שיש בה מיתה ממיתין אותו מלקות מלקין אותו כללו של דבר הרי הוא כפיקח לכל דבריו אלא שפטור מן התפלה מאי‬

‫‪4‬‬
‫‪https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/53602/a-sin-done-while-drunk‬‬

‫‪17‬‬
‫יכולני לפטור דקאמר נמי מדין תפלה אמר רבי חנינא ל"ש אלא שלא הגיע לשכרותו של לוט אבל הגיע לשכרותו של‬
‫לוט פטור מכולם‬

Rav Sheishes said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, "I am able to free the whole world
from punishment from the time of the destruction of the Temple until now, as it says, 'Listen to this,
poor drunk one, and not from wine'".

[The Gemara] asks [that the Braisa says] "One who is drunk:

1. His purchases are valid,

2. his sales are valid

3. If he does a capital crime, he is executed

4. If he does a crime punished by lashing, he's punished.

As a general rule, he's like a 'smart' man for everything, except that he's free from
prayer."[Therefore, the Gemara changes the original statement to mean that he is freed from
punishment for lack of] prayer.

Rabbi Chanina says that [the above law] is true if he didn't get to Lot's drunkenness. Once he gets
to Lot's level, he's free from punishments.

"Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy."

--- Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), the Scottish bacteriologist credited with
discovering Penicillin in 1928.

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 Drinking Levels Defined5
Moderate alcohol consumption:

According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020,” U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture, moderate drinking is up to 1 drink per day
for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.

Binge Drinking:
• NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent - or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter - or higher. For a
typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks
(female), in about 2 hours.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which conducts
the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), defines binge drinking as 5 or
more alcoholic drinks for males or 4 or more alcoholic drinks for females on the same occasion
(i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past
month.

5
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

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Heavy Alcohol Use:

• NIAAA defines heavy alcohol use as more than 4 drinks on any day for men or more than 3
drinks for women.
• SAMHSA defines heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.

Patterns of drinking associated with Alcohol Use Disorder:

Binge drinking and heavy alcohol use can increase an individual's risk of alcohol use disorder.

Certain people should avoid alcohol completely, including those who:

• Plan to drive or operate machinery, or participate in activities that require skill, coordination,
and alertness
• Take certain over the counter or prescription medications
• Have certain medical conditions
• Are recovering from alcohol use disorder or are unable to control the amount that they drink
• Are younger than age 21
• Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant

Chemistry of a Hangover

Klaus Roth writes:6

How can a tiny molecule like ethanol be at the root of so much human misery?

Many of us know from painful experience how the over-enjoyment of alcohol can disagree with
our systems. Nevertheless, the tendency persists, over and over again, to suppress this simple bit
of wisdom. The typical symptoms: after a short period of lifted inhibitions, accompanied by
increasingly childish tomfoolery, usually serious problems with speech follow. Continuing to
imbibe further leads to confusion and loss of orientation, as well as an inability to move the
extremities in a coordinated fashion. The state of complete inebriation produces total helplessness
from a fully impaired sense of equilibrium.

6
https://www.chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/1052159/Chemistry_of_a_Hangover__Alcohol_and_its_Consequences.html

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It ‘s true that all the alcohol consumed will be completely metabolized within 8–12 hours, but the
physical effects last longer. There arises what is colloquially referred to as a “hangover”, or
“veisalgia” in medical terminology. The latter is in turn a word derived from the Norwegian
“kveis”, for indisposition brought on by intemperance, (uneasiness following debauchery) and the
Greek “algia” for pain.

Typical symptoms include nausea, vomiting, equilibrium problems, general weakness, lack of
appetite, dry mouth, etc.

Given that the ethanol culprit has already been metabolized by the time the first symptoms of a
hangover appear, the question naturally arises: What is it that actually tortures us to the point that
we may well feel closer to death than to life? Let’s look for chemical traces by tracking the course
of an ethanol molecule from the first swig to the bitter end.

From the First Gulp to Inebriation

Organs Flooded with Ethanol

For a cold sober analysis, we reduce indulgence in beer, wine, or champagne to the disdainful oral
intake of a dilute solution of ethanol.

