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Is a sin done while inebriated considered an unintentional (bShogeg) sin? Sources are welcome.

msh210
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TreeKing
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1 Answers1

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The Gemara Eiruvin 65a says that

אמר רב ששת משום רבי אלעזר בן עזריה יכול יכול אני לפטור את כל העולם כולו מן הדין מיום שחרב בית המקדש ועד עכשיו שנאמר לכן שמעי נא זאת ענייה ושכורת ולא מיין מיתיבי שיכור מקחו מקח וממכרו ממכר עבר עבירה שיש בה מיתה ממיתין אותו מלקות מלקין אותו כללו של דבר הרי הוא כפיקח לכל דבריו אלא שפטור מן התפלה מאי יכולני לפטור דקאמר נמי מדין תפלה אמר רבי חנינא ל"ש אלא שלא הגיע לשכרותו של לוט אבל הגיע לשכרותו של לוט פטור מכולם

Rav Sheishes said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, "I am able to free the whole world from punishment from the time of the destruction of the Temple until now, as it says 'Listen to this, poor drunk one, and not from wine'". [The Gemara] asks [that the Braisa says] "One who is drunk: 1. His purchases are valid, 2. his sales are valid 3. If he does a capital crime he is executed 4. If he does a crime punished by lashing he's punished. As a general rule, he's like a 'smart' man for everything, except that he's free from prayer."[Therefore, the Gemara changes the original statement to mean that he is freed from punishment for lack of] prayer.

Rabbi Chanina says that [the above law] is true if he didn't get to Lot's drunkenness. Once he gets to Lot's level he's free from punishments.

Community
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ertert3terte
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    "Totally free" is not the clearest translation for פטור מכולם, which more precisely means that he is exempt from the aforementioned punishments. See Orchos Chayim (Hil. M'gila §38) who characterizes drunkenness itself as a great sin, since it can lead to other major sins. WRT hypnosis, R' Moshe says that someone who voluntarily puts himself in a situation that will likely cause him to later sin involuntarily is not considered an אונס (exemption of monetary liability for certain types of damage on Purim is only due to the presumption that people forgive such damage under the circumstances). – Fred Feb 08 '15 at 07:34
  • @Fred where is the R. Moshe? – mevaqesh Feb 08 '15 at 19:23
  • @Fred Sorry, misread that as "Patur Miklum" – ertert3terte Feb 08 '15 at 19:26
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    @mevaqesh Discussed here: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/16364 – Fred Feb 08 '15 at 19:29
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    @Fred and the Teshuvas HaBach that if a person does drink "to the point of Lot", i.e. no longer conscious of their actions -- on Purim (or any other day) and then damages property, that they had no right to put themselves into such a predicament and are therefore liable for any damages they caused in that state. – Shalom Feb 08 '15 at 19:52
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    Just as a side note ,I remember playing around with some gematriot and the famous saying of Rabbah in megilla מחייב איניש... has the same gematria of the passuk quoted by Rav Sheshes – sam Feb 08 '15 at 19:58
  • @Shalom That's a very relevant source (Y'shanos §62): דלא קאמר תלמודא דבהגיע לשכרותו של לוט פטור אלא להני דקא חשיב בברייתא בפירוש מקח וממכר מיתה ומלקות אבל לגבי ניזקין אין ספק דחייב דה"ל להזהר מתחלה שלא ישתכר כלוט ולהזיק את הרבים דמי אנסו להשתכר כ"כ עד דלא ידע מה קעביד... דאיהו הוא דגרי' לנפשי' חייב בניזקין ואפי' ישן דאי אפשר בלא שינה א"ה חייב בנזקין כ"ש בשיכור דהוה פושע גמור. – Fred Feb 08 '15 at 20:10