What does Jewish law or tradition have to say about magic mushrooms? Or in general, about any hallucinogen.
Is it forbidden to consume psilocybin mushrooms or other hallucinogens? Is it advocated? Why?
It seems like the large psychedelic community of Israel approves. Do they have any authority or tradition to support them?
Even if there is a "psychedelic community" in Israel that approves of "magic mushrooms," that is not an indication that Judaism approves of it. In nearly every country there is a small group of people obsessed with psychedelic drugs, and they pretty much approve of them all. Since they are ideologues, they have no credibility. Don't listen to them.
These mushrooms were not known to people outside of Mexico/Central America until very recent times. So the Torah says nothing about it. But major gedolim such as R' Moshe Feinstein have said not to use marijuana (which is a mild hallucinogen so it's also a psychedelic). And there is no respected Orthodox rabbi I'm aware of who has approved of any illegal drug use.
Common sense, scientific evidence and common experience also should keep us from using this drug. As with any psychedelic drug, there are grave risks of severe, long-lasting psychological problems, such as permanent perceptual changes ("hallucinogen persisting perception disorder" or HPPD), panic attacks, and anxiety problems. There is also the danger that one will have experiences which one thinks are genuine spiritual experiences but in fact are misleading or dangerous. For this reason, some kabbalists (such as Rabbi Ariel bar Tzadok) do not take anyone as a student who has used psychedelic drugs.
The Torah requires us to guard our health. That includes our mental health, of course. So we should avoid all illegal drugs, and psychedelic drugs in particular, like the plague.
If you want an interesting or transcendental experience, Judaism provides traditional means for doing so: prayer, meditation, fasting, wine, dancing, music, etc. These are safe in moderation. There's no need to experiment with dangerous drugs.
See Aryeh Kaplan in Meditation and Kabbalah, where he mentions that R' Chaim Vital may have used psychedelic grasses. The gemara in Shabbos, I believe talks about "peiros ginosar" who's flavor is seemingly psychedelic. Although I asked a certain R' Sokol, and was told that the gemara in a different location says "once the beis hamikdash was destroyed, the taste of fruits was annulled." He said this means there is no longer fruit that raises consciousness, it only comes from herbs and grasses. The mishkan was made almost entirely of acacia or mimosa wood, both of the worlds most potent hallucinogens. The anointing oil contained "kaneh bosom" which R' Aryeh Kaplan identifies as cannabis. The Holy Zohar says that, "There is no grass or herb that grows in which G-d's wisdom is not greatly manifested and which cannot exert great influence in heaven" and "If men but knew the wisdom of all the Holy One, blessed be He, has planted in the earth, and the power of all that is to be found in the world, they would proclaim the power of their Lrd in His great wisdom" (Zoh. II, 80B).
Also see http://lucidconsciousness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/biblical_entheogens.pdf and http://koshertorah.com/PDF/Drug%20Use.pdf
I have heard many things from many rabbis. The general consensus seems to be that we have a path to follow and it is the way we walk. There are no shortcuts, there is no running before you walk. But this is the messianic age. Who knows what will come to be. I remember hearing from one rabbi that the gemara says "When the temple was destroyed, prophecy was given to the insane, children, and dogs" If you take a chemical that makes you "insane" maybe you can get prophecy, who knows. It is supposed to return when Moshiach gets here.
The response of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe concerning the prohibition of marijuana consumption would also apply to all hallucinogenics. He prohibited intoxication that was to such an extent that it made proper Torah study impossible. Clearly, Purim would be an exception in regard to wine, but as a general practice, he found that level of intoxication to be prohibited.
Although there are many voices saying the usage of hallucinogenics is prohibited, several being cited above, there is one popular voice that some people used to listen to that goes to the contrary.
That would be Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. He stated publicly that he personally consumed hallucinogenics and advocated for their usage in connection with religious experience. While he was living in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, he even composed and taught a blessing to be said before consumption.
http://www.yesodfoundation.org/Yesod-RZLP/Reb_Zalman.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zalman_Schachter-Shalomi
http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/167091/zalman-schachter-shalomi-december
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/sacredmatters/2014/08/14/lsd-and-the-rabbis/
He is clearly in the minority, but it is worth noting that his view is out there.
כִּ֣י | הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ יוֹרֵ֣שׁ אוֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מְעֹֽנְנִ֥ים וְאֶל־קֹֽסְמִ֖ים יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ וְאַתָּ֕ה לֹ֣א כֵ֔ן נָ֥תַן לְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
Deutronomy 18 14
Other nations can have them, not us. "MAGIC" mushrooms, key word, magic. Magic is a big no in Judaism. Therefore magic mushrooms are clearly not in theme with Judaism. Judaism rubs with "No such thing as coincidence" metric ergo it isnt just random chance they magic mushrooms aquired the magic prefix.