Once swallowed, ca. 10–20 % of the alcohol is absorbed already in the stomach, with the remainder
being processed in the duodenum or the small intestine. A rough top-of-the-head calculation
elucidates what it is we are asking of our bodies by indulging in a convivial evening.

In drinking one bottle of red wine we consume roughly 80 g of ethanol. Compared with other drugs
and medicaments this is truly an enormous amount.

Due to its high water and fat solubility, ethanol is thus able to penetrate all cell membranes, and
over the course of a drunken festivity, every organ in the body is literally flooded with dilute
ethanol.

A bacchanalian evening begins with the pleasurable part. Moderate indulgence in alcohol permits
a lax joviality to arise, perceived as an expression of zest for life.

Every day cares are forgotten for the moment. Most people, when a bit drunk, are also sure that
they possess enhanced physical and mental abilities.

21
But it’s all a delusion! Objective measurements show precisely the opposite: ethanol is not a
stimulant but acts instead as a sedative. The
seeming euphoriant powers of ethanol are a
function exclusively of its disinhibiting
effect. In other words, upon becoming a bit
drunk we think ourselves capable of things we
would never dream of undertaking when
sober.

Blood-alcohol Concentrations Between 0.3

to 5.0 ‰

As with all substances displaying sedative and narcotic effects, with increasing intake the subject
passes through multiple stages. First, disturbances in gait are observed above a blood-alcohol
concentration of about 0.3 ‰ (per mill), as well as diminished concentration and a certain amount
of tunnel vision.

Above 0.5 ‰ there is an onset of mental relaxation, together with a tipsy sense of wellbeing.
Individual perceptions vary considerably, however, determined in part by the momentary mental
attitude: euphoria in anticipation of a positive experience, or relaxation with weariness and a
willingness to doze off.

The classic signs of drunkenness, such as problems with speech and significantly retarded
reactions, commence with a blood-alcohol concentration of 1 ‰.

Further intake of alcohol dulls the higher nerve centers, resulting in serious disturbance of
musculature coordination, and the progressive decline in inhibitions may lead to miscalculations
and overestimations, sometimes with dramatic consequences. For example, the risk to an
automobile driver of experiencing an accident increases 25-fold when the blood-alcohol level
reaches 1.5 ‰! Above 2.5 ‰, with breathing still intact, a deep state of unconsciousness may
develop, but above 4 ‰ there is a real risk of respiratory arrest, and levels in excess of 5 ‰ are
typically fatal.

Slow excessive drinking results in a coma; at some point the tippler simply keels over. Actually,
he or she is lucky in this case, since it prevents consumption of the relatively small additional
amounts of alcohol that would result in respiratory failure. Even so, mortal danger remains, since
most alcohol deaths are a result of suffocation from one’s own vomit. A person who has passed
out from alcohol should, therefore, always be placed in a lateral, recumbent position.

Lethal alcohol poisoning is often a result of “binge drinking”, in which, for example, an entire
bottle of hard liquor is rapidly downed, perhaps as part of a contest. If no guardian angel is present
to swiftly induce vomiting, the blood alcohol level can rise to a lethal value within half an hour,
resulting in death from respiratory paralysis.

22
The numerical values quoted above would rise in the case of an alcoholic, due to the development
of increased tolerance by the central nervous system. In fact, in 2001 there was a case recorded in
Karlsruhe, Germany, of a 35-year old man being admitted to the municipal clinic with a measured
blood-alcohol level of 5.8 ‰ — and he survived, thanks solely to the wonders of modern intensive-
care medicine.

GABA A receptor structure and location of drug binding sites (A) Diagram illustrating the
pentameric structure of GABA A receptors containing 2α, 2β and 1γ subunits. (B)
Schematic illustration of the α6 subunit with its three domains (extracellular,
transmembrane and intracellular) and binding sites for GABA and other drugs. (C)
Diagram illustrating the binding sites of different GABAergic drugs.

