The days of Purim are very dangerous and they're prone to auto collisions. In the past few years, there were serious collisions caused by drivers who weren’t totally alert.
A strongly worded letter was signed by all the Torah Giants of our generation that clearly says that someone drives after drinking is a potential murderer and has no permission to drive.
“With the days of Purim approaching we saw it fit to warn the community about the serious Mitzvah of protecting your life- to be careful about road safety whether you are a driver or pedestrian.
Emergency First Responders tell of the many tragedies that happened on Purim and explained to us the great danger of drunk driving.
In a clear decision of Jewish law Torah authorities established that: “Someone who drives after fulfilling the Mitzvah of Purim of drinking even if only a little bit or someone who drives when he's very tired that could be very common on Purim he is almost a wanton murderer and he could cause death and bloodshed. All Mitzvoth of the Torah or pushed aside to help the endangered life and that definitely includes not drinking if you’re going to drive”.
Our sages also added and stressed not to drive even after drinking a drop of alcohol as it causes a person to get distracted.
The Torah leaders also point out that a person should be careful to refrain from drinking too much alcohol and not permit teenagers to drink a lot. Teenagers should be discouraged from drinking a lot as it endangers life and great harm. Adults must be vigilant to watch out and protect the lives of our youth.
This Halachic decision (Jewish Law) was signed by the Torah Giants: Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Rabbi Shimon Baadani, Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, Rabbi Yitzchak Zilbershtein, Rabbi Yehudah Silman, Rabbi Shariel Rosenberg, Rabbi Mendel Shporn, Rabbi Azriel Aeurbach, Rabbi Naftali Nussbaum, Rabbi Shammai Kehat Hacohen Gross and Rabbi Aryeh Dvir.
We should remember that the rule about the mitzva of drinking on Purim doesn't require a person to get seriously drunk just to drink a little bit more than usual and to sleep and when he's sleeping he doesn't know the difference between the cursing of Haman and the blessing of Mordechai. A person can do a lot or a little bit as long as he has in mind to do it for heaven. This is learned out from the words of the Talmud: “A person should be happy on Purim,” that means happy and not drunk.
The Arizal, who discusses the lofty kabbalistic thoughts a person has to have when he's drinking, said: “A person should not get drunk just he should get pleasantly happy.”
