Dear readers of YWN.
I am not a supervisor, coordinator, or in any other way a big “Macher”. but rather I am a simple EMT, a volunteer in Hatzalah.
I love volunteering in Hatzalah. I get to help people in their time of need. I love to do it, but it does come at a price. I often have to leave my home, put aside my work, to run out and help another yid in need. And I do it gladly, without hesitation and without complaint.
This Thursday I will be sitting down like everyone else to eat Seudas Purim with my family. I know from years past that the chance of me actually getting to enjoy the entire Seuda with my family is almost zero, and I know from past experience that the call I will be running out on my family for, is not some poor soul suffering some traumatic or medical emergency, but rather a self inflicted infliction.
We at Hatzalah will get call after call for people who are drunk.
I don’t have to explain what is wrong with excessive drinking, the immediate dangers of being incapacitated by intoxication, and the literally life wrecking problems of alcoholism. Rather this Purim before you drink yourself to oblivion or allow someone in your care to do so, I want you to also think about me. ask yourself what right you have to pull me away from my family because you are too drunk to protect your own airway! Who gave you the right to do that?!
And what kind of chutzpa does it take, to take away resources from your entire community, tying up personnel and ambulances for your drunkenness when they may be needed for someone Chas Veshalom having a heart attack!
Chag Purim Sameach!
Say Lechaim within moderation, stay safe, and remember we are always there for you.
A Hatzolah Volunteer.
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13 Responses
I’m also a simple h volunteer. But I don’t agree with your angle.
Hes 100% right, id like to give some advice also to parents. just because your son or someone else is stoned and passed out this does not mean hatzalah has to be called. 99% percent of the time hes passed out and he will sleep it off. find out about the signs which are a ‘true” danger, drastic loss of color to the face, a little pale is fine, trouble breathing, eyes rolled back, talk to a paramedic or hatzalah member but just to call because your panicking ties up valuable resources. Heres a quick biology lesson on how alcohol effects the brain. there are 3 parts to the brain the first part is the first to get effected by alcohol that controls thinking reasoning etc.. next alcohol takes out the second part of the brain which controls speaking, balance, movement, Now the last part of the brain controls the vital body parts heart lungs etc.. the brain has a safety mechanism built in after the first two parts of the brain are effected by alcohol the brain makes the person pass out so he should not be able to drink anymore and thereby endanger his vitals. if a person is drinking alot but they are not guzzling booze they will pass out before they are in danger. The real danger is when someone gulps down 2 or more cups of hard booze quickly the alcohol goes straight to the last brain Medulla without giving the second brain a chance to make the person pass out. Hard booze is the real problem, wine and beer doesnt have enough alcohol in it to go straight to the Medulla and effect the vitals. Keep your sons away from booze and if all their drinking is wine or beer even alot chances are they’ll be fine
Beautiful letter. But, there seems to be peer pressure among young bachurim about who is Fest Enough to get stoned. If only laying in ones own vomit and being nearly lifeless would be put into the proper perspective, of how irresponsible and selfish it is, ruining Purim for his family and friends, maybe it would penetrate into the conscious of those immature individuals.
That’s a lot of complaining for a guy who “And I do it gladly, without hesitation and without complaint.”
Guys common sense. #1 if u r a hatzolah member u see what goes on with a lot of people especially bucharim the drink and drink without stop. A lot of people suffer on purim from parepressure. Such a persons family have a very depressing purim. And this guy is rolling around from the chair to the floor and throwing up. And forget about the next day hangover. And if u read ywn yesterday I don’t remember who said that but he quotes “חייב איניש לבתומי בפוריא עד שלא ידע
Says the nesivas sholom that it doesn’t say יין the reason is that we should be confused, but the mitzvah isn’t through wine
If you have no medical training (other than a fascinating biology lesson in an internet comment) please play it safe.
Please speak to a physician or call hatzolah / 911 immediately if you are concerned about the health of a friend or relative.
With that in mind, please try to prevent yourself or your friends from getting so drunk that someone would get worried enough to call us.
Thanks and Happy Purim!
-yet another simple hatzolah volunteer
How dear you write such an article????? You can’t change the world people will do what they do regardless of what your wishes are. The only thing you accomplished is, That someone might second-guess themselves from calling EMS on Purim when their family or friend is in need of medical attention. You should Resign as an EMT.
Well written letter! As I’ve almost always believed, if one can’t control him/herself on Purim- then there is a Haskama minyan on Purim morning for davening and megillah followed by a regular work/college day. If one isn’t fulfilling the mitzvos of Purim in a meaningful and safe fashion, then you should head to work/college. It’s as simple as that!
ANON21 – you seem to have missed the point completely, he’s defo not complaining about genuine problems, just asking the selfish idiots who take up his own simchas purim with his family to spare a thought. Remember Hatzolah is a voluntary organisation, not a right in the community.
MARKBER – “how dare you write such an article?” How dare YOU be so chutzpadik? Believe me in case of emergency no-one will hesitate to contact an EMT.
And to the original writer _KOL HAKAVOD!!! Keep up the sterling work and hope you manage to enjoy Purim
The poster of this letter is 100% correct. There is no reason for ANYONE to get so drunk/stoned/wasted/trashed etc that it would cause someone else to call Hatzolah. There is no such mitzvah.
One is supposed to get tipsy enough to confuse Haman and Mordechai. And according to many a nap will fulfill the mitzvah.
I am not a Hatzolah member nor are any of my family members. Realize what they do is inconvenient and intrusive into their lives. Yet they do it willingly and without hesitation. I have had many occasions to call on them. And also had many occasions that I could have called but out of consideration of their time managed to handle the situation in other ways.
The writer of the letter is simply stating that while he will run out to any call that comes in, these types of Hatzolah calls can EASILY be avoided.
Sometimes we need to state the obvious.
The state of being passed out has zero connection with any mitzvah, not simcha, not “chayav inish livsumai”, nor anything else that is virtuous. It is simply blasphemous to believe that the Chachomim made a takana that would endanger anyone. The guidance of the Gedolei Haposkim, including the Mishna Berura, that one drink enough to sleep is clearly a reference to the mitzvah of celebrating the great nissim of Purim with wine. The sleep is not the mitzvah. Any drinking that approximates the need for medical attention is certainly unrelated to any mitzvah, and it is actually the aveiroh of choveil (be’atzmo).
Sprubin – To yourself and all others No one asked you to be part of the 911 system there are plenty of people that would be happy to take all the intox calls on purim with a smile. So no one needs you guys so please go to chaverim and direct traffic or something.
Your friendly paramedic which will always be happy to respond to every call.
Always amazes me that some are strict about drinking on purim, avoiding Torah learning on Tisha’bav, and making sure there is a flame on yomtov for lighting a cigarette. Or when I was in yeshiva, our Rav always joked “some guys are strict about not showering during the year in order to practice for the 9 days”. What I’m getting at is that our priorities on Purim should be Matanos La’evyonim and Shaloch Manos- because THIS enhances our connection with our Jewish brothers and sisters.