בְּמִעוּט שְׂחוֹק

מקורות על מיעוט שחוק כאחד הדברים שבהם התורה נקנית Sources on the tension between laughter and frivolity and Torah study.

משנה אבות ו׳:ו׳

גְּדוֹלָה תוֹרָה יוֹתֵר מִן הַכְּהֻנָּה וּמִן הַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת נִקְנֵית בִּשְׁלֹשִׁים מַעֲלוֹת, וְהַכְּהֻנָּה בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע, וְהַתּוֹרָה נִקְנֵית בְּאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה דְבָרִים. וְאֵלוּ הֵן, בְּתַלְמוּד, בִּשְׁמִיעַת הָאֹזֶן, בַּעֲרִיכַת שְׂפָתַיִם, בְּבִינַת הַלֵּב, בְּשִׂכְלוּת הַלֵּב, בְּאֵימָה, בְּיִרְאָה, בַּעֲנָוָה, בְּשִׂמְחָה, בְּטָהֳרָה, בְּשִׁמּוּשׁ חֲכָמִים, בְּדִקְדּוּק חֲבֵרִים, וּבְפִלְפּוּל הַתַּלְמִידִים, בְּיִשּׁוּב, בַּמִּקְרָא, בַּמִּשְׁנָה, בְּמִעוּט סְחוֹרָה, בְּמִעוּט דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, בְּמִעוּט תַּעֲנוּג, בְּמִעוּט שֵׁינָה, בְּמִעוּט שִׂיחָה, בְּמִעוּט שְׂחוֹק, בְּאֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, בְּלֵב טוֹב, בֶּאֱמוּנַת חֲכָמִים, וּבְקַבָּלַת הַיִּסּוּרִין, הַמַּכִּיר אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ, וְהַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, וְהָעוֹשֶׂה סְיָג לִדְבָרָיו, וְאֵינוֹ מַחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לְעַצְמוֹ, אָהוּב, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַמָּקוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַצְּדָקוֹת, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַמֵּישָׁרִים, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַתּוֹכָחוֹת, מִתְרַחֵק מִן הַכָּבוֹד, וְלֹא מֵגִיס לִבּוֹ בְתַלְמוּדוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בְּהוֹרָאָה, נוֹשֵׂא בְעֹל עִם חֲבֵרוֹ, מַכְרִיעוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, מַעֲמִידוֹ עַל הָאֱמֶת, וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, מִתְיַשֵּׁב לִבּוֹ בְתַלְמוּדוֹ, שׁוֹאֵל וּמֵשִׁיב, שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמוֹסִיף, הַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לְלַמֵּד וְהַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לַעֲשׂוֹת, הַמַּחְכִּים אֶת רַבּוֹ, וְהַמְכַוֵּן אֶת שְׁמוּעָתוֹ, וְהָאוֹמֵר דָּבָר בְּשֵׁם אוֹמְרוֹ, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁכָּל הָאוֹמֵר דָּבָר בְּשֵׁם אוֹמְרוֹ מֵבִיא גְאֻלָּה לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ב) וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר לַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֵׁם מָרְדֳּכָי:

Pirkei Avot 6:6

Greater is learning Torah than the priesthood and than royalty, for royalty is acquired by thirty stages, and the priesthood by twenty-four, but the Torah by forty-eight things. By study, Attentive listening, Proper speech, By an understanding heart, By an intelligent heart, By awe, By fear, By humility, By joy, By attending to the sages, By critical give and take with friends, By fine argumentation with disciples, By clear thinking, By study of Scripture, By study of mishnah, By a minimum of sleep, By a minimum of chatter, By a minimum of pleasure, By a minimum of frivolity, By a minimum of preoccupation with worldly matters, By long-suffering, By generosity, By faith in the sages, By acceptance of suffering. [Learning of Torah is also acquired by one] Who recognizes his place, Who rejoices in his portion, Who makes a fence about his words, Who takes no credit for himself, Who is loved, Who loves God, Who loves [his fellow] creatures, Who loves righteous ways, Who loves reproof, Who loves uprightness, Who keeps himself far from honors, Who does not let his heart become swelled on account of his learning, Who does not delight in giving legal decisions, Who shares in the bearing of a burden with his colleague, Who judges with the scales weighted in his favor, Who leads him on to truth, Who leads him on to peace, Who composes himself at his study, Who asks and answers, Who listens [to others], and [himself] adds [to his knowledge], Who learns in order to teach, Who learns in order to practice, Who makes his teacher wiser, Who is exact in what he has learned, And who says a thing in the name of him who said it. Thus you have learned: everyone who says a thing in the name of him who said it, brings deliverance into the world, as it is said: “And Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name” (Esther 2:22).

