Top Rabbi Declares Cannabis Kosher For Jewish Holiday

A while back we ran a story detailing how a Jewish council had found cannabis to be kosher and thus ok for consumption. Well, it would seem one of Israel’s top Orthodox rabbis agrees, as he declares cannabis kosher for people of the Jewish faith – as long as it is for medical reasons.

To be more specific, cannabis has been declared kosher for use during Passover – a Jewish religious festival in which certain foods are forbidden. To many, cannabis would be considered kitniyot – a group of grains and legumes, such rice and lentils, that cannot be consumed during this observance.

However, Chaim Kanievsky, a rabbi considered by many to be the leading authority in the ultra-Orthodox branch of the faith, has given his blessing for the use of cannabis during the holiday. Having been presented with some leaves of the cannabis plant, Kanievsky stated that they had a “healing smell” and made the blessing for fragrant leaves.

If you happen to be a follower of this faith, then don’t get overly excited yet. It was stipulated that the use had to be for medical purposes, which was seen as performing a “mitzvah,” or positive action in the eyes of God. Using cannabis to “escape the world” is still forbidden during this holy period.

WHAT IS KOSHER?

Basically, kosher follows the principle of “you are what you eat.” This may be a bit of an oversimplification, but you should get the general idea. Certain things cannot be consumed under the faith because they are not considered “pure” or are not appropriate for the situation.

POSITIVE ACTION

Irrespective of what your faith is, or what your opinion on religion may be, having a leading authority give their blessing for the use of cannabis is never a bad thing. For cannabis to be truly accepted, it must gain the approval of all aspects of society, and with each passing approval, the argument to legalise grows in weight. While this ruling is quite specific to a religious holiday, it mimics the opinion of many others within the religion, who have all said cannabis is kosher to use on a normal basis. It gives the strain Kosher Kush a whole new level of meaning.

			Written by: Josh Writer, psychonaut and cannabis aficionado, Josh is Zamnesia’s in-house expert. He spends his days nestled out in the countryside, delving into the hidden depths of all things psychoactive in nature.
			Find out about our writers

Luke Sumpter

With a BSc (Hons) degree in Clinical Health Sciences and a passion for growing plants, Luke Sumpter has worked as a professional journalist and writer at the intersection of cannabis and science for the past 7 years.

Read full bio