Mr Cohen, the representative of the Jewish people down on earth, is sent up to heaven to have a chat with God. He is ushered in to the inner sanctum, where God greets him warmly. A little nervously, Mr Cohen steps forward and says ‘Eternal Almighty God, the Jewish people downstairs have sent me up to you to ask a question.’ ‘YES’ replies God, ‘ask whatever you please’. ‘Well’, Mr Cohen continues, ‘is it true that we are the chosen people?’ ‘Yes, you are the chosen people’. ‘Well, we were wondering, would you mind choosing someone else for a change?’
This was a poor retelling of a wonderful short sketch on a record, first released in the 1960’s, called ‘You don’t have to be Jewish’. This was a family favourite, which spawned catchphrases, and hours of laughter on long car trips. Jewish humour is notoriously self-deprecating, and is so prevalent in places like New York that it has become inseparable from the mainstream. But this isn’t a new thing. The Talmud[1] says that when the great sage Rav lectured to thousands of students on serious topics of Torah, he always began with a joke. And it’s entirely possible that all this Jewish humour has its origins in this week’s torah portion.
Our portion has Sarah overhearing a promise made to Abraham that they will have a son. No longer a young woman, and somewhat past her prime, you can well imagine that she finds this laughable, though I suspect this laughter comes years after she has dealt with the cruel reality that she would not be a mother in a world where that was very much the norm. But Sarah has a few more laughs after the section we heard this morning. Ishmael is also found laughing in the portion, but it’s a laughter that gets him in rather a lot of trouble – reminding us that there are different kinds of laughter, and it isn’t always done in kindness!
Sarah laughs so much, in fact, that Isaac’s name – Yitzchak in Hebrew – means ‘will laugh’. It was given because not only his mother, but even the great, faithful Abraham, fell on his face and laughed when he was told by God that he would be a father, despite being close to a hundred years old! According to Midrash, Yitzchak doesn’t just bring laughter to his own family, but on the day of his birth women all over the world enjoyed the joy of conception, and laughter was brought to all the nations, reminding us that it is never just about us. Bringing joy and laughter into our own lives is only part of the challenge, making sure we share it with those around us is another part of the destiny foretold in Isaacs name. And having tried my hand at stand up comedy I can tell you making others laugh can be one of the scariest tasks out there!
You could argue that Isaac should have been called Tzahak, he laughed, but his name is in the future tense, perhaps because as a patriarch, he embodies the Jewish future as well as his own past. Isaacs birth seemed like an incredible challenge, he almost shouldn’t have existed, but against the odds, he prevailed, and brought laughter to those around him, and to the world. Perhaps this prevailing against the odds and laughing all the while has been a major Jewish story line too, and so his name is appropriately prophetic.
Interestingly, the Hebrew verb “to laugh,” litzhok, is similar to the verb “to cry,” lizok. In Hebrew the letters tzaddi and zayyin have been known to interchange, meaning litzhok and lizok could be seen as linked through their roots, illustrating a fundamental and poetic connection between laughter and tears. For a little while I was a theatre studies student, and I was taught that to act as if one is laughing or crying is not really very different. In fact sometimes it is difficult to know whether a person is laughing or crying. On many occasions, when sitting with people in grief, I have been struck by the quick inter-change between laughter and tears, sometimes of course both coming at the same time. Perhaps this close link between laughing and crying is a gift, given to help us conquer despair, for no matter how bleak the situation, laughter is never far away.
Laughing is apparently very good for your health, according to some research it can boost the immune system, relieve stress, and releases endorphins that can even lessen pain. I have a friend who attends laughter workshops, like a yoga class where they are all given exercises to do to help them laugh. Not only is laughing good for you but if it isn’t present in our Judaism, I’m not sure our relationship to it will last very long. Laughter, and her close cousins joy and happiness, are really important elements in our Judaism –as well as being a place we can bring our tzurres and our grief.
If our forefathers and mothers could find laughter despite all the challenges they faced, the least we can do is continue the tradition, and ensure the next generation are the beneficiaries, ensuring joy and laughter is a regular part of synagogue life for all.
Sarah and Abraham didn’t laugh at any old situation, in reality, they laughed at God. And I really think that’s fantastic! We have enough reasons to be true to the meaning of the name Yisrael; to struggle with God, so let’s take every opportunity to laugh that we can! Research suggests that children laugh 400 times a day, but adults only manage a chuckle on average 17 times a day (I’m sure I beat that average!)
Like Yitzchak, may we all be blessed with the destiny to give and receive laughter, and may our Judaism be a part of that joy.
May this be God’s will
V’nomar Amen
[1] Sanhedrin 38b