קהלת ב׳:ב׳

(ב) לִשְׂח֖וֹק אָמַ֣רְתִּי מְהוֹלָ֑ל וּלְשִׂמְחָ֖ה מַה־זֹּ֥ה עֹשָֽׂה׃

Ecclesiastes 2:2

(2) Of revelry I said, “It’s mad!”
Of merriment, “What good is that?”

קוהלת רבה ב׳:ב׳:ד׳

(ד) דָּבָר אַחֵר, לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס דִּדְהוּבָא מְעָרְבָּב מָה חֶדְוָתָה עָבְדָא,

עוֹבָדָא הֲוָה בְּבַר נָשׁ מֵרַבְרְבֵי בָּבֶל שֶׁנָּשָׂא בְּנוֹ אִשָּׁה, בָּרְבִיעִי עָשָׂה סְעוּדָה לַחֲכָמִים, אָמַר לִבְנוֹ עֲלֵה לָעֲלִיָּה וְהָבֵא לָנוּ יַיִן טוֹב מֵחָבִית פְּלוֹנִי, עָלָה לְהָבִיא יַיִן יָשָׁן מִן הָעֲלִיָּה הִכִּישׁוֹ נָחָשׁ וָמֵת, הִמְתִּין לֵירֵד וְלֹא יָרַד, אָמַר אֶעֱלֶה וְאֶרְאֶה מַה טִּיבוֹ שֶׁבְּנִי מִתְעַכֵּב, עָלָה וּמְצָאוֹ שֶׁהִכִּישׁוֹ נָחָשׁ וָמֵת מֻשְׁלָךְ בֵּין הֶחָבִיּוֹת, הִמְתִּין אוֹתוֹ חָסִיד עַד שֶׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ הָאוֹרְחִין כָּל סְעוּדָתָן וְגָמְרוּ לְבָרֵךְ, אָמַר לָהֶם רַבּוֹתַי לֹא לְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת חֲתָנִים לְבֵית אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ בָּאתֶם לְבָרֵךְ בְּנוֹ, עַכְשָׁו אִמְרוּ עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים עַל בְּנוֹ, לֹא לְהַכְנִיסוֹ לַחֻפָּה בָּאתֶם הַכְנִיסוּהוּ לַקֶּבֶר. עָאל רַבִּי זַכַּאי וְאַפְטַר עֲלֵיהּ: לִשְחֹוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל וּלְשִׂמְחָה מַה זֹּה עוֹשָׂה.

Kohelet Rabbah 2:2:4

(4) Another matter: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded” – Rabbi Pinḥas said: If the laughter is confounded, what does joy accomplish? There was an incident involving a man who was among the prominent leaders in Babylonia, whose son married a woman on a Wednesday. He made a feast for the Sages. He said to his son: ‘Go up to the attic and bring us fine wine from such and such barrel.’ He went to bring aged wine from the attic; a snake bit him and he died. [The father] waited for him to descend, and he did not descend. He said: ‘I will go up and see what is keeping my son.’ He went up and found that a snake had bitten him and he was dead, cast among the barrels. That pious man waited until the guests had eaten and drunk their entire meal and concluded reciting the blessing. He said to them: ‘My rabbis, did you not come to that man’s house to recite the groom’s blessing, to bless his son? Now recite the mourner’s blessing on his behalf for his son. Did you not come to bring him to the wedding canopy? Place him into the grave.’ Rabbi Zakai entered and concluded his [eulogy with the verse]: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded; and of joy, what does it accomplish?”

שבת ל׳ ב:ג׳-ו׳

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר שִׁילַת מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב:

בִּקְּשׁוּ חֲכָמִים לִגְנוֹז סֵפֶר קֹהֶלֶת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדְּבָרָיו סוֹתְרִין זֶה אֶת זֶה...

