(JTA) — Passover just became more of a high holiday.
A leading haredi rabbi in Israel ruled that marijuana is kosher for Passover, and users can eat or smoke the drug during the eight-day holiday, the Times of Israel reported Tuesday.
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky of Bnei Brak explained that the plant, which is normally considered kitniyot, or a form of legume not permitted on Passover for Ashkenazi Jews, is perfectly legal under Jewish law when used for medical purposes.
When presented with several leaves of the plant, Kanievsky, who the Times of Israel called the “leading living ultra-Orthodox halachic authority,” was convinced right away — he said the leaves had a “healing smell” and blessed them.
He was responding to a request for a halachic ruling from the pro-marijuana group Sian.
The Times of Israel noted that another Israeli rabbi, Efraim Zalmanovich, had ruled medical marijuana kosher in 2013.
The Conservative movement ruled this year that all kitniyot, including legumes such as rice, beans and corn, are kosher for Passover — overturning a ban that has been upheld by Ashkenazi authorites since the 13th century.
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