A person is obligated on Purim to get drunk until he does not know between cursing Haman and to bless Mordechai (B.T. Megilah 7b), thus reads the Gemara with reference to the appropriate celebration of Purim. Does Judaism require a level of intoxication at such a dangerous level? Teaches the Rambam: ‘imbibe to the point where one falls to sleep in his intoxication’ i.e., when asleep one cannot differentiate between Haman and Mordechai. Another understanding of this Gemara explains that the gematria/numeric values for the Hebrew words ‘cursed Haman’ (ארור המן) and ‘blessed Mordechai’ (ברוך מרדכי) are the same, so one who drinks to the point where she cannot calculate the gematria values has fulfilled the inebriation requirement. A third explanation says that there was a traditional rhyme that had complicated, similar sounding verses that alternatingly cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai; the smallest tipsiness of intoxication sufficed to err in blessing and curse. Finally, the Yad Ephraim teaches that ‘until he does not know’ means one must stop drinking before losing the ability to differentiate between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai. L’chaim!