וּמַאי דְּבָרָיו סוֹתְרִין זֶה אֶת זֶה?

כְּתִיב טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְּׂחוֹק וּכְתִיב לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל

כְּתִיב וְשִׁבַּחְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת הַשִּׂמְחָה וּכְתִיב וּלְשִׂמְחָה מַה זֹּה עוֹשָׂה.

לָא קַשְׁיָא:

טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְּׂחוֹק - טוֹב כַּעַס שֶׁכּוֹעֵס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַצַּדִּיקִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה מִשְּׂחוֹק שֶׁמְּשַׂחֵק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הָרְשָׁעִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה;

וְלִשְׁחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל - זֶה שְׂחוֹק שֶׁמְּשַׂחֵק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִם הַצַּדִּיקִים בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

וְשִׁבַּחְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת הַשִּׂמְחָה - שִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה;

וּלְשִׂמְחָה מַה זֹּה עוֹשָׂה - זוֹ שִׂמְחָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל מִצְוָה

לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין שְׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה לֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְבוּת וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְלוּת וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ שְׂחוֹק וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ קַלּוּת רֹאשׁ וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ שִׂיחָה וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ דְּבַר שִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְעַתָּה קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד ה׳.

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה וְכֵן לִדְבַר הֲלָכָה

אָמַר רָבָא וְכֵן לַחֲלוֹם טוֹב

אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר רַב: כׇּל תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ וְאֵין שִׂפְתוֹתָיו נוֹטְפוֹת מָר תִּכָּוֶינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נוֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עוֹבֵר - אַל תִּקְרֵי ״מוֹר עוֹבֵר״ אֶלָּא ״מָר עוֹבֵר״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שׁוֹשַׁנִּים״ אֶלָּא ״שֶׁשּׁוֹנִים״

לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּרַבָּה; וְהָא בְּתַלְמִידָא

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: הָא וְהָא בְּרַבָּה, וְלָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא מִקַּמֵּי דְּלִפְתַּח; הָא לְבָתַר דִּפְתַח

כִּי הָא דְּרַבָּה מִקַּמֵּי דְּפָתַח לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן אָמַר מִילְּתָא דִּבְדִיחוּתָא וּבָדְחִי רַבָּנַן. לְסוֹף יָתֵיב בְּאֵימְתָא וּפָתַח בִּשְׁמַעְתָּא.

