TY - JOUR
T1 - A Permissible Sin
T2 - Perceptions of Smoking Among Haredi Men in Israel
AU - Guzmen-Carmeli, Shlomo
AU - Weizman, Rotem
AU - Friedman, Tammar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - This essay deals with perceptions of smoking among Haredi men in Israel. Though trends in smoking within the Haredi society have been quantitively examined, no qualitative research has ever focused on the motivations and mindsets stimulating individuals’ choices to take health risks despite religious precepts to the contrary. Israeli Haredi men sometimes start smoking in their early childhood and are unmotivated to quit, and such circumstances should be examined. We interviewed 20 Israeli Haredi male smokers and overviewed the Haredi daily press and rabbinical attitudes toward smoking. Our findings indicate that Haredi men typically consider smoking as either permissible or, at worst, a minor sin. From childhood they view smoking as an expression of maturity, and moreover one which is associated with Jewish holidays and particular religious practices. Such perception relies on the Haredi establishment's normative exclusion of smoking from the Halachic commandments that aim to protect health. Finally, we illustrate key points to consider in paths leading to an intervention process to change these norms and practices.
AB - This essay deals with perceptions of smoking among Haredi men in Israel. Though trends in smoking within the Haredi society have been quantitively examined, no qualitative research has ever focused on the motivations and mindsets stimulating individuals’ choices to take health risks despite religious precepts to the contrary. Israeli Haredi men sometimes start smoking in their early childhood and are unmotivated to quit, and such circumstances should be examined. We interviewed 20 Israeli Haredi male smokers and overviewed the Haredi daily press and rabbinical attitudes toward smoking. Our findings indicate that Haredi men typically consider smoking as either permissible or, at worst, a minor sin. From childhood they view smoking as an expression of maturity, and moreover one which is associated with Jewish holidays and particular religious practices. Such perception relies on the Haredi establishment's normative exclusion of smoking from the Halachic commandments that aim to protect health. Finally, we illustrate key points to consider in paths leading to an intervention process to change these norms and practices.
KW - Haredi
KW - Health risks
KW - Permissible sin
KW - Smoking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187869665&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10943-024-02019-2
DO - 10.1007/s10943-024-02019-2
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
C2 - 38491341
AN - SCOPUS:85187869665
SN - 0022-4197
VL - 63
SP - 2559
EP - 2580
JO - Journal of Religion and Health
JF - Journal of Religion and Health
IS - 4
ER -