What Does Judaism say about Marijuana?

Let's ask a serious question. Is there a problem with recreational smoking marijuana? A person goes inside his house, nobody sees, nobody knows what he's doing. He's under stress or he just enjoys it or he wants to experience what everybody's talking about in a place where it's legal. I'm not talking when a place where it's not legal. In the eyes of Is there an issue with smoking marijuana? >> Why is it lethal? >> Is it lethal? >> It damages your health person's health. >> Is it going to kill you? >> Is it changing your >> Is there a doctor here? I think there's a doctor here. Is it lethal to have marijuana? And cigarettes also is not lethal but we we say not to smoke. >> Cigarettes are lethal. >> The cumulative effect. >> I think it's more lethal than car accidents and uh maybe other forms. It's one of the highest rating. Uh what about marijuana? Can it kill you? >> Car accidents can cause car accidents. >> It can cause car accidents. So we're going to make sure this guy doesn't drive. >> Is it the cumulator effect? We're going to have we're going to use that. >> Is it is it the cumulative effect or just what? >> I would like to know if there's any issue. >> There's an issue. There's evidence cumulatively that >> that it does what? >> That it uh breaks down breaks down some of your thinking, some of your ability, some of your >> So, you don't like it? >> I I what I know now, I didn't know them. >> I'm asking now. Would you instruct your grandsons to have it? They're sitting in yeshiva, a very stressful tis. They were able to figure out, right? They go back to the dorms. A little relaxation. >> I'm I'm paying him not to smoke regular cigarettes, but he's all vape. Vaping is not >> We're not in vaping. We're talking about >> it's a drug. Marijuana. >> It's definitely a drug. >> I know it's a drug. Is the toy Does the toy have a problem with you having drug taking drugs? That's my question. Why purpose? God, isn't it? It's not a Jewish min. No Jewish. >> And what if all Jewish people would practice it? Maybe it is a Jewish mach. >> I don't think it's considered a go. For that reason alone, we're not going to usher it. >> What's that? >> Enough Jews are doing it. >> Enough Jews are doing it to form a Jewish. >> No, no, no. >> What are you saying? >> No, we al also have mind altering things like uh drinking too much also can do that can affect you. So it sounds like there might be a hat there. >> There's a hit. Shh. We have a hit. >> You like it or no? [Music] >> Someone gets drunk. The lamb says it's disgusting. Stay away from this practice. >> But that's about drinking. The didn't discuss it. Taking drugs. >> Not talking hard drugs. Talk your marijuana. You're okay with it cuz you're not jumping at me and say >> you're saying which I don't know which one is not lethal. >> It's not lethal. >> What's wrong with you supposed to do? Watch yourselves. Don't do things which are dangerous. This is not dangerous. Don't under these drugs. They do all sorts of horrible things. >> No. No. I don't think marijuana. We're talking about specifically about marijuana. I don't think it's lethal. Don't think it's dangerous. People don't do crazy things. We'll make sure the guy stays at home. In fact, he'll say, "You know what? I'm going to use it. Take the key so I won't be able to get out of the house. Lock me up." How much >> if if he planning on smoking tonight? >> Why? >> Mark the next morning. I think he's But he's not. >> He thinks he's ding, but he's not. It's a good point. >> If the drug if the drug is is helping symptoms that he may have. >> No, no. I'm not talking for medicinal purposes. I'm talking about a guy who is 100% healthy, but he wants to experience what everybody talks about. He wants to feel >> a little less stressed. >> He has peer pressure. Is that what he has stress >> in the yeshiva? So, he wants to release the stress. >> The rabbi yelled at him today. >> He didn't understand the for hours. He's trying to break his head. >> And that's going to help him understand it. >> He thinks it will. I don't know. Maybe not understand. is going to help him feel a little better today. Tomorrow he's going to come back with vengeance. >> And and when and and when someone else when he smashes his car, his finger in the door, he go smoke in place of >> he wants to he wants to know if it's okay or not. If the toilet allows it or not >> for those reasons, I would say no. >> You would say no for a reason. Allah reason. >> The reason is if you're being pressured, peer pressure, you don't you you have your own standards. You have your standards that you have uphold. You have to understand >> why do people go on vacation? >> Because >> release some tension. He's releasing some tension staying home. Instead of spending a lot of money and time, he only goes for two 2 3 4 5 6 hours staying at home. >> That's why we have Shabas every week. >> But this is a question