{"id":54836,"date":"2017-01-10T09:36:09","date_gmt":"2017-01-10T14:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=54836"},"modified":"2017-01-15T05:05:37","modified_gmt":"2017-01-15T10:05:37","slug":"wonders-creation-deep-roots-cannabis-torah-torah-view-cannabis-thc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/news\/wonders-creation-deep-roots-cannabis-torah-torah-view-cannabis-thc\/","title":{"rendered":"Wonders of Creation: The Deep Roots of Cannabis in Torah How does the Torah view cannabis and THC?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201c&#8230;if one\u2019s field is sown with cannabis&#8230;\u201d \u00a0&#8211;Masechet Menachot 15:2<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-post-54836 wp-image-54840\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/unnamed-7-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/unnamed-7-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/unnamed-7.jpg 280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>Though cannabis has been a hot topic in the medical field and in the general public for at least the past 5 years, the ancient herb is having a tough time losing its stigma. \u00a0The recent renewal of this pancultural medicine has sparked a new debate on its safety and legitimate use. \u00a0In step with this trend, Israel has been the man worldwide force in propelling medical cannabis to the fore around the world since 1999. \u00a0 The Israeli government allows for robust research on the drug which the US has banned to Schedule 1 status. The seeded stalks with surprising Talmudic roots are quickly finding the mainstream in Israeli research, encouraged by the current Minister of Health, Rabbi Ya\u2019akov LItzman of United Torah Judaism. \u00a0 \u00a0Cannabis access for patients in Israel is one of the few political issues in the Israeli government that unifies both the right and the left of the spectrum.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps it is no surprise that the green \u00a0herb native to the Sinai has been used throughout the ages by physicians to treat respiratory ailments, as the Rambam describes in his medical writings; indeed, cannabinoids are potent bronchodilators. \u00a0Additionally, recent archeological \u00a0remains found near Beit Shemesh show that cannabis resin was used as anesthesia during childbirth. \u00a0 More recently, the OU has certified certain medical cannabis foods for oral consumption, and Tikkun Olam, an Israel-based Torah-minded cannabis grower, is producing chewing gum for children with intractable seizures, amongst others.<\/p>\n<p>The Rambam surely felt quite comfortable with the use and discussion of cannabis, given its spotlight in the Talmud. \u00a0At several points, the Infinite provided Moshe Rabeinu and \u00a0the Jewish people clear instructions on cannabis cultivation and use, around the laws of kilyaim and shatnez. \u00a0 Should it be treated like flax, or not? \u00a0 Daas HaZakenim even debates whether it was flax or cannabis stalks behind which Rachav hid the spies in Jericho. \u00a0The Meam Loez acknowledges that the stalks were naturally perfumed, suggesting cannabis.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, the use of cannabis in fabrics, \u00a0Shabbos wicks, and sukkah building has been a debated and discussed topic in Tosefos, the Shulchan Aruch, Sefer HaChinuch, Ben Ish Chai, and Magen Avraham amongst others. \u00a0Rabbinical scholars once excluded cannabis as food on Pesach due to the kitynos prohibition, most recently, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky made a medical caveat for this prohibition.<\/p>\n<p>And while recreational intoxication is surely not \u00a0proscribed in Torah, the former Chief Rabbi of Egypt, the Radbaz, does mention its intoxicating effects. \u00a0He surely does not attest to personal experience, but he describes the leaves as \u2018simchah\u2019 producing upon consumption. \u00a0Additionally, the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch Jews warn Jews against reciting the Shema within dalet amos of a bowl where cannabis is soaking in water, due to its pungent odor.<\/p>\n<p>The intoxicating chemical in cannabis, THC, was discovered in <a class=\"rel_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hidabrut.com\/search?q=Jerusalem\" target=\"_blank\">Jerusalem<\/a> in 1964 by Dr. Rafael Meschoulam and colleagues. \u00a0His team later discovered the natural cannabinoid that the brain produces, termed anandamide. \u00a0Scientists have, in parallel discovered, indeed that the body possesses an entire endo-cannabinoid system that actively works at multiple levels, including bone structure, eye pressure, bronchodilation, mother-fetus communication and immune function, to name a few. \u00a0 \u00a0 Researchers in Tel Aviv have recently demonstrated that cannabinoids, THC in particular, may actually have neuro-protective effects in the setting of trauma. \u00a0Far from damaging the brain, THC may even protect it according to Israeli research. \u00a0In fact, there is growing early evidence that the cannabinoids work counterintuitively to preserve the brain\u2019s memory, even in Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>Medically speaking, cannabis is safer than aspirin, acetaminophen and, surely, oxycodone, which can stop one\u2019s breathing. \u00a0Cannabis is hands-down safer to body and society than alcohol, which is a common drink. \u00a0And, while it is not recommended, one cannot overdose on cannabis, short of ingesting 65 kilograms of the substance.<\/p>\n<p>The bottom line is: \u00a0not only does the Shulchan Aruch mention cannabis as finer choice for a Shabbos candle wick, but indeed the Torah may consider it a healing pillar of smoke.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Reprinted by permission of the author. Originally posted on:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hidabrut.com\/article\/178505\/The-Deep-Roots-of-Cannabis-in-Torah\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.hidabrut.com\/article\/178505\/The-Deep-Roots-of-Cannabis-in-Torah&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1484144706331000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFH0dJxVo9WDKJhDXknZcnptiQEfA\">http:\/\/www.hidabrut.com\/<wbr \/>article\/178505\/The-Deep-Roots-<wbr \/>of-Cannabis-in-Torah<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201c&#8230;if one\u2019s field is sown with cannabis&#8230;\u201d \u00a0&#8211;Masechet Menachot 15:2 Though cannabis has been a hot topic in the medical field and in the general public for at least the past 5 years, the ancient herb is having a tough time losing its stigma. \u00a0The recent renewal of this pancultural medicine has sparked a new<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133345,"featured_media":54914,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,96],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Wonders of Creation: The Deep Roots of Cannabis in Torah - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cannabis, native to the Sinai has been used throughout the ages by physicians to treat respiratory ailments, as the Rambam describes in his medical writings\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/news\/wonders-creation-deep-roots-cannabis-torah-torah-view-cannabis-thc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wonders of Creation: The Deep Roots of Cannabis in Torah - OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cannabis, native to the Sinai has been used throughout the ages by physicians to treat respiratory ailments, as the Rambam describes in his medical writings\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/news\/wonders-creation-deep-roots-cannabis-torah-torah-view-cannabis-thc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-01-10T14:36:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-01-15T10:05:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/Cannabis-e1484474478576.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"910\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"607\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rabbi Yosef P. 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