Parashat HashavuaSeries'LibraryPiskei Din (Hebrew)Test YourselfCannabis is used to help with many physical, mental & emotional conditions including PTSD, gastrointestinal conditions, palliative end-of-life care, chronic pain & epilepsy. Israel was the top importer of medical marijuana globally as of July 2020, with 100,000 licensed patients. The average patient consumes 35 grams monthly; as much as 3500 kilo (or 7500 lbs) of cannabis are used monthly. While 10% of this is imported into Israel, & so not subject to Shmita laws, the other 90% is home-grown. Can that be used & does it have Kedushat Shvi'it or require Biyur? A number of authorities permit its use, with no application of Shmita regulations, because 1) Shmita is (currently) a Rabbinic, not a Torah law; 2) The marijuana is largely smoked, rather than ingested as a kind of food; 3) Its purpose is medicinal, which always allows for lenience & 4) Most cannabis is grown on tables & not in the earth itself. Of course, none of the above applies to recreational marijuana use.
At the beginning of the book of Devarim, Moses reviews the history of the Israelites’ experience in the wilderness, starting with the appointment of leaders throughout the people, heads of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Every Jew is like the tree of the field. He is rooted in the solid ground of his ancestors’
legacy, roots of soul and tradition, and turns his head upwards yearning higher and
yet higher heavenward. Ancestors’ legacy and love of G-od are those that guarantee
the life of man – the tree – within the people of Israel