First, a story. I was 14 when my parents, OBM, sent me away to yeshiva. The first Purim in yeshiva, with no supervision, I spent about half an hour that night drinking beer, wine, schnapps and getting good and drunk. I spent the next three hours in the bathroom calling Ralph on the big, white phone, not to mention the incredible hangover I had the next morning. It was an important life lesson and the lesson is one that manifests itself in folklore and physical science (Newton’s Third Law comes to mind) actions have consequences. I still enjoy a l’chaim now and again, I have no trouble with arba kosos or drinking on Purim but I have never again gone beyond the limits of good judgment (not to mention not driving).
As to drinking on Purim: There are Ovdei HaShem and there are menuvalim, even without drinking. For an Oveid HaShem drinking on Purim can intensify his spiritual experience and kavanos. On Purim I have seen these fellows benching b’kol ram with great and intense kavanah. I have seen bachurim in front of the Aron, tears streaming down there faces, saying vidui. Menuvalim, on the other hand, become bigger menuvalim with the diminution of control that drinking causes. But the fact is that they were
menuvalim to start out with.
In our communities, thousands of Jews drink moderately and rejoice l’shem Shamayim on Purim. To say that “we all” need to stop drinking because there are a few menuvalim who can’t control themselves is an insult to those thousands.