Origins of Modern Jewish Humor (Essential Lectures in Jewish History) Dr. Henry Abramson

This is a more-or-less scholarly discussion of the origins of modern Jewish history in Enlightenment Europe. Warning: there are a few jokes in this video, but they only start around the 15 minute mark. The rest is more theoretical and historical. Part of the Essential Lectures in Jewish History series, more available at www.henryabramson.com.

[@daniel-meir]

A non observant resident of Tel Aviv is being late for an important meeting and cannot find a parking lot. He says, 'G-d, please, give me a parking spot and I'll believe in You'. That very moment a car drives out and a parking spot becomes available. The Jew says, 'Never mind'.

[@tiamatxvxianash9202]

Roberto Benigni's "Life is Beautiful" (1997) brought in explosive debates on the subject of humor within the context of the Holocaust itself. This movie was compared to Steven Speilberg's "Schindlers List" (1993). And the debate went on. You Dr. Ambramson have succeeded immeasurably in reaching out to Jews and others while interweaving humor throughout your excellent lectures.

[@144Donn]

Dr A..I think the BEST Talmudic joke is in the beginning of Pesachim when discussing the Chuldah (Weasel) finding chametz ..and the Talmud asks, Is the Chulda\Weasel a prophetess? This is one of the best Rabbi jokes! RE: The joke of the Rabbi in the Restaurant ,you need to mention the apple in the roasted pigs mouth..You ask for an apple and this is what they bring?! Great lecture!

[@professorhamamoto]

A nice talk as usual. I wrote a book on the TV sitcom titled "Nervous Laughter" (1989), which is largely an homage to Jewish writers and performers who managed to find the universal in the particular while reaching a diverse national audience in the millions. Political correctness has crushed the soul of American humor. Let freedom ring and let us laugh once again together.

[@avivatal614]

Thank you, dear Rabbi Abramson, I laughed out aloud, thank you, ש׳כוח גדול

[@eaglecuts25]

Thanks for keeping my thirst for judaica Alive Dr Abramson!.

[@correosemanal]

Excellent lecture, and very funny jokes!!

[@veaudor]

I'm reading the Telushkin book on humor, as per your recommendation. Very funny, very interesting!

[@theschaefers3093]

Rabbi Akiva started every lesson with a joke. The Talmud states Eliyahu Hanavi stated that 2 comedians are the only ones worthy to be in the world to come. Comedy has always been important in Rabbinic thought.

[@u2bAriel]

Ha! The notion that a Yekke invented Jewish humor is really laughable! I like your lectures prof. Abramson!

[@elliottgorbaty3986]

In mesechta megilla it talks about the things that were interpreted alternatively by the Rabbis of the Septeginet. The last one that they did not use the term for the nonkosher hare, the "arnevet" but instead referred to it as the animal who stood on hind legs, because Ptolmey wife's name was "Arnevet"

[@NuNugirl]

As a Jewish Grandmother, the last joke gets all my approval.

[@AZ12105]

Fantastic lecture like all your videos we have watched!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you like them!

[@hoperules8874]

I laughed. I laughed harder seeing a picture of Shalom Aleichem...He could be my husband's brother-and my husband pretends to not be Jewish...😂

[@SuperYaniv12]

Thank you! great lecture!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

You're very welcome!

[@veronicalevin2325]

Loved it! Thank you

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you very much, Ms. Levin!

[@776281]

As you state so well, cultural context, language context are critical. Thus we cannot conclude no earlier humor, we could have well missed the pun.

[@terrayjos]

I have thought to myself (on several occasions) while listening to your lectures that you are a frustrated stand-up comedian :) I don't mean any disrespect and I hope you don't take it that way.

[@minainmunda875]

I know several humor in the Bible. וַיֹּאמֶר אֲמַצְיָה, אֶל-עָמוֹס, חֹזֶה, לֵךְ בְּרַח-לְךָ אֶל-אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה; וֶאֱכָל-שָׁם לֶחֶם, וְשָׁם תִּנָּבֵא (עמוס ז') וַיְהִי בַצָּהֳרַיִם וַיְהַתֵּל בָּהֶם אֵלִיָּהוּ, וַיֹּאמֶר קִרְאוּ בְקוֹל-גָּדוֹל כִּי-אֱלֹהִים הוּא--כִּי שִׂיחַ וְכִי-שִׂיג לוֹ, וְכִי-דֶרֶךְ לוֹ; אוּלַי יָשֵׁן הוּא, וְיִקָץ" (ספר מלכים א', פרק י"ח) ועתה לכו ונהרגהו, ונשליכהו באחד הבורות... ונראה מה יהיו חלומותיו " ויאמר אליו זבול, 'איה איפוא פיך אשר תאמר 'מי אבימלך כי נעבדנו (שופטים ט') מה נכבד היום מלך ישראל , אשר נגלה היום לעיני אמהות עבדיו, כהיגלות נגלות אחד הריקים'. (שמואל ב' ו') ראש וזנב, כפה ואגמון... זקן ונשוא פנים הוא הראש, ונביא מורה שקר הוא הזנב " ( נביא השקר מזדנב מאחרי המנהיג במקום להוכיח אותו) ישיעהו.

