Bnei Brak Launches ‘No Smoking On Purim’ Campaign

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smokingThe streets of Bnei Brak have been plastered in recent days with posters distributed by the municipality ahead of Purim. These aren’t invitations to a Purim play or seudah, but a campaign aimed at young adults not to smoke during the Purim‘s festivities.

The campaign, which goes by the title “Gedolei Yisroel Against Smoking,” is meant to prevent bochurim from starting to smoke in the spirit of the Yom Tov’s gaieties, a turning point behavior that could turn from a one-time event into a fixed and addictive habit.

“On Purim, young people think it’s possible to have fun and smoke under the guise of merrymaking,” explained municipal secretariat and spokesman Reb Avraham Tannenbaum. “Because of the joy of the chag, they allow themselves to smoke and are not aware that one cigarette will likely beget more smoking after it until great difficulties are encountered trying to quit.”

R’ Tannenbaum explained that a halachic ruling was recently issued on the matter following scientific research that proved the damage incurred by smoking. “It is written, ‘Venishmartem es nafshoseichem,’ and smoking damages body and soul and, therefore, is against the Torah.”

The campaign is being run by the municipal education department. Hundreds of notices, pamphlets, and fliers will be distributed as part of the effort.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel/Ynet}


6 COMMENTS

  1. At the end of the day, the major poskim have not paskened unequivically that smoking is assur. As long as no psak is forthcoming and bachurim continue to see their Rabbeim smoke, there is no real hope for cutting out smoking among the youth.

  2. being that everyone knows that cigarette smoking is a sekana, why do you need a psak from “major poskim”? is “chamirah sekanta m’isure” not major enough for you???

  3. Someone’s gonna say, now you’re cutting down on our Purim fun even more.
    We have to give kids more of a taste of honest, constructive fun.

  4. Smoking is assured all year round. I cant understand why smoking is not illegal. It is mind boggling. I have posed this question to one of my law groups at Harvard University. The obvious answer was; Passing smoking as an act against law will cause a billion dollar industry to crumble and wreck our economy. I laughed at the answer and posed a thought. Think of how many billions are being dedicated to the hospitals and medical field to help smoking caused diseases. So, I had to laugh when one of the attorneys piped up and said “Well, that’ll be two feilds that will crumble in the economy, medical and Cigarette!”

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