Sula Benet
Encyclopedia
Sula Benet also known as Sara Benetowa, was a Polish
anthropologist of the 20th century who studied Polish and Judaic customs and traditions.
but graduated with a degree in anthropology
. Upon receiving her degree in 1935, she attended graduate school at Columbia University
, where she received her doctorate
in 1944.
and how it relates to the religious use of cannabis
. Kaneh-bosm is mentioned twice as part of the holy anointing oil
used in the temple, and has been interpreted traditionally as calamus
(an herb that is known in North American shamanism and in vedic atharva and has been discovered in modern times to contain a molecule known as Asarone
that is a precursor of trimethoxyamphetamine
, a psychedelic). Through comparative etymology
, analysis of ancient texts (including pre-Hebrew Semitic language), and pharmacological consistencies she contends that the word kaneh-bosm actually refers to cannabis
and was used in ancient Jewish religious rites, as a medicine and ritual sacrament. Benet's work claims that cannabis use has a long culturally important history, and that the criminalization and demonization of cannabis is a recent invention (an occurrence of the previous century compared to Torah: dating back at least 3,000 years). While Benet's conclusion regarding the psychoactive use of cannabis are not generally recognized among Jewish scholars, there is general agreement that hemp (a different word in Hebrew) is used in talmudic sources to refer to hemp
fibers, as hemp was a vital commodity before linen replaced it.
Exodus records Moses
receiving the instructions for making and distributing the holy anointing oil
, as follows:
The Hebrew term is also found in Song of Songs 4:14, Isaiah 43:24, Jeremiah 6:20, and Ezekiel 27:19, where kaneh bosm is typically translated as calamus, sweet or fragrant cane in English versions.
Sula Benet's theory is not supported by academic or popular dictionaries of plants in the Hebrew Bible, which typically identify the plant as acorus calamus or cymbopogon citratus
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
anthropologist of the 20th century who studied Polish and Judaic customs and traditions.
Biography
Born in Poland, Benet was fascinated with peasant culture of Poland since her early youth. This interest eventually led her to enroll as a student of literature and philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities in the University of WarsawUniversity of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
but graduated with a degree in anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. Upon receiving her degree in 1935, she attended graduate school at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where she received her doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1944.
Works
- Festive recipes and festival menus 1957
- Song, Dance, and Customs of Peasant Poland
- Riddles of many lands Carl Withers, Sula Benet - 1956
- Early Diffusion and Folk Uses of Hemp. 1967
- Abkhasians: the long-living people of the Caucasus 1974
- How to live to be 100: the life-style of the people of the Caucasus 1976
Early Diffusion and Folk Uses of Hemp. 1967
Benet's writings have gained modern notability for her interpretations of the herb appearing in Hebrew text as kaneh-bosim (Hebrew קְנֵה-בֹשֶׂם) five times in the Hebrew BibleHebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
and how it relates to the religious use of cannabis
Spiritual use of cannabis
Sacramental, religious and spiritual use of cannabis refers to cannabis used in a religious or spiritual context. Cannabis has an ancient history of ritual usage as an aid to trance and has been traditionally used in a religious context throughout the Old World....
. Kaneh-bosm is mentioned twice as part of the holy anointing oil
Holy anointing oil
The holy anointing oil , formed an integral part of the ordination of the priesthood and the high priest as well as in the consecration of the articles of the tabernacle and subsequent temples in Jerusalem...
used in the temple, and has been interpreted traditionally as calamus
Sweet Flag
Acorus calamus, commonly known as Sweet Flag or Calamus and erroneously as "rush" or "sedges", is a plant from the Acoraceae family, in the genus Acorus. It is a tall perennial wetland monocot with scented leaves and more strongly scented rhizomes...
(an herb that is known in North American shamanism and in vedic atharva and has been discovered in modern times to contain a molecule known as Asarone
Asarone
Asarone, which includes alpha and beta types, is an ether found in certain plants such as acorus and asarum. As a volatile fragrance oil, it is used in killing plant fungal pests and bacteria...
that is a precursor of trimethoxyamphetamine
Trimethoxyamphetamine
TMAs, also known as trimethoxyamphetamines, are a family of isomeric psychedelic hallucinogenic drugs. There exist six different TMAs that differ only in the position of the three methoxy groups: TMA, TMA-2, TMA-3, TMA-4, TMA-5, and TMA-6. The TMAs are analogs of the phenethylamine cactus alkaloid...
, a psychedelic). Through comparative etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
, analysis of ancient texts (including pre-Hebrew Semitic language), and pharmacological consistencies she contends that the word kaneh-bosm actually refers to cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
and was used in ancient Jewish religious rites, as a medicine and ritual sacrament. Benet's work claims that cannabis use has a long culturally important history, and that the criminalization and demonization of cannabis is a recent invention (an occurrence of the previous century compared to Torah: dating back at least 3,000 years). While Benet's conclusion regarding the psychoactive use of cannabis are not generally recognized among Jewish scholars, there is general agreement that hemp (a different word in Hebrew) is used in talmudic sources to refer to hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
fibers, as hemp was a vital commodity before linen replaced it.
Exodus records Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
receiving the instructions for making and distributing the holy anointing oil
Holy anointing oil
The holy anointing oil , formed an integral part of the ordination of the priesthood and the high priest as well as in the consecration of the articles of the tabernacle and subsequent temples in Jerusalem...
, as follows:
The Hebrew term is also found in Song of Songs 4:14, Isaiah 43:24, Jeremiah 6:20, and Ezekiel 27:19, where kaneh bosm is typically translated as calamus, sweet or fragrant cane in English versions.
Sula Benet's theory is not supported by academic or popular dictionaries of plants in the Hebrew Bible, which typically identify the plant as acorus calamus or cymbopogon citratus
Cymbopogon citratus
Cymbopogon citratus, commonly known as lemon grass or oil grass, is a tropical plant from Southeast Asia.-Culinary uses:Cymbopogon citratus is abundant in the Philippines where it's known as tanglad...
.