Shabbat 30b:3-6

Since contradictions in Ecclesiastes were mentioned, the Gemara cites additional relevant sources. Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the name of Rav: The Sages sought to suppress the book of Ecclesiastes and declare it apocryphal because its statements contradict each other and it is liable to confuse its readers. And why did they not suppress it? Because its beginning consists of matters of Torah and its end consists of matters of Torah. The ostensibly contradictory details are secondary to the essence of the book, which is Torah. The Gemara elaborates: Its beginning consists of matters of Torah, as it is written: “What profit has man of all his labor which he labors under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3), and the Sages of the school of Rabbi Yannai said: By inference: Under the sun is where man has no profit from his labor; however, before the sun, i.e., when engaged in the study of Torah, which preceded the sun, he does have profit. Its ending consists of matters of Torah, as it is written: “The end of the matter, all having been heard: Fear God, and keep His mitzvot; for this is the whole man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). With regard to this verse, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: For this is the whole man? Rabbi Eliezer said: The entire world was only created for this person. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This person is equivalent to the entire world. Shimon ben Azzai says and some say that Shimon ben Zoma says: The entire world was only created as companion to this man, so that he will not be alone. And to the essence of the matter, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of: Its statements that contradict each other? It is written: “Vexation is better than laughter” (Ecclesiastes 7:3), and it is written: “I said of laughter: It is praiseworthy” (Ecclesiastes 2:2), which is understood to mean that laughter is commendable. Likewise in one verse it is written: “So I commended mirth” (Ecclesiastes 8:15), and in another verse it is written: “And of mirth: What does it accomplish?” (Ecclesiastes 2:2). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult, as the contradiction can be resolved. Vexation is better than laughter means: The vexation of the Holy One, Blessed be He, toward the righteous in this world is preferable to the laughter which the Holy One, Blessed be He, laughs with the wicked in this world by showering them with goodness. I said of laughter: It is praiseworthy, that is the laughter which the Holy One, Blessed be He, laughs with the righteous in the World-to-Come. Similarly, “So I commended mirth,” that is the joy of a mitzva. “And of mirth: What does it accomplish?” that is joy that is not the joy of a mitzva. The praise of joy mentioned here is to teach you that the Divine Presence rests upon an individual neither from an atmosphere of sadness, nor from an atmosphere of laziness, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of idle conversation, nor from an atmosphere of idle chatter, but rather from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzva. As it was stated with regard to Elisha that after he became angry at the king of Israel, his prophetic spirit left him until he requested: “But now bring me a minstrel; and it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him” (II Kings 3:15). Rav Yehuda said: And, so too, one should be joyful before stating a matter of halakha. Rava said: And, so too, one should be joyful before going to sleep in order to have a good dream. The Gemara asks: Is that so, that one should introduce matters of halakha joyfully? Didn’t Rav Giddel say that Rav said: Any Torah scholar who sits before his teacher and his lips are not dripping with myrrh due to fear of his teacher, those lips shall be burnt, as it is stated: “His lips are as lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh [shoshanim notefot mor over]” (Song of Songs 5:13)? He interpreted homiletically: Do not read mor over, flowing myrrh; rather, read mar over, flowing bitterness. Likewise, do not read shoshanim, lilies; rather, read sheshonim, that are studying, meaning that lips that are studying Torah must be full of bitterness. The Gemara explains: This is not difficult, there is no contradiction here, as this, where it was taught that one should introduce matters of halakha joyfully, is referring to a rabbi, and that, where it was taught that one must be filled with bitterness, is referring to a student, who must listen to his teacher with trepidation. And if you wish, say instead that this and that are referring to a rabbi, and it is not difficult. This, where it was taught that he must be joyful, is before he begins teaching, whereas that, where it was taught that he must be filled with bitterness and trepidation, is after he already began teaching halakha. That explanation is like that which Rabba did. Before he began teaching halakha to the Sages, he would say something humorous and the Sages would be cheered. Ultimately, he sat in trepidation and began teaching the halakha.

רש"י על שבת ל׳ ב:ה׳:ה׳-ו׳:ב׳

לדבר הלכה - צריך לפתוח במילי דבדיחותא ברישא:

לחלום טוב - אם בא לישן מתוך שמחה מראין לו חלום טוב:

נוטפות מר - מרירות מחמת אימה:

ובדחי רבנן - נפתח לבם מחמת השמחה:

Rashi on Shabbat 30b:5:5-6:2

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Avivah Zornberg, The Beginning of Desire, 99-100
The atmosphere of laughter that attends the birth of Isaac is essentially ambiguous: "Sarah said, God has brought me laughter; everyone who hears will laugh with me" (21:6). Sarah internalizes the tensions set up by laughter as a joy at enlarged possibilities, on the one hand, and the laughter that (bitterly? cruelly?) denies any possibility but the quotidian reality. To laugh is to confront the pressures of necessity on one's individual destiny and one's infinite desires. To laugh is to counter Spinoza's first great law of thought: non ridere, non lugere, neque detestari, sed intellegere—to laugh, to suffer, to rejoice, to hate, and to weep are to affirm the reality of the self as not simply an undifferentiated part of the world of objects ruled by necessity.
The birth of Isaac (attended by multiple births and healings in the world, according to Rashi) is an outrageous flouting of law and necessity, of common wisdom and stoic, philosophical acceptance. The reaction, the explosion of laughter, may run a long gamut (from mockery to joy, as Ramban puts it), but the very fact of laughter places man firmly, absurdly at the center of his world.
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Abraham and Sarah, by inviting the laughter to their table, share in it and modulate it. It is a fully human affirmation of affinity, a nonverbal possibility somewhere "between the wordlessness of animals and the silence of the gods." In the relationship with their peers, it enacts the oral potential that Ramban writes of, in his comment on Sarah's solitary laughter of denial: "'And Sarah laughed to herself' [18:12]: For the laughter of joy is from the mouth—'Our mouths shall be filled with laughter' [Psalms 126:2]—but inward laughter can not be said to be joyful."
The mouth filled with real laughter—like the food of the feast, audible and sensible to others—is an image representing the end of days, the overcoming of separateness and closure. In this world, it remains a mere possibility that constantly destroys itself.