GABAA-Receptor

In the state of inebriation, ethanol makes a complete shamble of the entire system of
communication among nerve cells, although the details remain largely a mystery. The first ethanol-
sensitive GABAA-receptor (GABA = gamma-aminobutyric acid) was identified in 2006, in the
cell membranes of nerve cells. A significant attenuation of neuron activity was observed upon its
binding with ethanol [1, 2], which would explain ethanol’s sedative effect. Other sedatives, such
as barbiturates or benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium), were found to bind also to the same GABAA-
receptor.

Gradual Sobering-Up

As already noted, ethanol is absorbed in the stomach, the duodenum, and the small intestine. After
absorption, the blood-alcohol concentration rises to a maximum in ca. 40 minutes (Fig. 1), with 2–
4 % of the absorbed ethanol eliminated unchanged through respiration, or by way of the kidneys.

23
 Blood-alcohol concentration over the course of a “celebratory evening”.

Ethanol absorption can be retarded by a full gastro-intestinal tract, but it is not diminished overall.
Absorption occurs especially rapidly from beverages that are sweet, warm (e.g., grog), or
carbonated (e.g., champagne). Since alcohol concentration in exhaled air is proportional to that in
the bloodstream, simple breath tests make it possible to establish reliable blood-alcohol values.

Given that the most cherished aspects of intoxication are a consequence of the interaction of
ethanol with the central nervous system, the metabolism of the consumed ethanol, i.e.,
detoxification of the body, is accomplished exclusively by the liver. Chronic mistreatment of the
liver can lead to its pathological change, so it is no wonder that such changes are commonly
observed with alcoholics, who typically consume massive amounts of ethanol.

Widmark Formula

24
A maximal blood-alcohol concentration can be obtained with the Widmark Formula: c = A / (r
• W), where c is the blood-alcohol concentration in ‰, A is the amount of alcohol consumed in g,
W is the weight of the person in question in kg, and r is the distribution factor in the body, with r
= 0.7 for men and 0.6 for women. This distribution factor reflects the differing water content in
the bodies of men and women.

The Touch of Madness:

Manto as a Psychiatric Case Study of Creativity and Madness

Creativity and madness are intimately linked in popular imagination. The archetype of the “mad
genius” is familiar to all of us. The psychological afflictions of Wolfgang Mozart, Vincent Van
Gogh, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway and countless other artists are the subject
of ceaseless interest. The theme continues to abound in literature and biographies of literary and
artistic legends are often brushed up by ‘a process of myth making idealization’ ascribing to them
the allure of neurosis.1 Psychiatrists have been in the forefront of exploring this association.
Andreasen reports from her study that creative writers had a substantially higher rate of mental
illness, predominantly mood disorders (with a tendency toward bipolar disorder).7 There is also a
higher prevalence of affective disorder and creativity in the first-degree relatives of writers,
indicating that these traits could be genetically mediated. These conclusions are typical of other
medical literature that exists on this topic.8 A study of 291 famous men reported a higher
prevalence of depressive disorders, alcoholism, and less reliably, psychosexual problems, in
writers.9 A follow-up study of one hundred American and British writers confirmed this high
prevalence of affective disorders and alcoholism.10
Some of the most rigorous work on this subject, spanning several decades has been done by Arnold
M. Ludwig. He concludes that while not a prerequisite, a touch of madness could enhance
creativity.11 His work on women writers shows that almost any type of sustained emotional distress
could be associated with creative activity, provided it is not incapacitating. The relationship is

7
Andreasen NC. Creativity and mental illness: prevalence rates in writers and their first-degree relatives. Am J
Psychiatry. 1987;144(10):1288–1292
8
Neihart M. Creativity, the arts, and madness. Roeper Review. 1998;21(1):47–50.
9
Post F. Creativity and psychopathology: A study of 291 world-famous men. Br J Psychiatry. 1994;165:22–34
10
Post F. Verbal creativity, depression and alcoholism. An investigation of one hundred American and British writers. Br J
Psychiatry. 1996;168(5):545–555
11
Ludwig AM. Reflections on creativity and madness. Am J Psychother. 1989;43(1):4–14

25
complicated, though and familial, developmental and environment factors have to be taken into
account.12

"A writer picks up his pen only when his sensibility is hurt.”

