Substance Abuse & Addiction
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GUIDING INVESTIGATIONS

  • What substances are mentioned in our texts?
  • Who has ownership over our bodies? What does that say about how we are supposed to treat them?
  • What do the sources say about the role of habit and addiction in substance use?

CORE SOURCES

מסילת ישרים ט׳

(ג) ומי שמרגיל עצמו למנהגות האלה, איננו אדון בעצמו לעשות היפך זה כשירצה, כי כבר נאסר רצונו במאסר ההרגל הנעשה טבע שני

Mesilat Yesharim 9

(3) One who habituates himself in these practices is not master over himself to do the opposite of these things when he wishes. For his will is already imprisoned in the prison of habit which has become second nature to him.

Comprehension:

  • What does it mean to be a “slave” to a habit? What are some kinds of habits people are slave to?
  • This text asserts that at a certain point, people can’t even act differently if they want to – do you agree or disagree?
  • “Their will is held in bondage” – are there ways for people to break out of bondage of habits?
  • What are the differences and similarities between habits and addiction?

Challenge:

  • Why might substance abuse be seen as a “habit”? Do you agree that people are held in bondage by substance abuse? Why or why not?
בבא קמא צ״א ב:ח׳
מאן תנא דשמעת ליה דאמר אין אדם רשאי לחבל בעצמו אילימא האי תנא הוא דתניא (בראשית ט, ה) ואך את דמכם לנפשותיכם אדרש ר' אלעזר אומר מיד נפשותיכם אדרש את דמכם
Bava Kamma 91b:8

The Gemara asks: Who is the sage that you heard that says: It is forbidden for a person to injure himself? If we say that it is this sage, as it is taught: The verse states: “And surely your blood of your souls will I require” (Genesis 9:5), and Rabbi Elazar says: From the hand of your souls, i.e., from yourself, will I require your blood, meaning one is liable even for taking his own life

Comprehension:

  • The verse from Genesis suggests God has a "right" to our blood. Why do you think that is?
  • How might this idea define Judaism's attitude to substance abuse?

Challenge:

  • The idea that our bodies do not truly belong to us comes up in many conversations about Jewish law, from suicide to cosmetic surgery. Do you think this principle should apply across the board or is there a difference in level of 'self harm?'
דברים ד׳:ט׳-ט״ו

(ט) רַ֡ק הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד... (טו) וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם

Deuteronomy 4:9-15

(9) But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously... (15) For your own sake, therefore, be most careful

Comprehension:

  • If we are commanded to take “utmost care” of our bodies and “be most careful – how is substance use/abuse a violation of this?
  • Do you believe Jewish law should extend to tell us what one can and cannot do with one's body?
משנה תורה, הלכות דעות ד׳:א׳

(א) הוֹאִיל וֶהֱיוֹת הַגּוּף בָּרִיא וְשָׁלֵם מִדַּרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם הוּא. שֶׁהֲרֵי אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבִין אוֹ יֵדַע דָּבָר מִידִיעַת הַבּוֹרֵא וְהוּא חוֹלֶה. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיק אָדָם עַצְמוֹ מִדְּבָרִים הַמְאַבְּדִין אֶת הַגּוּף. וּלְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בִּדְבָרִים הַמַּבְרִין וְהַמַּחֲלִימִים.

Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 4:1

(1) Seeing that the maintenance of the body in a healthy and sound condition is a God-chosen way, for, lo, it is impossible that one should understand or know aught of the divine knowledge concerning the Creator when he is sick, it is necessary for man to distance himself from things which destroy the body, and accustom himself in things which are healthful and life-imparting.

Comprehension:

  • How can you rephrase the idea that having a healthy and sound body is a “way of God”?
  • How does substance abuse interfere with an understanding and knowledge of God?

Challenge:

  • Is legal recreational marijuana use a violation of the assertions of these texts? Why or why not? Is legal alcohol use?

The text from Rashi below is a commentary on the following text from Pesachim

פסחים קי״ג א:ד׳

אמר ליה רב לחייא בריה לא תשתי סמא

Pesachim 113a:4

Rav said to Ḥiyya, his son: Do not get into the habit of drinking medications, lest you develop an addiction.

רש"י על פסחים קי״ג א:ד׳

לא תשתי סמא - לא תלמד לשתות סמים מפני שתקבע להון ווסת ויהא לבך שואלך ותפזר מעות. ל"א לא תהא רגיל לשתות סממנים כדאמר: (כולהו שקייני) דמעלי להאי קשה להאי:

Rashi on Pesachim 113a:4

Do not drink medicines/elixirs: do not accustom yourself to drink potions for you will establish a pattern of it and your heart will crave it and you will squander your money. A different interpretation: do not become accustomed to drinking elixirs as they say "That which may be good for this, is detrimental to that."

(implying: that which may heal one physical malady can cause pain or injury in another part of the body)

Comprehension:

  • What might Rav be including in his use of the word “potions”?
  • In the Rashi commentary, it says “do not accustom yourself” – what does this mean?
  • In our modern society, what might this Rashi be a warning of?
  • How can something (a medicine/elixir) be good for one part of our body but bad for another? What does this mean?
  • What modern warnings do you know of on medicines that indicate other dangers?

Challenge:

  • If long-term exposure to a medicine (even chemotherapy) is known to cause other problems, should we – as Jews – utilize these medicines? Why or why not?

The following five texts are intended to give a broader view of Judaism's relationship with alcohol.. The comprehension questions at the bottom look at these texts as a whole.

