(כט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב ׀ זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאָכְלָֽה׃
שאין לך דבר שעומד בפני פקוח נפש חוץ מע"ז וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים
Nothing stands before [the duty of] saving life except for idolatry, incest and murder. [AJWS translation]
(כב) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (כג) וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֮ בְּשָׂמִ֣ים רֹאשׁ֒ מָר־דְּרוֹר֙ חֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וְקִנְּמָן־בֶּ֥שֶׂם מַחֲצִית֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּקְנֵה־בֹ֖שֶׂם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמָאתָֽיִם׃...(כו) וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֥ ב֖וֹ אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְאֵ֖ת אֲר֥וֹן הָעֵדֻֽת׃...(כט) וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֣ אֹתָ֔ם וְהָי֖וּ קֹ֣דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֑ים כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהֶ֖ם יִקְדָּֽשׁ׃ (ל) וְאֶת־אַהֲרֹ֥ן וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו תִּמְשָׁ֑ח וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם לְכַהֵ֥ן לִֽי׃
(22) God spoke to Moses, saying:
(23) ’Take thou also unto thee the chief spices, of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet cane (kaneh-bosem) two hundred and fifty....
(26) And thou shalt anoint therewith the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony....
(29)And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy; whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
(30) And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto Me in the priest’s office.
סימן לה
איסור עישון סמים
בע״ה. ב׳ דר״ה אייר תשל״ג
מע״כ מוה״ר ירוהם פראם שליט״א.
הנה בדבר אשר התחילו איזה בחורים מהישיבה לעשן חשיש (מעראוואנא), פשוט שהוא דבר אסור מכמה עיקרי דינים שבתורה, חדא שהוא מקלקל ומכלה את הגוף, ואף אם נמצאו אנשים בריאים שלא מזיק להם כל כך אבל מקלקל הוא את הדעת ואינם יכולים להבין דבר לאשורו, שזה עוד יותר חמור שלבד שמונע עצמו מלמוד התורה כראוי, הוא מניעה גם מתפלה וממצות התורה, שעשיה בלא דעת הראוי הוא כלא קיימם.
ועוד שהוא גורם תאוה גדולה אשר הוא יותר מתאות אכילה וכדומה הצריכים להאדם לחיותו, ויש שלא יוכלו לצמצם ולהעביר תאותם, והוא איסור החמור שנאמר בבן סורר ומורה על תאוה היותר גדולה שיש לו לאכילה אף שהוא לאכילת כשרות, וכ"ש שאסור להביא עצמו לתאוה גדולה
עוד יותר ולדבר שליכא שום צורך להאדם בזה שהוא אסור, ואף שלמלקות נימא שאין עונשין מן הדין מ"מ לאיסורא ודאי עובר על לאו זה ואיכא גם הטעם דאיכא בבן סורר ומורה שסופו שילסטם את הבריות כדאיתא בסנהדרין בפ' בן סורר (ס"ח ע"ב).
ועוד שהאב והאם של אלו שמעשנין זה מצטערים מאד אשר עוברין על מצות כבוד אב ואם. ועוד איכא איסור העשה דקדושים תהיו כפירוש הרמב"ן בחומש. וגם הם גורמים לאיסורים הרבה אחרים לבד זה, סוף דבר הוא פשוט וברור שהוא מאיסורים חמורים וצריך להשתדל בכל היכולת להעביר טומאה זו מכל בני ישראל ובפרט מאלו שלומדין בישיבות. והנני ידידו מוקירו, משה פיינשטיין.
והנני דידו מוקירו,
משה פיינשטיין
Igrot Moshe, Yoreh De’ah Vol. 3, Siman 35
Behold, with regard to certain yeshiva students who have begun smoking hash (marijuana), It is obviously forbidden to smoke marijuana, as this violates many basic laws of our Torah.
First of all, it physically injures the person. Even if there are people who are not physically affected by this, it mentally affects the person as it destroys his mind, and prevents him from understanding things properly. This is a terrible thing, since not only can the individual not properly study Torah, he also can not pray and properly perform Mitzvot (commandments), since doing them mindlessly is considered as if they were not done at all.
Furthermore, he is creating within himself a very strong desire (addiction), which is much stronger than the desire to eat, etc. which are necessary for a person to live. There are many that can not control and withstand this desire. This is a very grave prohibition, as we find that a Wayward and Rebellious Son [is killed] (See Deuteronomy 21:18) for creating within himself a very strong desire, even though it is to eat kosher food! How much more so it is forbidden for a person to bring upon himself an even greater desire, especially for something that a person does not need at all...
Additionally, the parents of the person smoking certainly pained by his actions, in which case he is violating the Mitzvah of Kibbud Av V’Em (honoring one's father and mother). He is also violating the Mitzvah of “Kedoshim Ti’Hiyu”(You shall be holy), as explained by the Ramban in his commentary on the Chumash (5 Books of Moses). This also leads him to transgress other prohibitions, besides the actual prohibition of taking drugs. The bottom line is that it is clear and obvious that this is one of the grave prohibitions, and everyone must try with all of their strength to remove this impurity (Tuma’ah) from all Children of Israel.”
אמר שמואל דינא דמלכותא דינא
Shmuel said: The law of the kingdom is the law, i.e., Jews must obey the laws of the state in which they live.
אמר ליה רב לחייא בריה לא תשתי סמא ולא תשוור ניגרא ולא תעקר ככא ולא תקנא בחיויא
Rav said to Ḥiyya, his son: Do not get into the habit of drinking medications, lest you develop an addiction. And do not leap over a ditch, as you might hurt yourself in the process. And do not pull out a tooth, but try to heal it if possible. And do not provoke a snake in your house to try to kill it or chase it away.