Saadat Hasan Manto (/mɑːn, -tɒ/; Urdu: ‫ﺳﻌﺎدت ﺣﺴﻦ ﻣﻨﭩﻮ‬, pronounced [səˈaːd̪ət̪ ˈɦəsən ˈməɳʈoː];
11 May 1912 – 18 January 1955) was a colonial Indian and Pakistani writer, playwright and
author born in Ludhiana, India. Writing mainly in the Urdu language, he produced 22 collections
of short stories, a novel, five series of radio plays, three collections of essays and two collections
of personal sketches.

His best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Manto was known to write
about the hard truths of society that no one dared to talk about. He is best known for his stories
about the partition of India, which he opposed, immediately following independence in 1947.

12
Ludwig AM. The price of greatness: Resolving the creativity and madness controversy. The Guilford Press; 1995

26
In his later years, Manto had become increasingly alcoholic, which eventually led to cirrhosis of
the liver. He died on 18 January 1955, in a mental asylum off Hall Road in Lahore. His death was
attributed to the effects of alcoholism.

Ali M. Hashmi and Muhammad Awais Aftab write:13

Saadat Hasan ‘Manto’ is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest short story writers in the
world. He died at the age of forty-three from complications of alcoholism. All of his life, he suffered
from symptoms of anxiety and depression and his alcohol abuse was intimately linked both to his
mental distress as well as his creative genius.
This paper examines the life of Manto from a psychiatric perspective and the link between
creativity and mental illness. We show how Manto’s particular family circumstances led to the
development of restlessness and later anxiety in his life; how his substance abuse, especially
alcohol abuse exacerbated this mental distress and how it eventually led to his death and how all
of these factors were intimately linked to his creative genius and were the source of so many of his
literary masterpieces.
Methods: We reviewed seventy-five short stories considered to be his best. Writings about
Manto’s life including his own were reviewed to construct a picture of his life as well as find clues
to his mental distress and alcohol abuse. A literature search for articles related to creativity and
mental illness was conducted using Google Scholar containing the search terms ‘creativity and
madness’ and ‘creativity and mental illness’ in the titles of the articles. References most relevant
to our case study were identified.
Conclusion: Manto suffered from symptoms of anxiety and depression which today would meet
the diagnostic criteria for Alcohol Dependence and, in later life, Alcohol-induced Psychosis.
Appropriate treatment may have prolonged his life although that may have come at the expense of
his creativity.

Kiddush clubs are becoming a destructive force: two views

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz writes:14

A number of years back, I attended a kiddush club gathering in the basement of a synagogue. Right
when the haftara reading began, about eight or nine older men snuck out the back and in a small
dark room in the basement opened multiple bottles of alcohol. They drank excessively until the
sermon was over and then not so inconspicuously returned back for the final portion of the Shabbat

13
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3858912/
14
https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/kiddush-clubs-are-becoming-a-destructive-force/

27
morning service. Isn’t it fair for one to enjoy a nice scotch on their weekend, I wondered at the
time?

Since then, I’ve learned how destructive this cultural phenomenon has become in shuls around the
country.

To be sure, I’m not the first to go on this tirade. A few years back the Orthodox Union went on a
fierce campaign to rid the kiddush club from our midst, and a number of rabbis courageously
succeeded in eliminating or reducing the size of these gatherings at their shuls.
These rabbis understood that it was disrespectful to the congregation, as well as being a terrible
influence on the children. There have been numerous reports of teens who have had to go from the
synagogue to the hospital on Simchat Torah because they were so drunk. This drinking, though it
seems harmless to many, can serve as a gateway to drugs, drunk driving, and irreversible, fatal
decision-making.

One rabbi explained to me that many women plead with him to end kiddush clubs, since their
husbands were coming home from shul so drunk that they couldn’t even sit at the Shabbat table,
and as a result would spend the whole day drunk in bed.
Is this the holy day of rest? What kind of values are we promoting in shul?

