Alcohol and drug abuse, called AA for Alcoholics Anonymous and NA for Narcotics Anonymous. The Big Book, looks like a Bible, a thick black leather book cover, a book filled with case studies of folks like you and me, who decided against the worship of the bottle or drug, and instead to turn our souls and hearts to the worship of a "Higher Power" which includes the religions of ALL people.
To be born a Nazirite, which is a Priest of the highest status, the Jewish Priest chosen as female or male by his/her father to not use alcohol, to keep the covenant with The Lord to not drink or do recreational drugs, not to eat grapes or even raisins unless you share some with a Kohayne, the ancestors of Aaron, the High Priest. To have a father and mother who wants you to keep clean and sober, to drink not from a cup any wine, no red wine, no white wine, no Scotch, nothing mood altering that is from artificial means. Coffee and tea? Okay.
Who is our higher power and why and how can we worship Him? We are not to break any promise to Him. Our Book as The Torah, is also a "Big" Book and gives us the history of people who lived their lives as Prophets, Joseph imprisoned and enslaved thrown into a pit of lions, who instead of becoming a failure because of past experiences we would today identify as post traumatic stress disorder, we see Joseph rising up out of Hell like a phoenix as becoming the closest companion to the Pharaoh of the times and ruling with him to save the people, all people from destruction because of a famine. Joseph's higher power, was much higher than the power of the Pharaoh and his goals to save humankind were answered by God.
Drink from the fountain of youth, not to imbibe in wine, to instead go into deep Hebrew prayer and meditation, to make a goal of New Year's resolutions, twice every 12 months, as we as Jews celebrate two new years. Ask our dear Lord for help to stay clean and sober, to call upon our ancestors for help instead of causing yourself liver damage from the wineskin.
Sing the Hebrew blessing over non/alcoholic beverages while dancing and not tripping over your feet in drunkenness.
Sing loudly and clearly over a Kiddush cup overflowing with golden sweet apple juice: The Hebrew transliteration of the prayer for non/alcoholic drinks: "Baruch Atah Adonai, aleiheynu melech ha' olam, she he k'ol yiyeh b'divro".
To join in Covenant with The Lord our God, to keep in Nazirite Priestly abstinence from liquor, to ask God to provide us with our "highs" and our "power" as our Beloved "Higher Power" in purity and goodness, truthfulness, and honesty, generosity and strength, a discipline to stay "clean and sober".
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