Drinking L’chaim! From time to time, it is good to have a drink together—not to grow drunk and rowdy, heaven forbid, but in the Hasidic manner: in order to bond more closely and also to awaken your spirit—even your animal spirit—from its sloth. Even if a group member does not usually drink alcohol because of poor health (heaven forbid), he should dilute some alcohol with water and drink along with everyone else.
טוֹב שֶׁיִּשְׁתּוּ מִזְּמַן לִזְמַן מַשְׁקֶה יַחַד, לֹא לְהִשְׁתַּכֵּר וּלְהוֹלל ח"ו, רַק כְּדַרְכָּם שֶׁל הַחֲסִידִים כְּדֵי לְהִתְחַבֵּר יוֹתֵר יַחַד, וּלְעוֹרֵר גַּם אֶת נֶפֶשׁ בַּהֲמִיּוּתָהּ מֵעַצְלוּתָהּ אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹתֶה מַשְׁקֶה מִפְּנֵי חֻלְשַׁת בְּרִיאוּתוֹ ח"ו, יְעָרֵב מַיִם בְּמַשְׁקהו וְיִשְׁתֶּה עִמָּהֶם יַחַד.
Drinking L’chaim!
From time to time, it is good to have a drink together—not to grow drunk and rowdy, heaven forbid, but in the Hasidic manner: in order to bond more closely and also to awaken your spirit—even your animal spirit—from its sloth. Even if a group member does not usually drink alcohol because of poor health (heaven forbid), he should dilute some alcohol with water and drink along with everyone else.