Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 18:00:57 -0500 (EST)
From: Russell Hendel <  rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Subject: Re: Smoking

QUESTION:
<  <  ...if we agree smoking is assur should we go around rebuking people who
smoke (a la the Biblical commandment to rebuke)...>  >

ANSWER:
I just want to add my personal experiences.  Needless to say there will
always be some people who will tell you to mind their own business. But I
have brought this subject up with many Rabbanim and Mara DAthra's. I have
NEVER been insulted. Many people have thanked me for 'my concern'. And many
people have actually changed.

The reason the rebuke changed them is either because (a) they hadn't really
thought about smoking as something prohibited or (b) they didn't realize
how they are role models that other people follow and that they have a
responsibility to them.

So I warmly encourage rebuke.  This is especially true since a major Posayk
like Rav Moshe explicitly says that 'I can only strongly advise against it
but cannot prohibit it'. I again state (and am proud) that if it weren't
for the prohibition of embarassing people I could list several well known
rabbanim whom I helped to stop smoking.

I hope my personal experiences can benefit others.

Russell Hendel; Math Towson;
Moderator Rashi is Simple; http://www.shamash.org/rashi/