Saturday, December 31, 2011

Justifying Problematic Behavior

Tonight after shabbos 2 yeshiva bochrim were searching for cigarettes [it had been 25 hours without a smoke, Hashem yerachem!]. I told them that since Rav Nevenzahl is the Rov of the Old City and he holds that it is forbidden to smoke because it endangers health, they should refrain from doing so within the confines of the neighborhood. They started using some very unconvincing logic trying to argue that it is permitted.

So I tried something else. I said "Does Hashem want you to smoke? Do you have any source? It's just a disgusting tyveh"

"I do have a source", one of the boys retorted, "Rebbe Nachman! He said that it is good to smoke. Helps you think better."

Now these boys were Breslov Chasidim like I'm an Ethiopian grandmother pregnant with triplets. But in order to indulge in their health-jepordizing desire they are ready to become partial Breslovers.

So I asked them if they go to doctors. When they answered in the affirmative I told them that Rebbe Nachman said that one shouldn't go to doctors.

Breslovers for cigarettes only.