Question:
I am a Muslim, but I have many Jewish friends. I was recently invited to a Jewish home for a Friday night meal, and was surprised by the "Kiddush" ceremony, which involved saying prayers over a glass of wine. In my religion, wine is forbidden. Does Judaism honestly believe that such a sensual indulgence can be considered holy?
Answer:
Each of us has a body and a soul. Our body is usually only interested in the material pleasures that this world has to offer - a good meal, an entertaining T.V. show, comfort and gratification. The soul has higher aspirations - it seeks true love, meaning, inspiration and a connection to what's holy.
All religions attempt to give us access to our souls. But as long as the body continues to chase the mundane, the soul is trapped. There are two methods to free the soul offered by different religions:
1) Suppression. By suppressing our bodily desires we can allow the soul to shine through. This means a life of asceticism and abstinence, avoiding the pleasures of this world.
2) Refinement. Alternatively, we can find spirituality within the mundane itself, by being involved with the physical world in a holy and refined way. Then the body no longer opposes the soul; on the contrary, it serves as a vehicle to express the soul's needs.
Judaism insists on the second approach. Rather than suppress the body, refine it. Don't be celibate - but save sexuality for marriage. Don't fast all day - but only eat foods that are spiritually pure. Work with the body, not against it.
The path of refinement is a challenging one, but it is possible.
Just look at wine.
Wine has a unique property that demonstrates the fact that we need not afflict our bodies in order to tap in to our souls.
Wine improves with age.
Most foods decompose as time goes on. In fact, all physical things do - buildings crumble, clothes wear out, our bodies age. This is because anything physical is ephemeral - it doesn't last; while the world of the spirit is eternal, and gets stronger with time. The one exception is wine. Wine, although it is also physical, has the spiritual property of improving with age. It is wine that testifies that even the physical can be refined.
Wine represents what Judaism is all about: the fusing of the holy and the mundane, the spiritual and physical, the body and soul.
What could be more holy than that?
Would wine be considered to be Holy to an alcoholic? There are estimated to be between 15-30 million alcoholics in the USA alone.. Alcohol can be a dangerous drug killing aprox. 90-100 thousand Americans a year and destroying millions of families.. Alcohol contributes to many accidents (DWI"S), and violent criminal behavior. While I do not believe alcohol should be illegal, I do not believe calling it "holy" helps families and children stay sober and alcohol free.. Even in the Tanakh ( GEN 9:20-24 it warns against alcohol abuse ( which can only happen to drinkers). Again drink wine on the Sabbath if you wish, but please don't call it holy. Just my humble opinion!
Thats not the fault of the wine, its the fault of the lack of impulse control for the alcoholic. As a recovered alcoholic learning the difference between having a glass of wine on a special occasion and getting inebriated on a whim is the difference.
There is a time an place for everything including alcohol, but you have to know when it's appropriate and when its not and enforce that difference.
I went from drinking a 5th every evening, to now having maybe a few drinks, if not just one every few months or so when an occasion deserving it arises, and its a world of difference.
It doesn't have to be all or nothing with alcohol, and it shouldn't be, in fact i have several bottles of alcohol here now that I've had for literally years, and mind you those are the only bottles ive owned in that time frame, i might have a shot here and there on a blue moon, when the occasion makes sense, no more than a few and only celebratory occasions truly deserving of it.
Religion is something holy, and yet it has been used as a reason to kill thousands if not millions through out history. There are entire terrorist organizations centered around religion.
You can abuse anything holy.
As you mentioned genesis warns against alcohol ABUSE, not alcohol consumption in general. The bible also warns again gluttony as well. Junk food kills more people than alcohol or tobacco, is food not holy anymore either?
Alex, I agree wine in itself is not bad or good.Used for religious purposes to commune with G-d maybe considered Holy, but getting hit by a drunk driver maybe considered the exact opposite..My point is that people who promote drinking alcohol for whatever reason have a moral responsibility to educate children, teenagers that drinking wine or any alcoholic beverage comes with risks.It would be wise to educate young people to the difference between responsible drinking and drunkenness, or abusive drinking. Not only is intoxication dangerous to the drinker, but may cause harm to innocent bystanders. So again, have a glass of wine Friday evening if you wish, but think of others before you one drink becomes Two or three. That to me is UnHoly.