spirit

torah portion

Th e Body Is Sacred

T

Parshat Shoftim:
Deuteronomy 16:18-
21:9; Isaiah 51:12-
52:12

his week’s Torah portion
introduces the prohibition
against mutilating or harming
one’s body as a sign of mourning.
Our rabbis explain that we may
not mutilate our bodies because
they are, in fact, not ours. They are
God’s body and God’s soul, which
He placed within specially designed
physical vessels, together to fulfill a
special and unique mission on this
experts claim otherwise. Because
Earth. Therefore, we are
safeguarding the body is a
enjoined to be proactive
Torah obligation, when in
regarding the health of our
doubt, it is wise to err on the
bodies.
side of caution. (I do not refer
Rabbi Dov Ber, the
at all to medical marijuana
Maggid of Mezeritch, is
used to alleviate serious
quoted as saying, “A small
pain.)
hole in the body can lead
We also know that exces-
to a large hole in the soul.”
sive consumption of alcohol
Indeed, even after the soul Rabbi Elimelech wreaks havoc on the body.
Silberberg
leaves the body, there is a
Thus, excessive alcohol con-
prohibition against crema-
sumption would also fall
tion, which is truly a des-
under this prohibition. As far
ecration of the body. “Dust
as moderate intake of alcohol
thou art and to dust thou
— which according to many
shalt return” via burial is a sacred
medical studies is actually benefi-
principal in our Torah.
cial — Jewish law allows for it; and,
The Torah portion also contains
in fact, wine is mandated as part of
the prohibition against destroying
many Jewish observances, such as
fruit-bearing trees, defined in the
Kiddush, Havdalah, and the bris and
Talmud as bal tashchit, an instruc-
marriage ceremonies. Of course,
tion not to be wasteful or destruc-
people with alcohol addiction issues
tive in any area of life. Both prohi-
can and must use grape juice as a
bitions convey the same message.
substitute for wine to fulfill these
Be it a human being or animal, an
obligations.
object or the environment around
Now, as we approach and pre-
us, all are God’s creations and must
pare for the upcoming new year, is
be treated with respect and utilized
the time to focus on maintaining a
properly, not wastefully.
healthy body and a healthy soul, as
With the knowledge that we have
prescribed by Torah. In this merit
today about the effects of smoking
may we all be blessed with a good
and drugs on the body, many hala-
and sweet year, physically, materi-
chic authorities consider these to be ally and spiritually. •
proscribed by Torah. Recreational
marijuana has recently become a
Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg is a rabbi at
big issue. Although there are those
Tugman Bais Chabad Torah Center in West
Bloomfield.
who claim there is no detriment
in recreational marijuana, many

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August 16 • 2018

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