Passover's OK for Weed Smoking Because of Its "Healing" Scent, Says Extremely Chill Rabbi

Andrew Leung
Updated

When Passover starts Friday at sundown, feel free to light up! A high-ranking (and apparently super cool) rabbi says marijuana consumption during Passover is totally kusher kosher — but only if you actually need it for medical reasons.

Read more: This Strain of Marijuana Is Extending the Benefits of Chill to a New Group of People

According to the Independent, Ashkenazi Jews typically categorize marijuana as a "kitniyot," a group of grains (like rice) and legumes (like lentils and peas) whose consumption during Passover is strictly verboten.

Passover's OK for Weed Smoking Because of Its
Source: Giphy

However, the Times of Israel reported Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, one of the leading ultra-Orthodox halachic authorities, recently gave his blessing for Jews of any background to eat or smoke marijuana during the eight-day holiday if it is medically necessary.

Part of the reason for this leeway is the fragrance of marijuana, which Kanievsky and a second leading Orthodox authority, Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein, deemed as "healing," the Times of Israel reported.

For the record, healing scent or not: It seems that recreational marijuana consumption is still off-limits.

Now, watch these rabbis get a face full of hemp leaves. Chag Sameach!