Question:
How should a teenage boy who does not like wine and never drinks it besides a little bit for arba kosos mixed with great juice, treat the mitzvah of getting “drunk on Purim”. Regarding the “drink a little and take a nap”, when is this nap taken as the Purim seuda is the end of Purim?
Answer:
Hello,
To be honest with you, I understand you. I don’t like wine, and never drink wine, however on Purim when it is a mitzva, I do it anyways, because this is the mitzva of the day. When a man gets drinks on Purim and he is thinking about how much Hashem loves us, cares for us and protects us, he gets such a feeling of Ahavas Hashem, in his heart, that he will not be able to feel otherwise. This makes a deep impression on him, and it is also time that you can daven from the depths of your heart, and daven with kavana, and sincerity, that you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. During the rest of the year, we don’t do this. The Torah discourages getting drunk, however the specialness of the day of Purim is different.
Regarding fulfilling “ad d’lo yoda” according to the Rema, you can drink more than you usually do, in the morning, and then take a nap. See Orchos Rabeinu vol. 3 pg. 186, that the Steipler used to do this.
Best wishes