for Monday. >> He can't wait until Shabas. >> Isn't that addictive? I mean, if it's addictive, then >> is it addictive? >> The question is >> I don't think it's addictive. >> It's not. >> No. We're talking about marijuana. like >> psychologically it's addictive because you want to experience more of that pleasure plane that you were on but technically speaking the drug itself doesn't cause something in your body like nicotine which is really addictive >> I think I think the Torah >> am I correct >> as reverse tolerance reverse tolerance the more they use it the less they need to >> I think the Torah would not there's no there's nothing with getting hah from certain substances in the world but Yeah, you you need just a certain, you know, ask. >> So, don't go crazy. >> Yeah. Before you said yes, now you're saying you're modifying it. Yes, but don't go crazy. Let's see what has to say about smoking marijuana. in your he discusses just that I heard that some people in the yeshiva are starting to smoke marijuana. So he was asked what do you think about this and he goes to town on this listen what he does with this first of all it's that it's from some major principles in and they are the first thing you're destroying your body and even if you'll tell me some people are strong and it doesn't affect their body fine it's something worse than affecting your body and that is damaging your das because when you do you can't learn on the highest level that you were able to 5 minutes before without the drug. What is life without Torah? So this would only apply to men, not to women because they're not obligated to learn to. But then he continues and says, and let's say somehow it didn't, but it will change the way you're dabbing. Exactly what you said before. You think you're ding, you're not ding. You're on autopilot mode. You're doing mitzvah as a robot doesn't need robots to do his mitzvah. You can stand and shake from here till tomorrow. If you're doing it without kavana, it's as if you didn't do anything. That's the language. He says it's as if you didn't fulfill the mitzvah. Was human beings who understand what they're doing, not the person who's floating somewhere in the air. So, first of all, he says because of this, this is terrible. This is wrong. It's awesome. Second of all, he says and this is the and that's why I'm bringing it today in this para you're creating in yourself a great desire and this is goes under the umbrella of what does do he goes after the desire of eating so says eating is a very natural desire we all do every few hours we eat a little more that's very natural and you need it to live The body breaks down the food, shuttles the nutrients where we need it to go. It's great. But he takes that job and he's only eating kosher and the toilet doesn't like it because you're taking the natural desire and you're doing something wrong with it. How much more so he says when you're taking something upon yourself which you don't really need to survive. You don't need those drugs. You're creating a new desire in yourself for something you don't need. It's worse than the ta of Ben. So he says it's true that it's only and therefore technically speaking we can't give lashes because of but you should know it's worse and a person who does this definitely transgress the negative command that the discusses in our para he brings says why does the doesn't like this kid doing what he's doing because what happens when there is no more meat and wine in his father's house he's going to on the corner street and starts stealing and then he's going to kill. He needs the money. He needs that meat when you want something that again you don't need. You're creating this desire to have something and if you don't have it, you're going to go just like the mur steal from people and potentially kill from people kill people in order to obtain that which you want. Not because it's addictive because you're creating a desire for something you don't need. It's not enough. So he says and explains sanctify yourself with what you are permitted. In other words, do not become a don't become a villain with permission. It's only kosher. I only I eat meat three sometimes four sometimes five times a day. Highest level kash kash 5 kilos every single time I eat. That's but it's with permission. The Torah wants you to sanctify yourself even with those things permitted to you. This is exactly the opposite. And therefore he continues and he says, "What about the parents of the guys who are smoking? Are they happy about it? They're so upset. You're transgressing." So no matter where you look at it, he's closing all the doors. says it is clear that this includes many other severe ones. He doesn't tell us what they are. He says but if you don't like what I said it's not enough for you. It causes many other severe ones and you must try to remove this impurity from cloud soil and especially from the sitting in yeshiva and learning.