Medical Marijuana has been considered an illegal substance since 1972. The United States Congress claimed marijuana was deadly and placed it in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. It was considered to have no medical use and to be harmful to the human body. Research that has been conducted in more recent times has indicated differently. Studies conducted on medical marijuana have led to many breakthroughs in its use as a medicine and for healing. The Torah supports the use of any natural methods to induce aid and healing to those in need. New discoveries in the chemical THC have proven that marijuana has medicinal purposes and can be used to help treat those who are ill. Therefore, the Torah supports the use of marijuana, a proven harmless substance in relation to other drugs of the same purpose, to help those in pain. Legalization of marijuana for medical purposes across the United States would aid many who are suffering and would also prove beneficial in many other areas. The stimulus it would provide to the economy if taxed and the downfall of marijuana-related crime would help thousands to live more successful lives.
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| This means, according to the words of our Sages…there in Yevamot [78b-79a], that Saul did not actually kill even a single Gibeonite. Rather, his entire punishment was meted out on account of the fact that through his slaughter of the priests of God in Nob, the Gibeonites lost their livelihood…As the Gibeonites had no part or inheritance in the land, they could not support themselves through farming….And it is most obvious that, inasmuch as Joshua and the chieftains of the community had sworn to them [the Gibeonites] that they [the leadership of the people Israel] would sustain them (Joshua 9:20-21) — that is, that they [the leadership of the people Israel] would accomplish this by supplying them work whereby they could earn a livelihood — it is, therefore, the obligation of every government to be concerned for the subsistence of its citizens, whether they are permanent residents or strangers….And this we are also given to learn from their words: The Gibeonites were abandoned to die by famine…on account of the sin of Saul. And the entire people Israel saw and knew this, and not one person protested, not one demanded justice for the Gibeonites. [David Ellenson translation] |
1. What does it mean that a government "be concerned for the subsistence of its citizens?"
2. How can a government go about doing this?
1. What kind of healing does this text refer to?
2. Why is someone who abstains from healing another person considered to have shed blood?
3. How can this text be used within the greater conversation about universal healthcare today?
1. What is the core value this text puts forth?
2. In our contemporary context when human life is lost at an astonishing rate, how can we fulfill this fundamental directive without losing our own lives?
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| Both the roof and any other object of potential danger, by which it is likely that a person could be fatally injured, such a well or a pit on his property, whether or not there is water in it, require that the owner build a barrier at least ten handbreadths high or make a cover for it so that no one will fall in and die. And so regarding any situation which has mortal danger, one has a positive commandment to remove the danger and guard it and be very careful with it as it says, "Be careful" and "Guard your soul" (Deuteronomy 4,9) and if one does not remove it but leaves those obstacles allowing potential danger, one transgresses a positive commandment and negates a negative commandment “Thou shall not spill blood.” [AJWS translation] |
אחד הגג ואחד כל דבר שיש בו סכנה וראוי שיכשל בו אדם וימות כגון שהיתה לו באר או בור בחצירו בין שיש בהן מים בין שאין בהן מים חייב לעשות להן חוליה גבוהה עשרה טפחים או לעשות לה כסוי כדי שלא יפול בה אדם וימות. וכן כל ג מכשול שיש בו סכנת נפשות מצות עשה להסירו ולהשמר ממנו ולהזהר בדבר יפה יפה שנ' (דברים ד' ט') השמר לך ושמור נפשך, ואם לא הסיר, והניח המכשולות המביאין לידי סכנה, ביטל מצות עשה ועבר על לא תשים דמים.
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1. What are dangers that we know about that we have not yet succeeding in protecting people from - domestically and internationally?
2. How can we do a better of job ensuring that people stop dying preventable deaths?
3. In what ways do we need government to help us with this?
1. God is commanding the Israelites not to forget their encounter with God and receiving the Ten Commandments. Why is this important?
2. What does this text teach us about the value of understanding one's own narrative?
3. How does maintaining a communal identity affect our social justice work?
1. What does it mean to "stand idly by"? What if you are not in a position to directly save the life?
2. Who is the "neighbor" the Torah is talking about?
3. What if it seems like there is nothing you can do?
1. Why do we want to take vengeance or harbor grudges? On what basis are we told not to do so?
2. What does this text teach us about how we treat others?
3. What does this text teach us about how we treat ourselves?
1. What lessons can we learn from the fact that people were created individually?
2. What is the value in each of us reminding ourselves that for our sake the world was created? How does this realization affect the way we interact with the world?
3. How do we reconcile the first half of the text that reminds us of the sanctity of human life, with the second half that encourages us to punish the wicked appropriately in order to derive joy?