A prominent rabbi of the Religious Zionist Movement in Israel, also known as Mizrachi, criticized the L’Chaim custom in Chasidic circles.
Rabbi Yuval Sharlo, dean of the Hesder Yeshiva in Petach Tikva, said “the consumption of alcohol is one of the ‘metastasis’ of the Chasidic world.”
“Although every Chasid is used to saying he does not ‘drink’ but is saying ‘L’Chaim,’ and with that he turns the drink to a vessel for elevating the soul and connecting with Hashem.
“But, this sentiment is not always perceived that way,” the rabbi claimed. “More than once the drink turns to a legitimate way of life.
“I don’t have to be a Chasid to get to drinking and the scope of the phenomenon is the witness for it.”
Sharlo is a charismatic leader who is known for not being afraid to speak his mind on otherwise delicate subjects.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe instituted the ‘4 cup rule’ where L’Chaim on alcohol is only permitted to be said no more than four times.
At a visit to Camp Gan Israel in New York, the Rebbe told the campers that L’Chaim can be said on soda too.
Drinking has a very specific purpose and place. First off, the 4 lechaim rule needs to be treated as any other gezeirah from the Rebbe. People need to get more serious about that(although it only refers to those under 40, and i’m guess that means 40 years of torah study). Secondly, the purpose of Alchohol is not to have fun, its so people can break down psychological barriers in order to open up to eachother. I believe, in Hayom yom it says that drinking brings out the secret in people. Personally, i’m very introverted and it definitely helps, but it… Read more »
The first issue is that a non-Chabad rabbi made a comment about something that is not OK inside Chabad. The second issue is whether there is improper drinking inside Chabad. As Chassidim, we should first think about the second issue: We know that the inyan of Mashke is like the water given to the beheyma before its slaughtered, to make the skin easier to remove. In a farbrengen, we want to water our beheyma (nefesh habahamis) a little, we give it a little bribe, and soon after, we have managed to elevate a little and come closer to our friends,… Read more »
there is a famous sicha of the rebbe about how in russia – when they would farbreng, they would have a very small bottle on the table, and they would pour tiny amounts into very small cups, and they would take sips from the cups, and they would farbreng a whole night and then they would finish the ONE tiny cup. Point: They didn’t NEED mashke to farbreng.
The only ones who would drink mashke like pigs,and then get filthy drunk and barf thier guts all over the place is the drunken poyer’diken goyim – who are clearly NOT chassidim.
the definition of karahot is dancing together in a circle (machol)
instituded by the baal shem tov
just reading all these comments, and seeing the lack of achdus, leaves me in no wonder why moshiach isn’t here.
You need a Lubavitcher to tell you there’s too much drinking going on among us? I am a Lubavitcher and I’m telling you there’s too much drinking going on among us!!
as someone who drinks alot
its carzy mamash crazy
mi sherotze manah rotze mosayim
drinking is a very ver y serious drug – it should NEVER be let in teh yeshivos
NEVER
It is not just Lubavitchers who have alcohol for l’chaim.
A person needs to be put in charge at farbrengens, l’chaims, simchas Torah, Purim, etc. so that underage drinkers do not drink and the limit that the Rebbe placed is not exceeded.
I agree with your comment…….& its not a big deal to have a child…..its being there for your child……..
You losers mess up your own kids by letting them do whatever the heck they want, and then afterwards blame EVERYONE and everything besides for your dysfunctional selves and your even more disfunctional kids.
Get a hold of yourselves. You people destroy your kids, not some mashke at a l’chaim, farbrengen, kiddush etc. etc. I drink. I drink a lot. I have none of the issues that you people are trying to save me from.
Watch over your kids, and then you won’t have to blame innocent things like Smirnoff for your d… woes.
Zog a l’chaim, and let’s move on to the next post!
He sees his best students leaving for Chabad and Breslov and other kreizen and he wants to belittle Chassidus in the eyes of the few remaining fools who listen to him.
