Hey, man!
February 25, 2021 3:46 PM   Subscribe

 
"But Mom... the rabbi said it's okay!"
posted by hippybear at 3:57 PM on February 25, 2021 [5 favorites]


While cannabis is largely missing from Jewish texts, it is mentioned in the Shulchan Arukh, where it is listed as an acceptable oil to use for lighting Shabbat candles; we pondered whether that would result in hotboxing the dinner table, and decided it would depend on how cleanly the oil was burning.

Of all the world’s religious debates, “maximal rules lawyering but also playful and lighthearted” are my absolute favourite kind.
posted by mhoye at 4:09 PM on February 25, 2021 [18 favorites]


Surprising to me:

Rava said: A person is obligated to become intoxicated with wine on Purim until he is so intoxicated that he does not know how to distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai.
The Talmud (Megillah 7b)
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 4:12 PM on February 25, 2021 [6 favorites]


It’s like carnival that way.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 4:15 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]


Just don't smoke out Haman. Or Bubbie. She gets all huggy.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 4:18 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]


And pack an extra bowl for Ezekiel at seder.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 4:19 PM on February 25, 2021 [15 favorites]


Playwright Sofya Levitsky-Weitz has a piece called Cannabis Passover. Much wine and weed is consumed.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 4:30 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]


My very primitive understanding of Islam is that weed is in most schools makruh, rather than haram. Sort of like "disliked and not recommended" rather than strictly forbidden. Which is why in Islamic countries, even though the drug laws are usually pretty draconian, you can sniff out some weed.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:34 PM on February 25, 2021 [3 favorites]


One of my favorite quotes on MeFi: "Marijuana is always kosher as long as you smoke it"
posted by Sphinx at 4:39 PM on February 25, 2021 [3 favorites]


Discussion of whether something is kosher or not is always fascinating. I am reminded of the case of the Muscovy duck.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 5:13 PM on February 25, 2021 [6 favorites]


"Rava said: A person is obligated to become intoxicated with wine on Purim until he is so intoxicated that he does not know how to distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai."

Once in law school I took a small elective class in Jewish Law that happened to meet on Purim. All I really knew about Purim was costumes and hamantaschen (and the Book of Esther, obviously), and indeed, a couple of the students brought hamantaschen to share. But the professor brought really good, ice-cold vodka, and we proceeded to celebrate Purim in the traditional way. For three hours. In the middle of the afternoon.

Long story short, ten of us could not distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai, the two Mormons had to drive the entire rest of the class home, and tax law the next morning was missing ten students. My roommate had to drive me in later that day to rescue my car.

One of the very few moments I enjoyed law school, actually.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:16 PM on February 25, 2021 [67 favorites]


Rabbi Marshak: When the truth is found. To be lies. [the rabbi clears his throat] And all the hope. Within you dies. Then what?
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 5:28 PM on February 25, 2021 [11 favorites]


Why, then you want somebody to love, of course!
posted by inexorably_forward at 5:46 PM on February 25, 2021 [6 favorites]


"Borei Atzei Besamim!"
posted by mikelieman at 7:51 PM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]


Rava said: A person is obligated to become intoxicated with wine on Purim until he is so intoxicated that he does not know how to distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai.
The Talmud (Megillah 7b)


Oy vey, the passage from the Talmud that comes after is even funnier. It's like a TV game show: "sacred Jewish legend... or Jeff Foxworthy redneck joke?"
The Gemara relates that Rabba and Rabbi Zeira prepared a Purim feast with each other, and they became drunk to the point that Rabba arose and slaughtered Rabbi Zeira. The next day, when he became sober and realized what he had done, Rabba asked God for mercy, and revived him. The next year, Rabba said to Rabbi Zeira: Let the Master come and let us prepare the Purim feast with each other. He [Rabbi Zeira] said to him: Miracles do not happen each and every hour, and I do not want to undergo that experience again.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 8:35 PM on February 25, 2021 [17 favorites]


I am Jewish, but not very religious. I am a little to the left of reform Judaism. Anyway, while buzzed with a friend who is very religious (modern orthodox?) I asked if pot was milk or meat. Is it kosher? Without hesitation he said to me, "Meat." "Why", was all I could say next. "Because you are a meathead and always stoned. Stoners turn into meatheads." Then, he looked at me and asked, "Do you have those matches I gave you an hour ago? Let's light this puppy up." I think I said, "Meathead" back to him. Or maybe I just thought it and never said it out loud. I guess you had to be there.
posted by AugustWest at 9:41 PM on February 25, 2021 [9 favorites]


Rabbi Zeira's not here, man
posted by thelonius at 11:37 PM on February 25, 2021 [13 favorites]


If you use infused butter you could make...hashentaschen.
posted by jedicus at 6:51 AM on February 26, 2021 [12 favorites]


Should be fine as long as the farmer follows שמיטה (shmita) and allows the field of plants to lay fallow every seventh year, to be known as The Year of Being Straight.
posted by sammyo at 7:08 AM on February 26, 2021 [3 favorites]


Pretty sure the Klezmatics already covered this material.
posted by jburka at 4:36 PM on February 26, 2021


That article on the Muscovy Duck:
The case of the Muscovy duck cannot be settled because the rules themselves are not really known.
That's a good summary of much of the Talmud, the rest mostly being zingers about people from Nehardea.
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:04 AM on February 27, 2021 [3 favorites]


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