Parasha Vayeira
SAN DIEGO — Laughter is good medicine. Ask Avraham and Sarah. After all, they dealt with the challenges of life through faithful laughter. Their son, Yitzhak, carries laughter within the root of his name, tzahok. We are taught to laugh to serve Hashem appropriately, Ivdu et Hashem b’simcha.
It’s been said, “Man plans and God laughs.” Meaningful spiritual laughter, the type we are introduced to in the parasha, comes from trusting that whatever comes, comes through Hashem’s ultimate plan and understanding that His power can and does change our lives – so what’s left to stress about? Nothing. So laugh, with deep faith that all will be fine.
Let’s look deeper into the healing aspect of laughter that the parasha introduces us to.
>And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have become worn out, will I have smooth flesh? And also, my master is old.”
>Abraham fell on his face and rejoiced, and he said to himself, ‘Will [a child] be born to one who is a hundred years old, and will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?’”
When Avraham fell to his knees, it appears it was an expression of joy and thankfulness, bowing in thanksgiving. Sarah appears more incredulous and Hashem seems to rebuke her for she did not laugh immediately, but only after she saw a change in herself, this according to Rashi on Midrash Tanhuma, Shoftim, par. 18.
>And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Is it really true that I will give birth, although I am old?”
We learn in Vayikra Rabba, “Bar Kappara said: Great is peace, for the Scriptures reported in the Torah a prevarication which was used in order to maintain peace between Abraham and Sarah. This is proved by what is written, And Sarah laughed within herself, saying…and my master is old; but [when He repeated this] to Abraham, He said: [Sarah said]: And I am old.” Further, “Rabbi Ishmael taught: Great is peace, for even of the Great Name, written though it be in sanctity, did the Holy One, blessed be He, say that it may be blotted out in water, for the purpose of making peace between husband and wife.”
Can we ever say enough about shalom bayit, peace in the home, and emet shel chesed, a kind and loving truth, particularly for the sake of bringing peace between people? Sarah said one thing, perhaps hurtful to Abraham, and Hashem brings softer words as he shares it with Abraham, an example of emet chel chesed and shalom bayit. Emet shel chesed extends beyond shalom bayit. When we speak with one another kindly, with compassion-filled caring words, joyfully, we help build a peaceful path to another.
Coming from a place of genuine joy is a wonderful way to approach learning. Rabbah, we learn in the Talmud in Shabbat 30b, would say something humorous before teaching Jewish law, to cheer up the Sages. He thought telling a joke, laughter, was a good way to prepare for Torah study.
Let’s all have many good reasons to laugh. And let’s speak with kindness to all. These always go hand in hand.
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com