By Jane Marcus
Most of us, when asked to reflect on this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11–34:35), would comment on the dramatic story of the Golden Calf.
I’m going to follow a different path. My focus is on a detail in the beginning of the parashah that describes the laws concerning the holy tabernacle. I want to talk about one ingredient in the recipe for the anointing oil (Exodus 30:22-33).
The Torah: A Women’s Commentary explains that the oil used to anoint sacred objects and priests was to be made of four precious spices – myrrh, cinnamon, cane, and cassia – combined with olive oil.
The common English translation of the third ingredient, replicated in most English versions of the Tanach is “aromatic cane.” However, a different translation appears in The Living Torah where Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan writes that some sources identify “fragrant cane” – keneh bosem in Hebrew – with the English and Greek word “cannabis” referring to the hemp plant.
Kaplan’s reference is significant. The Ben Yehuda Hebrew-English dictionary, written by Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the father of modern Hebrew, defines the Hebrew word “kanabos” as hemp, a botanical relative of marijuana.
While the parashah establishes severe penalties for use of the holy oil on profane objects or laypeople, it does not prohibit use of any of the separate ingredients.
Punitive laws passed in the past century have distorted, demonized, and suppressed the long history of both the practical use and palliative power of this versatile plant. Medical research is only now rediscovering the healing potential of cannabis, and many are taking action to make it available to those who might benefit from it.
In 1999, the Women of Reform Judaism passed a resolution on Health Issues calling on sisterhoods to support legislation that would permit marijuana to be prescribed for critically ill patients and to be used to conduct research.
And, in 2003, the Union for Reform Judaism passed a Resolution on the Medicinal Use of Marijuana calling for advocacy to change local, state and federal law to permit the medicinal use of marijuana and ensure its accessibility for use by patients under medical supervision and for further scientific research.
The story of the Golden Calf shows the people of Israel to be stiff-necked and stubborn. I urge us to consider whether we are being stiff-necked in stubbornly insisting that cannabis is an “evil weed” when it may, in fact, be something quite beneficial.
Our ancestors had no problem using this plant along with other healing herbs and medicinal plants. Perhaps it was because of its many healing properties that they chose to invest this particular plant with holiness by blending it into the sacred oil.
If we value rather than vilify the healing power of this ancient plant, we can improve our world by making it more compassionate, holy, and just.
May the light of the Shabbat candles brighten all our lives.
Please share this e-mail with your sisterhood and encourage them to pass it on.
Shabbat Shalom.
Jane Marcus is a WRJ Board Member and a member of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, CA.
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