[@u2bAriel]

Nice! There's so much more! I also think that the first sin in Genesis is full of humor. The story of Yitzchak's birth, with Sarah's disrespectful joke at Avraham's expense. Also, Yoseph has quite a few humorous misadventures, when looked at with a light perspective. In my opinion, so much of the Torah is full of good-natured mirth. Maybe Litvacs lost these subteleties when they decided to substitute their sense of humor with a stick up their tuc**s ;)

[@Sapnfap]

A Jewish boy comes home from school and says "Mom, I got a part in the school play". The Mom replies, "Thats great, what role are you playing" The Boy says "I am playing the part of a Jewish Husband" The Mom says, "Go back to your teacher and tell her you want a speaking role!"

[@mayerschwartz4000]

Can you please masks a lecture on shimon Dzigan and Jackie Mason?

[@neilgoodman2885]

Dear Professor: You think you have problems? Thank you so much for the grins. I am working for the most fragile people in need of housing. I am so glad you were telling jokes. Seriously, With highest respect, Neil H. Goodman.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@philipmann5317]

Speaking of tevyeh the milchiker, he's famous for asking God "Would it upset some vast, eternal plan if I were a wealthy man?" The question is actually asked in the gemarah Ta`anis, by Rabi Elazar ben Pedos. The answer given was, yes, in fact. It would upset some vast ,eternal plan. I would have to do everything over from Creation itself." The rav declined.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Interesting! Citation?

[@philipmann5317]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD I believe it's in Mesechtah Ta`anis. I'll find out exactly and post it here.

[@naomikoopmans]

Excellent lecture Dr Abramson, Kol HaKavod!

[@erldagerl9826]

"'Fiddler on the Roof' pales in comparison to the original." Truer words were never spoken. The whole story of Chava is totally twisted to be more palatable to an American audience, most of whom are intermarried. And Tevye makes wonderful but sad jokes based on Torah, which assume the reader's knowledge of Jewish texts, and indeed, of Jewish life.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Yup

[@carladasilva6109]

Wonderful, certsinly not too long or too many!

[@rubenlevisznajderman6284]

Fascinating!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks!

[@clarkewi]

Fascinating and insightful.

[@SeanWasserman]

Hi Rabbi, I enjoy your videos. I was wondering if there is an obligation to recite Teffilat Haderech while riding a train. Where can I find halachot about this?

[@johnathandoe7079]

I find that people that have faced great hardship and oppression tend to develop great humor. Life's harshness is too much to take seriously 😂

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

You are probably corrext

[@daniel-meir]

thank you for the good jokes

[@amixofeverything]

Would Jewish comedians like Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Larry David, Ilana Glazer, or Abbi Jacobson be considered Jewish humor, or just funny Jews? Seinfeld is the only example I can think of as uniquely Jewish humor.

[@amixofeverything]

***** I completely agree with your terms. I only wonder if there is a new kind of Jewish humor emerging among younger comedians. It is different than the almost Talmudic style humor of Larry David, where he gets into the minutia of everyday life, yet these new comedians proudly proclaim their Jewishness. Thank you for your videos. Every one of them is great.

[@henkzapora5986]

I know two good jokes about Jews, heard them from Jewish people. One is: why do Jewish people have big noses? Because air is for free. The other joke is also a bit about greediness. I do not mind being greedy.

[@billbynon9839]

I love your jokes! Keep going

[@FPGSanctuary]

I found the "The WARNING!" quite funny.

[@nudnikjeff]

I would have liked to see a section on "dayenu".

[@davidsavage6324]

You have such a great laugh, sir. As if you are standing before the drowning of the Kemetics as the volcano side effects/Miracles of the first Hyksos exodus are manifesting. its very triumphant, like bwa-ha-ha... it makes me laugh.

[@user-or7ji5hv8y]

I think I got most of it even though the punchline was in Yiddish. :)

[@MemeMaradith]

I was going to show this to my Jewish mother... but now I'm pretty sure I'll get interrogated for it.

