blogs/rabbi-huberman

Noah, alcohol and the challenge of addiction #510

There are two festivals of the year during which Jews are actually encouraged to drink.

One is Purim. According to the Talmud, we are obliged to consume wine or spirits until we can't tell the difference between "cursed be Haman" and "blessed be Mordechai."

The other occasion is Simchat Torah, the holiday where we celebrate the completion of the Torah reading cycle.

We observed Simchat Torah last week, but there was no alcohol served.

That was the same for Purim. Did anyone notice?

Indeed, our congregation, without fanfare, is on its way towards becoming a dry community on these two festivals.

In recent years, the intersection of spirituality and alcohol is being examined more closely within Jewish circles.

Throughout the ages, Jews have often turned to alcohol to help drown sorrows.

Alcohol has also been seen as a way to elevate our spirits during happy occasions, such as Shabbat, or at a wedding. As the Book of Judges observes, "Wine brings joy to God and man."

A glass of wine at Kiddush, or at a festive event, as the Talmud implies, can lighten our spirits.

All the same, times are changing.

While medical studies have determined that, both genetically and culturally, Jews are less inclined to abuse alcohol, in recent years, addiction within the Jewish community appears to be on the rise.

As noted alcohol counselor Lew Weiss recently wrote in Sh'ma: A Journal of Jewish Ideas: "The Jewish alcoholic has yet to come out of the closet."

It is why this week's Torah reading, which focuses primarily on Noah and the Ark, is being re-visited for its foray into a topic which has often been ignored within Jewish study.

One of Noah's first acts upon reaching shore is planting a vineyard. Within a blink of the Torah's eye, Noah produces wine, and soon after becomes drunk. Perhaps it was the stress of the flood, or the guilt of surviving this great catastrophe when so many did not.

What happens next is open to some interpretation, but Biblical commentators widely agree that Cham, Noah's son, commits some type of sexual offense against his drunken father.

And the discussion begins.

Through this event, we are exposed to Noah's humanity. Noah, like so many in today's society, chose to numb himself from life's physical and psychological stresses.

Is this is a lesson for our times?

Each March, Patte and I travel to Florida to participate in a three-day Shabbaton where sessions are held to examine alcoholism and drug addiction within the Jewish community.

It is in many ways a celebration. Hundreds of Jews gather to embrace their sobriety. Others look for answers as they wrestle with drug and alcohol addiction within their families or friendship circles.

Others continue to struggle.

As I am reminded when we attend that yearly event, alcohol is an integral part of Jewish culture. And so is alcoholism.

It often begins with too many Lechayims on Shabbat, or too many shots on Purim, and then it extends to the home, and subsequently becomes a lifestyle.

Some congregations continue to operate Kiddush clubs, where some congregants leave the Sabbath service during the reading of the Torah, and consume food and alcohol in some secluded area.

And the rabbis rarely voice their objections.

The subject of addiction has become more complex in recent years by the increased use of painkillers, cocaine, and heroin within the Jewish community and beyond.                                                                             

As I have learned in my career as a rabbi, and as Patte has observed during her years as a nurse working in addictions recovery, there is a slippery slope between the occasional use of intoxicants, and chemical or psychological dependence.

The choices that we make as individuals are private and personal, but I believe that, while moderation is fine, synagogues, social clubs and other institutions should not place alcohol at the epicenter of any event.

The Torah reminds us "not to place a stumbling block in front of the blind." This can also include someone in recovery attending a communal event.

I believe the Torah, in its early pages, sends us a message: that in moderation some of the activities and escapes we indulge in can raise our spirits. However, there is a fine line between moderation and abuse.

Let us also be aware of the rising epidemic within our midst. Addiction is a deadly force which destroys human beings. Let our community be aware of this and initiate discussions which raise our level of understanding.

Let us also be mindful of those incredible souls who have stared down their demons and are in recovery. I regard them as heroes, and they should be embraced as such.

As Judaism teaches us, there is a time to let go and raise our spirits.   But at various communal events and celebrations, like Purim and Simchat Torah, it is our love of God and each other which should form the center of our celebrations.

There is also no shame in reaching out for help. The Torah reminds us that Noah was a righteous person in his time. But he was only human. There are resources available to help navigate those affected by this epidemic.

It is time we removed addiction from the shadows, and, as the Torah teaches us this week, bring the topic out in the open.

The Talmud instructs us that we are should "serve God with joy." But as we have demonstrated during Purim and Simchat Torah, we can observe these two holidays, joyously, without alcohol.

Indeed, alcohol is one mitzvah mentioned in the Talmudwhich we should look beyond.

Rather, it is the spirit of the occasion which should elevate our souls.

Shabbat Shalom, v'kol tuv.

Rabbi Irwin Huberman