Many religious services include a cup of wine; the seder, Kiddush, Havdalah, a wedding, a bris, etc. However, for the alcoholic, drinking a cup of wine can lead to death. The path to recovery from alcoholism is long and avoidance of drinking is the key to success. Even one drink can lead the alcoholic down a path to more and more drinks.
Drinking wine is important and a mitzvah for some, and a major transgression for another. In Judaism, every person has their own spiritual path to G-d. The framework for everyone is the same, Torah and Mitzvot. However, for you the path may be more focused on prayer, and for someone else it may be Torah study. For you it might be charity with money and another through volunteering their time.
Each of us needs to protect our own spiritual path, lest we fall into a spiritual path that doesn't work for our souls. This is one of the messages from the verse in this week’s Torah portion: "You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their kehunah (Priesthood); any outsider (non kohen) who approaches shall be put to death."
If you are a Kohen, your path to G-dliness includes specific behavior which for a non-Kohen is dangerous, and lethal, similar to alcohol for the alcoholic.
The G-dly way is to protect your path, and respect the path of others, when both are guided by Torah.
Have a good Shabbos,
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman