Sula Benet

Sula Benet (1903 – 1982), also known as Sara Benetowa, was a Polish 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 Warsaw 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.

Benet's writings have gained modern notability for her interpretations of the herb known as kaneh-bosm or kneh-bosm mentioned in the Old Testament and how it relates to the religious use of cannabis. Kaneh-bosm is mentioned in the Old Testament as part of the holy anointing oil used in the temple and has been interpreted since King James to be 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 is an example 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 is not universally recognized among Jewish scholars, there is general agreement that cannabis is used in talmudic sources to refer to hemp fibers, as hemp was a vital commodity before linen replaced it.^[1]

Because of Benet's research, it is now confirmed that cannabis appears in ancient Hebrew texts spelled with the Hebrew letters: קְנֵה-בֹשֶׂם “Qof, Nun, He, Bet, Shin, Mem” translated into western alphabetic forms as ¹aneh-bosm, kaneh-bosm or kineboisin. The book of Exodus records the event of Moses receiving the instructions for making and distributing the hemp enriched holy oil, in the most auspicious tones.

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of qaneh-bosm, 500 shekels of cassia--all according to the sanctuary shekel--and a hind of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil” (Exodus 30: 22-33). The translation error was repeated in Song of Songs 4:14, Isaiah 43:24, Jeremiah 6:20, and Ezekiel 27:19, where kaneh/kaneh bosm are translated as calamus, sweet or fragrant cane. ^{[2] [3]}

However, the words 'Kaneh bosm' are not in the KJV or the new international version of the bible. This is because the translators from the original language determined that "Kaneh bosm" should be interpreted as "Calamus" and other similar sounding plants, without giving any scientific argumentation for their dubious decision.

See also

• Spiritual use of cannabis

References

1. ^ Encyclopedia Judaica. Volume 8. p. 323.
2. ^ Sula Benet, Early Diffusion and Folk Uses of Hemp. (Reprinted in Cannabis and Culture, Vera Rubin, Ed. The Hague: Mouton, 1975.) Transcribed and available online by inactive Anchorage NORML chapter, at [1]
3. ^ Sara Benetowa (Sula Benet), Tracing One Word Through Different Languages. (1936). (Reprinted in The Book of Grass, 1967.)

Persondata
Name	Benet, Sula
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Date of birth	1903
Place of birth
Date of death	1982
Place of death