Alcoholism is a pervasive problem in the community; one that JACS, a Jewish organization
supporting alcoholics and those chemically dependent, works diligently to address. Some studies
have shown that 10 to 15 percent of Jews are alcoholics; contrary to public opinion, it is not the
lowest socio-economic group that predominantly struggles with this problem.

Rabbi Abraham Twerski, founder of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in suburban Pittsburgh,
who is affiliated with JACS, wrote, “A New York survey indicated that 50 percent of Jewish
alcoholics studied had an annual income of at least $50,000 per year.”

Knowing that this is a pervasive yet often silenced issue in our communities, how can we
possibly take a permissive approach to housing drinking spaces in our synagogues?
Jewish law prohibits achila gasa (overconsumption) because the Torah teaches that when one
has consumed excessively one risks falling victim to greed and self-indulgence. It is not
abstinence but moderation that is advocated. The Rambam prioritizes within his teachings on life
ethics the shevil zahav, golden mean, in order that one emulates the ways of G-d.

Yet, aren’t there Jewish festivities that might allow or even encourage a little overindulgence?
The Beit Yosef, the 16th century legal authority and author of the Shulchan Arukh, went so far
as to rule that “the mitzva to drink on Purim does not mean to get drunk, because being drunk is
a totally forbidden, and there is no sin greater than this!” If this is true for Purim then how much
more so for a Shabbat morning at 10:45 a.m.
Advocates of the club on Shabbat argue that it’s not about getting drunk but just about making a
little l’chaim (toast to each other).
It is rarely manifested this way and pockets of exclusivity that reinforce materialism and reckless
consumption are destructive to our spiritual communities. These clubs exclude women (and

28
many men) and send an inappropriate message to our kids about drinking and about what shul
and Shabbat are supposed to be about.

Adults deliberately ignoring and disrespecting Jewish communal life make the day school tuition
they’ve been paying a waste of money. It is vital for the efficacy of Jewish education that the
positive Jewish character traits taught in school are modeled at home and in the community.
A few shuls have recognized the extent of the problem and have fully banned alcohol from the
building aside from the ceremonial wine.

While this is a positive start, we must now attack not only the supply but the demand — the
religious culture that prioritizes personal pleasure over communal responsibility. We must make
it clear that a culture of sanctioned hedonism within our most sacred institutions has no place.

All of us as community members set precedents by how we spend our discretionary time and
money; we need to be more sensitive to how and when we consume in our communities and how
that impacts others. Creating more inclusive spiritual communities that are sensitive to issues of
consumption will not only help to eradicate unhealthy dynamics from our community but will
ultimately encourage more people to attend and to participate.

Cheers and Fears: The Debate Over Kiddush Clubs15

Whether or not rabbis should allow shul members to step out of services, usually during the Torah
reading, to enjoy a private kiddush of mostly liquor and some snacks is a question that probably
dates back through generations.

But it came to a head four years ago when the Orthodox Union’s board of directors adopted a
resolution urging its member shuls to put an end to this practice. One concern is that it may
contribute to alcohol abuse among adults or plant the seeds of it in the adolescents to whom those
adults are role models.

Another is the disrespect such a practice shows to the congregation, arguably to the Torah itself,
the person reading it and the rabbi, whose sermon will often go unheard by club members.

Some would argue that kiddush clubs are only one part of a general apathy toward health and good
habits at shul. We ply our kids with candy to reward them for attendance. The typical shul kiddush
or lunch is a textbook study of bad menu choices, laden with fatty beef, artery-blocking kugel,
salty fish and processed sugar-rich cakes, all washed down by sugary soft-drinks and liquor. These
meals are often followed by long afternoon naps rather than a brisk walk to burn some calories.

15
https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/cheers-and-fears-the-debate-over-kiddush-clubs/

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But the kiddush club is a particularly telling social phenomenon that deserves to be studied under
its own microscope.