[@lollo4711]

In contrast to English (one word for many), Jiddisch is more differentiated, multifaceted and nuanced (many words for one). The Pointe in Jiddisch uses a distinctive wording (selected words, "Wortwitz" - Linguistic wit) what makes the joke a joke - and what is entirely filtered out by the translation. The translation makes it a cognitive joke. The spirit is lost.

[@theschaefers3093]

the assumption is wrong . The Talmud brings a story of a great Rabbi asking Eliyahu Hanavi in the market place, who is a Ben olam Haba (a child of the World to Come a high knowledgeable rabbis before making silly assumptions.

[@gregcollins7602]

They needed Asian food in their diets before the funny hormone kicked in. 😃

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Heh heh heh

[@markjacobi3537]

I enjoyed your jokes and good humour even from Down Under Melbourne Australia! I have a soft spot for "MummaLashon" Yiddish. By the way truth is sometimes more unusual than fiction! For example there was a Jewish businessman ZL here in Melbourne that diligently taught one of his Vietnamese workers many Yiddish phrases and when some MeSHluchim from Israel or US would turn up at his business "gesheft" he would introduce them to this winnowy 5feett 4 inch Vietnamese Yiddish speaker called "Chaim", who would regale all present telling over "Maaselachs" in Yiddish!.

[@HrvojeJuvancic]

If Jews asks some kind of payback for helping people, thats is not philanthropy, thats PR.

[@maxsmart99]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

[@AlphaOmega888]

I'm not a fan of Jewish humor at all because it helps 'hold down' the Jewish spirit. Here's an example of a Joke going around: "At an Orthodox wedding, the bride's mother is pregnant. At a Conservative wedding, the bride is pregnant. At a Reform wedding, the rabbi is pregnant. At a Reconstructionist wedding, the rabbi and her wife are both pregnant." I don't think that's very positive or good for the Jewish spirit. If the Jewish spirit is a light to nations, all these jokes do is attempt to ensure the light is darkened (hence dark humor). Especially blaming God for things isn't very good or funny. Look at the results from this humor - The stats show Jews have among the highest level of divorce and apostasy. It's like Jewish leaders continually want to suppress, or enslave the Jewish spirit. It's just that Jews largely helped create the Christmas holiday with Santa and Coca-Cola, wrote almost all the Christmas carols, spread the light around. Making a list each year of who's naughty or nice - that is from the Talmud. The first Santa drawing was a from a Jew in Netherlands I think in the 1800's. The 12 days of Christmas has many versions with different days, but is likely a son about Hanuka and even includes the 2 turtle dove offerings. I remember Bing Crosby with David Bowie singing that Christmas Carol by the tree. At the top of the tree we find what? The star of David. The agreement of the Israel was finalized at Herzl's home under a Christmas tree with the star of David at the top. He even says he was 'lighting it up'. Candles. Now get ready to be blown away: The decorative temple Menorah is in the shape of a chalice, but the 'home use' menorah is actually based on a real tree that grows around Israel and Lebanon. Search Google for "real menorah plant" and you'll see it. You light it up to celebrate the spirit of Hanuka. So if you study the real history, you'll see that Jews helped built a great nation and have lots of spirit and humor. This darkness is new in my opinion. To be more cynical, maybe this is a recent phenomena stemmed from Eastern Europe and Russia and people became Jews to gain right to travel in those days, but they didn't really didn't know what they were getting into? There's almost a 'stuck here' sort of feeling about the jokes. Kind of like 'well I'm feeling this - so you should to'. I honestly find the humor to be a real darkness over the Jewish spirit and not typical of Jews through history. *Jewish humor is an 'us vs them' which jades and suppresses the Jewish spirit - because secretly the comedians 'us' is really 'them', and 'them' is really 'themselves'.*

[@matthewsamuel1550]

I would disagree that sharing jokes that are clever or resonant is suppressive of any light or spirit. "Art imitates life." Changes don't happen in the Jewish community (or any other) because of the jokes, the jokes happen because of the changes, which are simply a part of life. Norms change, morality is grey, stereotypes exist. That's just the way it is. You might as well have some fun with it because you certainly cannot stop it. I think it's easy enough to tell whether the purpose of a joke is to be clever or to be hateful. And if it's clearly just to be clever or humorous, or even to lament a commonly observed change or hypocrisy, just go ahead and have a laugh. It's good for you.

[@chodeshadar18]

+Matthew Samuel Mr. Samuel, I think you're right. On the other hand, Takesomeadvice is also right. Now, if you tell me you can't both be right I know you're not Jewish!

[@chodeshadar18]

+TakeSomeAdvice I think you're right. On the other hand, Mathew Samuel is also right. Now, if you tell me you can't both be right I know you're not Jewish!