He is not a leader. He is a nothing and on the verge of kefira.
drink is a way to escape. it also allows shedding inhibitions. many people escape different ways. the choice to escape rather than meeting life head on is a human vice. i doubt anyone reading or positing doesn’t have some escape valve. the issue is how often and howmuch. if one is obsessed with escape to the point it aversely impact ther life and surroundings, the issue has become worse than escape. and we need to be careful about signals before it gets to that. shedding inhibitions is what mashke real allure is – in chassidishe farbrengens it allow for true… Read more »
Ah… but in the morning I shall be sober.
What is wrong with a little mashke, a little from time to time is actually good for you whereas Coke is not. Do you know how much sugar there is in Coke? How much Cafine? What it does to your kishkes? Teeth? mind?
Do you drunk I am think? Well not I am and don’t forget you it.
בס’ד Rabbi sharlo doesn’t understand the relation of a physical l’chaim to the spiritual neshama; but neither do the ones who get pie eyed. Just a a brocha elevates a tiny, inanimate kernal to kedkedusha, so does a l’chaim elevate us. Of course you can’t be sprawled on the floor., Your artical is well written, but your use of a big word, metastasis is puzzling. This means change of state of substance. Next time, use plain words. And, if you have time left after criticizing my group, look around you. So many of my old friends, HaPol Mizrachiniks, who lived… Read more »
Don’t you know that Yiddish song that Avremel sings, when meeting someone from lubavitch and asking what’s doing there, he’s told that they say L’chaim and do the karahoo…
BTW – anyone know what the karahoo is??
You are guilty of defaming Rabbi Sharlo because you only quoted the first half of his sentence. Also, do you NOT pity people with alternate tendencies? Shame on you.
i agree
#3, You seem to have stumbeled across a much greater divide between us, and what is consequentely what they are concerened about. Namely: we have no leadership. #5, Well said. #8, Well, I guess we’re a lion, then. But a drunken lion. Seriously though, this isn’t a us-or-them competition. A leader is expressing concern, that is all. Assume that it’s because he cares. #9, You forgot Rabbi Menashe Klein. From the mid-70s until recently, he was a friend to Lubavitch. But now he that criticizes meshichizm, so he’s part of the problem. The demonizing of Rabbi Sharlo has already begun,… Read more »
Instead of dealing with the issue, let’s attack the person speaking about it. That way whatever hes trying to say becomes null and void. Very classy way of really, intellectuality making a good argument. Alenskys rules for radicals #12 RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.) I don’t know who this person is and neither do I care, My only concern… Read more »
To #13. You need a reality check. Drugs are here in CHts as in any other place. If you don’t know about it then maybe you are one of the parents in denial. Has anyone done an “underground” survey of the mesivta’s? The last I knew they had the 13-16 year olds zhlokking away at farberengens under the encouragement of mashpiyim. (Definition: Mashpia: An articulate person who can hide the fact that he is totally lost in wht Chabad chassidus should mean today. He knows enough to mouth an intelligent shiur in a mamar. Just don’t ask too deep a… Read more »
So let me get this straight…you are okay with having young teenage under-age drinkers getting drunk on a regular basis? Considering their age, isn’t it illegal to provide them with alcohol???
He speaks out against l’chaims but he has “clear sympathy to people who have ‘alternate tendencies’ [lifestyle]’, see http://www.glbtjews.org/article.php3?id_article=558
He also “strongly encourages” people to visit sections of the Har HaBayis.
to concerned mother!
You see a lot of vodka and hard liquors drank in engagements; g-d forbid, one of those drinks can lead to tragedy; in addition, minors are also exposed to alcohol.