In doing so, any sociologist would see that their popularity is a result of the stress regularly endured
by Orthodox men who, even with the increasing frequency of dual income homes, still bear
primary responsibility for the costs associated with the religious life of large families.

Those costs include yeshiva tuition, shul dues, the purchase of ritual items, charitable obligations
and the cost of celebrating milestones.

Anyone who struggles with these burdens knows that middle class is lower class in this
environment while upper class often means just staying afloat.

Most Orthodox Jews would not feel comfortable going to bars after hours to blow off steam. And
so, for many, the kiddush club becomes the place “where everyone knows your name,” to quote
the theme of the popular 80s sitcom “Cheers.”

The founders and key members of these clubs are often people who run businesses or work long
hours at legal, medical or financial practices.

While everyone inside the shul sanctuary can identify with their burdens, disruptive talking is
prohibited and so the prayer service for some becomes another formal, rigid environment that
echoes the work week.

The environment at a kiddush club closely mirrors that of a tavern, with talk of sports or politics,
the telling of jokes (often off-color) and laughter as abundant as the supply of single-malt Scotch.

But despite their attractive nature, it’s hard to argue with critics of kiddush clubs. Some
overindulge (a bottle of Scotch rarely makes two appearances at a Kiddush club, unless it’s
domestic). The majority of participants will not go back into services when the tap runs dry.
Children come into shul looking to sit with their fathers and know exactly where they’ve gone
when the seat is empty.

While socializing with peers can be an acceptable answer to stress, drinking surely is not.

“People who react to stress by drinking are on their way to becoming alcoholics,” says Rabbi
Abraham Twerski, who is also a doctor and addiction counselor. “Especially when they leave
davening and have a few shots downstairs, then come up and finish davening, and have a few more
shots afterward [at the main Kiddush].”

30
 Rabbi Twerski is in favor of an all-out ban on Kiddush clubs.

“First of all, Kiddush should not be made until after davening,” he says. “It’s an insult to the shul
and a terrible example for kids, who have to be taught to have respect for the shul.”

Jewish alcoholism, he says, is on the rise.

“It is much more prevalent than when I was a kid,” he says. “In those years, a country club would
not accept a Jewish wedding or a bar mitzvah because they couldn’t make money on the alcohol.
These days, they are scrambling for our business. We’ve picked up drinking as a way of life and it
is having a horrendous effect on kids.”

But prohibition is no simple matter. Rabbis know that if they seek a ban, and the club continues
anyway, the rabbi’s authority is diminished, and often they would face a battle with prominent
shul members, major donors or officers who can’t be threatened with expulsion. It takes a well-
entrenched rabbi to put his foot down.

But even those who fit that bill should avoid looking at kiddush clubs as a problem unto itself,
rather than a byproduct of a lifestyle that, while not without substantial rewards, has a potential
toll.

“Sure, the financial burdens create stress,” said Rabbi Twerski. “But drinking or drugs is not a
solution. There are hundreds of programs for stress management, but you have to want to do it.”

31
I admit fully I participate in our illegal kiddush club. I have for many years going back to my father
in law’s shul where it was banned even on Simchas Torah (as in my current shtibl).

The club was an island of sanity and good fellowship in an altogether too long service and allowed
for “smooth sailing” during interminable sermons.

As I grow older, I see the alcohol use by younger and younger kids which makes me think again.

Once at Heathrow Airport I stopped as I usually did on my way back home from Israel, at Whiskies
of the World (later morphed into World of Whiskies). The East End Yid who managed the store
immediately said hello as he recognized my monthly visits. This time I asked him for “something
good” meaning a Scotch only sold in the UK and not imported, since in our kiddush club the
membership demanded a rare Scotch, so we all vied for better and better types from rarer and
rarer distilleries.

As he knew I was from Chicago he confided in me the bottles he had sold to other members of the
club so as not to put me to shame! This was a good salesman!

Let us end with the bard who knew the human heart better than anyone in western literature

32
“I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking. I could well wish courtesy
would invent some other custom of entertainment”

Othello: Act 2, Scene 3

Sir Lawrence Olivier in Othello

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESM2LK2Sz68

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34