(ג) דבר אחר: וכי ימוך, הדא הוא דכתיב (שם יא): גומל נפשו איש חסד, זה הלל הזקן שבשעה שהיה נפטר מתלמידיו היה מהלך והולך עמם. אמרו לו תלמידיו: רבי, להיכן אתה הולך? אמר להם: לעשות מצוה! אמרו לו: וכי מה מצוה זו? אמר להן: לרחוץ בבית המרחץ. אמרו לו: וכי זו מצוה היא? אמר להם: הן. מה אם איקונין של מלכים שמעמידים אותו בבתי טרטיאות ובבתי קרקסיאות, מי שנתמנה עליהם הוא מורקן ושוטפן והן מעלין לו מזונות. ולא עוד, אלא שהוא מתגדל עם גדולי מלכות. אני שנבראתי בצלם ובדמות, דכתיב (בראשית ב): כי בצלם אלקים עשה את האדם עאכ"ו!
A story is told of Hillel that when he finished a lesson with his pupils, he accompanied them from the classroom. They said, "Master, where are you going?" He answered, "To perform a mitzvah." "Which mitzvah is that?" they asked. "To bathe in a bathhouse," replied Hillel. The students asked, "Is this a mitzvah?" Hillel replied, "If somebody is appointed to scrape and clean the statues of the king that are set up in the theaters and circuses and is paid to do the work, and furthermore, associates with the nobility, how much the more so should I, who am created in the divine image and likeness, take care of my body."
In more recent times, the State of Israel has been at the forefront of cannabis research, with a cannabis industry worth billions of dollars. Notes Rabbi HaLevi: “Israel in general is more entrepreneurial and innovative by culture and design, and it’s no wonder that they have been engaged in medical cannabis R&D for half a century. It began with an entrepreneurial doctor, Raphael Mechoulam, and has been gaining unparalleled steam ever since.” Professor Mechoulam, a scientist at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was the first to isolate, synthesize and analyzeTetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) in cannabis, now used as treatments for serious health issues like Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy in both adults and children.
“We have a moral duty to explore, perfect and provide any plant and every plant if it has medicinal benefits,” says Rabbi HaLevi. “It’s a mitzvah to alleviate suffering, heal and save lives. This is why it’s sanctioned even in the most halachically observant circles, as it is medicine. . .
Rabbi Dr. Glassman agrees that with the notable exception of Purim shenanigans, “Judaism never endorses ‘recreational intoxication’ since it detracts from the essence of Jewish practice, which is the action of doing a mitzvah. Anything that could cause one to sleep late, forget to say the Shema prayer or read the Torah on Shabbat would surely be vigorously avoided. That said, Jews do drink wine in the context of kiddush, and that wine, in most cases, purposely contains an intoxicant, so there is a basis for a mild intoxication in the setting of ritual—but excess is always discouraged.”
https://www.jewishboston.com/am-yisrael-high-cannabis-in-jewish-tradition/
“One day Rabbi David, head of the Ostrow Jewish Court was shown by the Baal Shem Tov the new heavens that had been created by his thoughts while smoking. Rabbi David fell into a faint from the awe and fear that the sight inspired in him."
- Ibn Mardachya
(א) אין עושין פתילה לנר של שבת בין נר שעל השלחן בין כל נר שמדליק בבית מדבר שהאור אינו נאחז בו אלא נסרך סביביו והשלהבת קופצת כגון צמר ושער וכיוצא בהם אלא מדבר שהאור נתלה בו כגון פשתן נפוצה ובגד שש וצמר גפן וקנבוס וכיוצא בהן.
"One should not make the wick for a Sabbath lamp, whether it is the lamp on your table or any lamp that you light in the house... from something that the light does not come from the wick itself... for example wool, hair, etc... but rather from that which the light comes from the wick itself for example flax, cotton... or Kanebos."
("It is best to observe the law strictly with Cannabis if this is possible" -Eliyah Rabah)
After teaching for a short while, the Baal Shem Tov lit his pipe and smoked meditatively to prepare for prayers. Every action and movement of the holy Baal Shem Tov was intentional and for the service of God, blessed be He. Even his pipe-smoking was accompanied by kabbalistic meditations, and the smoke that rose from his pipe was like the smoke of the incense that was burned on the altar in the Temple. Indeed, throughout the day, whenever he wanted to ascent to the higher words, he smoked his pipe; and each time he puffed, he went from one world to another. After the prayers that morning, Rabbi Gershon of Kitov said to a fellow disciple, “I wish I would have the paradise that our master acquires from smoking one pipe of tobacco!”
Still, Judaism allows Jews to ingest many things that are not intrinsically holy as part of the effort to fulfill the responsibility to maintain a healthy body, mind and soul, and furthermore, as part of enjoying God's bounty, even when not directly related to matters of health...Whether using marijuana recreationally fits into that Jewish description of the nature and purpose of life depends on what its effects turn out to be. If it decreases pain in dying patients, then one not only may, but must, work to make it legally available to them. Thus, in sum, marijuana in and of itself is not inherently bad or good; it must be judged in terms of its effects in creating a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
If you are the master, fine. If you are the slave, then you are in trouble no matter what you’re the slave of, whether it be coffee, exercise or Torah study.
Marijuana is a plant and therefore kosher certification is not necessary for the cannabis itself. But in New York State, where companies are vying for up to five licenses to grow and sell medical marijuana, patients will not be allowed to smoke pot, so they will have to ingest it in other ways — such as capsules, food or drinks, which will require kosher certification for Orthodox patients.
http://forward.com/news/215113/medical-marijuana-may-soon-get-kosher-stamp-of-app/#ixzz3dlQC4vbe
—President Richard Milhous Nixon