The problem in “other” communities is far greater than alcohol. Drug use has become a common problem in numerous non-Chassidic yeshivos! Given the choice, I’d rather my kid get “buzzed” on a few l’chaims (3-4 oz is around the limit for DUI), in a spiritual supervised setting of a farbrengen, then using illicit and illegal drugs which are used covertly, as is rampent in the “Litvish” yeshivos. Indeed, one reason that our yeshivos are not infested with drug use is the ability to have a kosher (free) outlet of mashke. Of course, controls and supervision are essential to follow the… Read more »
In Russia it was very difficult to get your hands on Chassidus. There were no printing presses, everything was copied manually. So to warm up and get inspired, spiritually and physically, (it’s cold in Russia, and there was no heat) Chassidim drank. In America, we have chassidus in abundance,Seforim, internet, etc. etc. We have heating in our homes. The Rebbe said we have Chassidus to inspire, to elevate, to warm up and therefore it is not priority to drink. It is the objective of drinking. If drinking brings positive results for e.g. Davening , Learning, Hidur Mitzvah,Yiras Shomayim etc. etc.… Read more »
looking at those drinks Im getting real thirsty for a heavy buzz. Loi sosuru you really shouldnt put up such enticing pictures. Man, do they look good. Holy Mackarel I still can/t get my self to post this comment and look away. Not fair really not fair.
If I read correctly, he does not single out chabad (not that we don’t have issues in this area) he spoke regarding chassidim in general. I do not know this Rabbi, but I would be melamed zchus, that he did not mean a little l’chaim (because even misnagdim will make a little l’chaim), he really meant the l’chaim when it is getting out of control and he feels this is mainly in the chassidic community at large. Also I do not think he came and said this in a Chassidishe moised, I think he was saying it to his own… Read more »
so when this guy comes and criticizes Chabad HE is the problem, when Boteach criticizes Chabad HE is the problem, ANYTIME anyONE crtiticizes Chabad THEY are the problem. No wonder we can’t solve anything.
We have NO problems – THat why. We are perfect just as we are
Sherlo is a complete cipher of no real import except to a few of his followers. Mizrachi is dying out as people saw the folly of it after the disengagement (surrender) whereas Chabad grows day by day.
Just a mouse trying to attack a lion that does not even need to bother squashing mice.
Still, drunkenness and lechaim are two different things – and the club and pub going left wing national religious have far more of a drinking problem than any Chassidim do!
Ad Mosai Hashem? Enough is enough. The bochurim are drinking themselves into alcoholism, an it’s a problem that must be ended. Also, why is there no physical education in our Lubavitcher Mosdos? I see unhealthy (they don’t eat healthy either), alcoholic boys running around, and it pains my heart to see them.
We must solve this problem now!! Ad Mosai Hashem!!
It is very upsetting that a negative perception of Lubavitch and Lubavitchers is constantly being created by websites like this that air our dirty laundry in public. The beauty of the Lubavitch movement is so much greater than the negative. I work and mix with many other Jewish circles and believe me they also have their problems, but they are not discussed so much in public. Let’s just be there for our children, teach them how to drink sensibly from a young age, love them and shepp nachas.
Kesiva V’chasima Tova to Klal Yisroel
Clearly, you also have no understanding of what being a Chabad Chassid really is.
The Rebbe told us many ways to be mekushar to him. Saying “L’chaim” on strong alcoholic beverages is nowhere on the list.
If you want to get drunk, then get drunk. But don’t blame your weakness on the Rebbe.
its about time someone address this problaom that we are all suffring from
in fact it’s printed thst the rebbi has said “anyone who drinks more then 4 lichaims should not go on talucha” so i ask why does one drink and then feel the need to say hes lubavitch when he has no respect for what lubavitch stands for???????????
Let’s not forget that this guy should mind his own buisness! Everybody is so worried about the Libavitchers today let him worry about his own people do u ever hear Labavitch leaders saying how they should run Lajkewood or Mir or Torah Vodath. However as a Lubavitcher myself I will say the drinking is out of control,there are so many drunks that live on my block alone and it causes such Shalom bayis that we have to do something anout it.
the rebbe subsequently said that the 4 lechaims is a maximum and that even less would be better and to just point out that the “4-cup” rule referes to the small 1-oz cups.
and what it means to be mekusher to the rebbe