The Origin of the Word “Alcohol” – Alchemical and Spiritual Roots
The word “alcohol” comes from the Arabic: “al-kuhul” ( الكهل) – which originally meant a fine powder of lead or antimony that was used for eye makeup, but also for medicinal purposes. In the Middle Ages, Islamic scholars and alchemists used the word to describe a distilled essence – the cleanest and purest substance of a certain thing.
In alchemy, alcohol was seen as a “concentrated substance of spirit,” the essence of life extracted from matter. In their view, the distillation process—in which the “spirit” was extracted from wine or a plant—was not only a chemical process, but also a spiritual process, in which the essence of the plant was “transcended.” Therefore, alcohol was seen not as a vehicle for intoxication but as a spiritual and healing essence—a kind of water spirit.
In this sense, alcohol became a symbol of the spirit in the water, and was associated not only with physical medicine but also with the healing of the soul.
Alcohol as a cure – medical history
In many cultures, alcohol was used medicinally thousands of years ago:
- Ancient Egypt: Wine was used to disinfect wounds and preserve bodies during mummification. They also mixed wine with medicinal herbs to create medicinal tinctures.
- Ancient Greece and Rome: Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote extensively about the use of wine for disinfection, digestion, and blood circulation. He recommended diluting certain herbs such as fennel, rosemary, and honey in wine for medicinal purposes.
- Medieval Europe: Monks created tinctures – medicinal extracts from plants steeped in alcohol. This was an effective means of preserving herbal medicine, and distillation became an art of healing. From there came herbal liqueurs like Benedictine Or Chartreuse .
In all of this, alcohol was a tool for transferring the healing power of the plant into the blood and body – a kind of bridge between matter and spirit.
The Secret of Fermentation – New Life Out of Death
The process through which alcohol is created – fermentation – is metaphorical: dead materials (such as fruit or grain) undergo a process of decomposition, fermentation, and then a new material is created that contains a different kind of life – spirit, joy, healing.
This is a process that parallels spiritual concepts in the Torah:
- Death and rebirth (like Pharaoh who did not let the Israelites “go out and celebrate” – meaning undergo transformation).
- Answer – When a person “dies” to their old ways and begins an internal process of fermentation, which gives birth to a “new person.”
In this sense, alcohol is not just the result of a biological process – but a metaphor for spiritual life.
Living Water and Alcohol – A Deep Connection Between Elements
Living water in the Bible and Kabbalah is a symbol of divine spirit, consciousness, and purity. In chapters such as the Book of Jeremiah it is said: “The fountain of living water has forsaken me.” Kabbalah sees water as a symbol of grace – flowing, life-giving, and purifying.
Alcohol, as a substance distilled from a liquid (wine, honey, grains), is considered a kind of distillation of the water itself, of the soul in the water. Therefore, in alchemy, alcohol is also called “alchemical water” – water that contains the “spirit.”
In this sense, the connection between alcohol and healing water is not accidental – alcohol is water that has undergone a process of transformation, becoming water with consciousness, or spirit.
Wine in the Bible – Medicine or Curse ?
The Bible speaks a lot about wine – sometimes as praise and sometimes as a warning. It is interesting to see how already in the Bible a distinction is made between cursed wine and blessed wine:
- “Wine makes the heart of man glad” (Psalm 141:15) – Wine is seen as a tool that strengthens the soul, elevates the spirit, and helps one open up to joy and a sense of life.
- But on the other hand – Noah gets drunk and his nakedness is exposed (Genesis 9), and Lot drinks and falls into abomination – meaning, if wine is not used wisely, it leads to moral decline.
The Sages spoke of four stages of wine: Wine enters – a secret comes out. In other words, wine frees the subconscious. Therefore, it must be used with intention and awareness, so that it does not lead to addiction or confusion, but to healing and revelation.
Medicinal plants and alcohol in the Torah
Although the Torah does not contain the concept of “alcohol” in the modern sense, one can see clear parallels to the use of medicinal plants in various situations:
- Miriam and the Bitter Water (Exodus 15): Miriam throws a tree into the bitter waters in the desert – and the water becomes sweet. The tree may have contained an active substance that created a chemical reaction with the bitter elements in the water. This is water and plant medicine.
- Perfumes, myrrh, and cinnamon – the Tabernacle and Temple used fragrant and plant extracts (anointment oil, incense), which were likely prepared through a process of steeping in alcohol or oil – an ancient way of extracting plant extracts.
- The pervert and wine/holy water (Numbers 5): The priest gives the woman a mixture to drink that includes writing that has been erased with water – perhaps alcoholic – as a means of revealing the truth. Again, we see holy water used for healing or revelation.
Alcohol in Jewish Mysticism
Kabbalah did not speak of alcohol in terms of “intoxication,” but rather as representing the process of spiritual internalization. The holy Ari, for example, spoke of the importance of drinking four cups on Shabbat—not just on Passover—because wine “opens the channels between the body and the soul.”
In Hasidism, it is said that “wine is like grace, but only if you drink it in moderation and with intention.” Alcohol here is seen as a tool that enhances the effect of the plant (be it grapes, honey, herbs) – and therefore has a place in mental health.
Modern Use – Tinctures, Homeopathy, and Natural Medicine
In natural medicine today, alcohol is at the center of several approaches:
- Tinctures – Medicinal herbs are steeped in alcohol for several weeks to extract their active properties. The alcohol serves as a carrier, a means of transporting the medicine into the body.
- Homeopathy – uses alcohol to dilute and preserve very delicate compounds. Again, the alcohol here is a vehicle for transmitting consciousness, not just an active substance.
- Probiotics and fermentation drops – here too, alcohol represents the life force recreated from decay (like kombucha, kefir, etc.).
Summary: Alcohol – between intoxication and healing, between water and spirit
Alcohol, in all its incarnations, keeps a secret: it is not just a substance – it is a process. It is an essence – but also a tool. It began as an eye powder, became an alchemical essence, became a medicine, and finally – also a social and sometimes addictive drink.
But if we remember its roots – as a tool for connecting matter and spirit, as transformed water, and as a means to enhance the power of plants – we can use it wisely. According to the Torah, like everything else – it is the intention that heals or corrupts.
Alcohol, like water, like plants, can be a source of life – if it comes from a place of awareness, love, and a desire to heal.
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