ברכות ל׳ ב:י״ד-ל״א א:ד׳

מַתְנִי׳ אֵין עוֹמְדִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ כּוֹבֶד רֹאשׁ. חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ שׁוֹהִין שָׁעָה אַחַת וּמִתְפַּלְּלִין כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּכַוְּונוּ לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. אֲפִילּוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וַאֲפִילּוּ נָחָשׁ כָּרוּךְ עַל עֲקֵבוֹ - לֹא יַפְסִיק.

גְּמָ׳ מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּאָמַר קְרָא וְהִיא מָרַת נָפֶשׁ. מִמַּאי? דִּילְמָא חַנָּה שָׁאנֵי, דַּהֲוָת מְרִירָא לִבָּא טוּבָא. אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא מֵהָכָא וַאֲנִי בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל הֵיכַל קׇדְשְׁךָ בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ. מִמַּאי? דִּילְמָא דָּוִד שָׁאנֵי, דַּהֲוָה מְצַעַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּרַחֲמֵי טוּבָא. אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מֵהָכָא הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַה׳ בְּהַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ - אַל תִּקְרֵי בְּהַדְרַת אֶלָּא בְּחֶרְדַּת. מִמַּאי? דִּילְמָא לְעוֹלָם אֵימָא לְךָ הַדְרַת מַמָּשׁ, כִּי הָא דְּרַב יְהוּדָה הֲוָה מְצַיֵּין נַפְשֵׁיהּ וַהֲדַר מְצַלֵּי. אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק מֵהָכָא עִבְדוּ אֶת ה׳ בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה מַאי וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה? אָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר מַתְנָא אָמַר רַבָּה בִּמְקוֹם גִּילָה שָׁם תְּהֵא רְעָדָה.

אַבָּיֵי הֲוָה יָתֵיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבָּה. חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא בָדַח טוּבָא. אֲמַר: וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה כְּתִיב! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא תְּפִילִּין מַנַּחְנָא.

רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה הֲוָה יָתֵיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי זֵירָא. חַזְיֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה קָא בָדַח טוּבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּכׇל עֶצֶב יִהְיֶה מוֹתָר כְּתִיב. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא תְּפִילִּין מַנַּחְנָא.

מָר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבִינָא עֲבַד הִילּוּלָא לִבְרֵיהּ חֲזַנְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן דַּהֲווֹ קָבָדְחִי טוּבָא. אַיְּיתִי כָּסָא דְמוֹקְרָא בַּת אַרְבַּע מְאָה זוּזִי, וְתַבַּר קַמַּיְהוּ וְאִעֲצִיבוּ.

רַב אָשֵׁי עֲבַד הִילּוּלָא לִבְרֵיהּ חֲזַנְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן דַּהֲווֹ קָא בָדְחִי טוּבָא אַיְּיתִי כָּסָא דְּזוּגִּיתָא חִיוָּרְתָּא וְתַבַּר קַמַּיְהוּ וְאִעֲצִיבוּ.

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרַב הַמְנוּנָא זוּטֵי בְּהִלּוּלָא דְּמָר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבִינָא: לִישְׁרֵי לַן מָר! אֲמַר לְהוּ: וַי לַן דְּמִיתְנַן וַי לַן דְּמִיתְנַן! אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אֲנַן מָה נַעֲנֵי בָּתְרָךְ? אֲמַר לְהוּ הֵי תּוֹרָה וְהֵי מִצְוָה דְּמַגְּנוּ עֲלַן.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי: אָסוּר לְאָדָם שֶׁיְּמַלֵּא שְׂחוֹק פִּיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה - אֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם הִגְדִּיל ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת עִם אֵלֶּה. אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ שֶׁמִּיָּמָיו לֹא מִלֵּא שְׂחוֹק פִּיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה מִכִּי שַׁמְעַהּ מֵרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן רַבֵּיהּ.

