BS"D Monday, 22nd of Shevat, 5783
I Seek My Brothers.
Dear brothers, I have come to protest against the shedding of innocent blood, for the land will not condone those who spilt it (Bamidbor 35:33).
Hashem gave us the holy day of Purim which is designated as Yom Kippurim, a day of atonement. To our chagrin, this has turned into a day of bloodshed. I know of children who threw fireworks and of women who reached life-threatening situations. There are children who lost fingers and people who were blinded.
Those who sell explosives or fathers who allow their children to use them — what will they have to say on the Day of Judgment where this sanctified day was transformed to a day of bloodshed?
We find in the introduction of "Moed Lechol Chai" that the use of explosives had been taken from the heathen nations, and it is improper for the Jewish nation [to adopt this] in any form or at any time. Whoever does so is guilty of "you shall not do as their deeds."
He writes that at first, the Beis Din announced the establishment of the new month to the Jews in the Diaspora through the torches lit from mountaintop to mountaintop and all of the exiles would be illuminated through bonfires. But they did not use fireworks or gunshots etc. for these were considered weapons prone to misfortune, while the festivals of Hashem were given for life and not death.
And even if it does not contain anything lethal and only makes noise, nevertheless, the sudden blast can frighten a person and send shivers all over him. Such a thing is surely not seemly for our Jewish people, nowhere and at no time, not even for Purim or at weddings for these are murderous weapons even in small amounts.
This simply resounds as "you shall not do as their deeds (of the nations of the world)" and therefore it is not proper for Jews to act as they do.
And it is certain not to use guns even if they use caps of negligible amounts of gunpowder, since this, too, is not appropriate behavior even on Purim. And in our city of Izmir an agreement was formulated between our rabbonim that no usage of things with gunpowder are to be extant, not in any form, and it is customary to publicly issue warnings against this on Shabbos Zochor — not even on Purim which is a day of much celebration.
On the surface, it appears that in minute amounts there is no danger of death, nevertheless, the usage cannot avoid causing pain and damage, as has happened here in Izmir where a great fire erupted, burning down all the homes.
He Who has performed miracles for us on the days of Purim shall show us mercy and loving-kindness that no longer may there be heard misfortune and tragedy within our borders.
Your brother, Yitzchok Zilberstein
