Addiction Vs. Commitment

Neeleh, the sun is setting, the judgment will soon be sealed. Please, let me prove my love of thy Torah, my commitment to follow in its paths. Before the open door of the Holy Ark of thy Law, I stand with a final plea for my life. The last rays of setting sun slowly fade to darkness and great fear grips my heart. The final judgment is about to be sealed with the piercing sounding of the shofar.

I made it through the evening prayer. Now, as I fold my tallit and prepare to re-enter the routine of daily life, L-RD, I really hope that you sealed my name in the Book of Life.

A "watering hole in the desert" was created by the many who flocked to the cold orange juice being served to the tired, hungry and dry near the exit. Suddenly, I heard, "Does anyone have a cigarette?" It's hard to believe that I'd hear this at this frum yeshiva alumni minyon.

Is it really true that each cigarette knocks off a statistical 12 minutes plus from the life span? Does it cause emphysema, cardiac disease, increase crib-death syndrome among infants exposed to second-hand smoke, cause cancer of the lungs, urinary bladder, stomach and a multitude of other foci in the body? Am I obligated to accept the warning on each pack of cigarettes and their advertisements? Does an observant Jew have to heed physicians warnings?

How come smoking is not banned in the yeshivot and discouraged more forcefully amongst its alumni circles? Oh... but...but...eh...eh... they are truly concerned with health matters; they don't use the same fork unwashed to eat meat after being previously used to eat fish.

Does the Torah sanction smoking? It is written... "V-nish-martem Me-od L-naf-shey-chem"... Thou should exceedingly guard your life. That which is a threat to life and health is to be avoided with greater stringency than an explicit prohibition. Were a building to collapse on a person on the Sabbath, all activities necessary to rescue him are not only permitted, but obligatory, even if he were to live only a moment additionally. Only the three cardinal sins, wanton murder, idolatry and adultery justify the sacrificing of but a single moment of a life. What say you to a statistical loss of 8.3 years of life span for the smoker? These are Torah ordinances, aren't they? Why aren't they observed? Itappears that there is a higher priority for banning smoking than even for the observance of dietary law, Sabbath restrictions, the Covenant of Abraham, agricultural laws, tfillin, daily prayer, succah, etrog and the rest of the non-cardinal ranked ordinances. They are superseded by a threat to life, even though they are so much a part of Jewish life. Banning smoking is not at the level of a rabbinical consideration, it has the full authority of the Torah. (At the very least, as a possibleTorah prohibition it is also forbidden!)

Is it reasonable to listen to the fellow with the big thumb who rejects the above with this reasoning: These doctors, scientists have only "scientific evidence" obtained on a general world population, not Sabbath observers who stop one day a week. Perhaps then the body regenerates itself. Would this same fellow withhold insulin to a diabetic because the research data on diabetes was obtained on a general world population. Administering insulin on the Sabbath necessitates puncturing a stopper and might cause the drawing of a drop of blood. My guess is that this fellow is also most careful to get a clean washed fork before using it for meat after fish; this out of concern for health risks.

You've got the new year before you, whether you smoke, passively sanction it or take an opposing stand, it is a decision you can make. Would you passively accept smoking at your Sabbath table? Consider then whether weekday smoking is acceptable.

The Roshei Yeshiva are beginning to take a stand. Their students' life span will be diminished 8.3 years statistically for each of them who fall prey to this pernicious addiction. What a waste, if their goal is to foster Torah! Why let 8.3 years slip away so easily? Their goal is promulgating the Torah. they seek to increase Torah teachers and lay leaders. What a waste! That's simple economics and conservation of energy.