Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Leviticus 10:10/ספורנו על ויקרא י׳:י׳

אוּלְהַבְדִּיל וּלְהוֹרוֹת. כִּי יַיִן וְתִירוֹשׁ יִקַּח לֵב, כְּאָמְרוֹ (משלי לא:ד-ה) ״אַל לַמְּלָכִים שְׁתוֹ יָיִן, וְלָרוֹזְנִים אֵי שֵׁכָר, פֶּן יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק״.
1ולהבדיל..ולהורות. We know from Hoseah 4,11 that “wine and new wine destroy the minds of My people.” Issuing decrees, verdicts or religious rulings while intoxicated is therefore not tolerable. Solomon, in Proverbs 31,4-5 is similarly critical of such a practice writing: “wine is not for kings, O Lemuel; not for kings to drink, nor any strong drink for princes, lest they drink and forget what has been ordained.”