משלי כ״ג:ל״א-ל״ג

(לא) אַל־תֵּ֥רֶא יַיִן֮ כִּ֪י יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם כִּֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן בכיס [בַּכּ֣וֹס] עֵינ֑וֹ יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (לב) אַ֭חֲרִיתוֹ כְּנָחָ֣שׁ יִשָּׁ֑ךְ וּֽכְצִפְעֹנִ֥י יַפְרִֽשׁ׃ (לג) עֵ֭ינֶיךָ יִרְא֣וּ זָר֑וֹת וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ יְדַבֵּ֥ר תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃

Proverbs 23:31-33
(31) Do not ogle that red wine As it lends its color to the cup, As it flows on smoothly; (32) In the end, it bites like a snake; It spits like a basilisk. (33) Your eyes will see strange sights; Your heart will speak distorted things.
כל בו מ״ה

לא שישתכר שהשכרות אסור גמור ואין לך עברה גדולה מזו שהוא גורם לגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים ולכמה עברות זולתן

Kol Bo 45

One should not get drunk - for inebriation is completely forbidden. There is no greater sin than this for it causes forbidden sexual relationships, murder, and many other sins.

משלי כ׳:א׳
(א) לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּין הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם׃
Proverbs 20:1
(1) Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer; He who is muddled by them will not grow wise.
במדבר רבה י׳:ח׳

נִכְנַס הַיַּיִן יָצָא הַדָּעַת. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ יַיִן אֵין דַּעַת, נִכְנַס יַיִן יָצָא סוֹד, יַיִן חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ שִׁבְעִים וְסוֹד חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ שִׁבְעִים.

Bamidbar Rabbah 10:8

When the wine goes in, intelligence takes its leave. Whenever there is wine, there is no intelligence. When the wine enters, the secret (sod) comes out; the numerical total of wine (yayin) is 70 and the total of sod (secret) is 70.

משנה תורה, הלכות דעות ה׳:ג׳

וְכָל הַמִּשְׁתַּכֵּר הֲרֵי זֶה חוֹטֵא וּמְגֻנֶּה וּמַפְסִיד חָכְמָתוֹ. וְאִם נִשְׁתַּכֵּר בִּפְנֵי עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ הֲרֵי זֶה חִלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם.

Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 5:3

Whosoever intoxicates himself is a sinner, contemptible, and brings about the loss of his wisdom. If he intoxicates himself in the presence of the uncivilized, behold, this one blashphemed God's name.

Comprehension:

  • Collectively, what substance are these texts warning us against?
  • What do these texts say might happen to us by indulging in this substance?
  • What does it mean in Bamidbar Rabbah that when wine goes in, secrets go out?
  • How might getting drunk disgrace God?
  • If so many texts refer to inebriation as a problem, how important is this message in our sources?

Challenge:

  • So many of our Jewish ritual involve alcohol; how do we reconcile these texts with our ritual alcohol use?

ציץ אליעזר טו:לט

לאור זה נראה ברור ללא צל של סר כי אין מקום להתברך בלב (כפי שאחרים רוצים לומר כן) ולהורות כי היות והעישון [חשש סכנה] ואמרו: והאידנא דדשו בו רבים שומר פתאים ה'. דלא אמרו כן אלא במקומות דלא נתגלה בהתם... וראו שרבים עברו ולא ניזוקו. אבל בכגון הנידון שלפנינו אשר בעיקר בעשרות השנים האחרונות לאור המחקרים המדעיים והרפואיים השונים נתגלו בממדים מבהילים היזיקי הגוף המרובים והמסוכנים אשר העישון גורם בכנפיו... אם כן בודאי ובודאי שאבסורדי הוא להעלים עין מכל זה ולהפטיר כלאחר יד ולומר כי גם על כגון זה נאמר שומר פתאים ה'.

Tzitz Eliezer, 15:39

Response to a letter he received from a doctor asking whether Jewish law forbids smoking in light of the scientific proof of the harm it can cause

In light of all of this evidence, it is abundantly clear that there is no room to honestly permit smoking as others would like to claim. Those who would permit smoking argue that nowadays, smoking is a widespread and accepted practice that we see does not necessarily have negative side effects and therefore, even if it seems potentially harmful, we can rely on God to protect the 'fools' who engage in it. [In Jewish law] we only forbid practices which are certain to cause harm and we see that the majority of people who smoke do not directly suffer from it. However, with all of the evidence we now have before us, especially the many scientific studies that have been released in the last decade which have revealed the negative physical and dangerous effects of smoking, it would be absolutely absurd to ignore all of this new information and to brush it aside and to permit smoking based on the doubtful harm it may cause.

Comprehension:

  • What is the argument made by rabbinic authorities who permit smoking?
  • What is the argument of the Tzitz Eliezer against this view?
  • Do you think medical studies should be taken in to account in determining Jewish law?
  • What do you think they would say about e-cigarettes (vaping)? Hookah?

Challenge:

  • If the use of smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes is legal, how do you think the Rabbis here would rule on that?

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

    Beit T’Shuvah Spiritual Counseling Approach to Addiction Treatment (https://btsrecovery.org)

    Addiction isn’t just a physical or emotional disease—at the core, addiction is a spiritual issue. Rooted in the wisdom of the Jewish tradition, clients are provided a spiritual counselor on their treatment team to address his or her “hole in the soul.” Spiritual counselors—including experienced rabbis, skilled Jewish educators, and promising interns from local rabbinical seminaries—bring their own spiritual journeys into the room. In each session, the spiritual counselor shares texts, practices, and resources from the Jewish tradition.The spiritual counselor and client discuss and interpret these texts, allowing them to outline a path for living well. Clients connect on a personal level with the spiritual counselor, while gaining insight and guidance for their own lives. This strong focus on spirituality and relationship building make spiritual counseling one of the most unique and healing aspects of our program.

    AUDIO LIBRARY – The Twelve Steps of AA seen through the lens of Judaism and Kabalah

    https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/717572/jewish/Twelve-Steps-and-Judaism.htm