Berakhot 30b:14-31a:4

MISHNA: One may only stand and begin to pray from an approach of gravity and submission. There is a tradition that the early generations of pious men would wait one hour, in order to reach the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer, and then pray, so that they would focus their hearts toward their Father in Heaven. Standing in prayer is standing before God and, as such, even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a snake is wrapped on his heel, he should not interrupt his prayer. GEMARA: We learned in the mishna that prayer should be undertaken in an atmosphere of gravity. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? Rabbi Elazar said: They are derived from the verses describing the prayer of Hannah, mother of Samuel, as the verse states: “And she felt bitterness of soul, and she prayed to the Lord and she wept and wept” (I Samuel 1:10). The Gemara rejects this proof: From what does that conclusion ensue? Perhaps Hannah is different, as her heart was extremely embittered, her prayer was embittered as well. This does not prove that everyone must pray in that frame of mind. Rather, Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said, it can be proved from here, as David said: “But as for me, by Your abundant loving-kindness I will enter Your house, at Your Holy Temple I will bow in reverence for You” (Psalms 5:8). Entering into prayer like entering the Holy Temple must be performed reverentially. The Gemara rejects this proof as well: From what does that conclusion ensue? Perhaps David is different, as he would excessively afflict himself in prayer in order to atone for his transgression with Bathsheba. Consequently, his cannot serve as a paradigm for proper conduct in prayer. Rather, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, it can be derived from here, from this verse that David said, not about his own worship, but about worship of God in general: “Give, unto the Lord, the honor of His name, bow to the Lord in the beauty of holiness [behadrat kodesh]” (Psalms 29:2). Do not read: In the beauty of [behadrat] holiness. Rather read: In trembling of [beḥerdat] holiness; one must enter into prayer from an atmosphere of gravity engendered by sanctity. The Gemara rejects this too: From what does that conclusion ensue? Perhaps, actually I would say to you that it should be read as it is written: Specifically, “in the beauty,” and it means that one should pray in beautiful clothing, as in the case of Rav Yehuda who would adorn himself and then pray. Rav Yehuda believed that one who comes before the King must wear his most beautiful clothing. The Gemara has yet to find a source for the halakha that one must approach prayer from an atmosphere of gravity. Rather, Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said it can be derived from here, from this verse: “Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice with trembling” (Psalms 2:11). Having cited this verse from Psalms, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning of rejoice with trembling? Rav Adda bar Mattana said that Rabba said: One may not experience unbridled joy; even where there is rejoicing, there should be trembling. On that note, the Gemara relates: Abaye was sitting before his teacher Rabba, and Rabba saw that he was excessively joyful. He said to Abaye: It is written: Rejoice with trembling, one’s joy should not be unrestrained. Abaye said to him: It is permissible for me because I am donning phylacteries now and as long as they are upon me they ensure that the fear of God is upon me. Similarly, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Yirmeya was sitting before Rabbi Zeira. He saw that Rabbi Yirmeya was excessively joyful. He said to him: It is written: “In all sorrow there is profit” (Proverbs 14:23); sorrow is appropriate, not excessive joy. Rabbi Yirmeya said to him: It is permissible for me because I am donning phylacteries. On a similar note, the Gemara relates: Mar, son of Ravina, made a wedding feast for his son and he saw the Sages, who were excessively joyous. He brought a valuable cup worth four hundred zuz and broke it before them and they became sad. The Gemara also relates: Rav Ashi made a wedding feast for his son and he saw the Sages, who were excessively joyous. He brought a cup of extremely valuable white glass and broke it before them, and they became sad. Similarly, the Gemara relates: The Sages said to Rav Hamnuna Zuti at the wedding feast of Mar, son of Ravina: Let the Master sing for us. Since he believed that the merriment had become excessive, he said to them, singing: Woe unto us, for we shall die, woe unto us, for we shall die. They said to him: What shall we respond after you? What is the chorus of the song? He said to them, you should respond: Where is Torah and where is mitzva that protect us? In a similar vein, Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: One is forbidden to fill his mouth with mirth in this world, as long as we are in exile (ge’onim), as it is stated: “When the Lord returns the captivity of Zion we will be as dreamers” (Psalms 126:1). Only “then will our mouths fill with laughter and our lips with song” (Psalms 126:2). When will that joyous era arrive? When “they will say among nations, the Lord has done great things with these” (Psalms 126:2). They said about Reish Lakish that throughout his life he did not fill his mouth with laughter in this world once he heard this statement from his teacher, Rabbi Yoḥanan.

Yב

Yavni יבני Bar-Yam בר-ים

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