All Questions
14 questions
30
votes
23
answers
4k
views
Are there any jokes in Tanach?
Are there any examples of actual jokes in Tanach? Please provide sources.
7
votes
3
answers
695
views
Comedy and Jewish Life
There are many Jews in America who publicly engage in comedy, whether as a career path or as a way of expressing themselves (blogs, art, etc.). Is there historical precedent to this? Are there any ...
- 41.9k
14
votes
1
answer
372
views
Thinking about Purim Torah in the bathroom
It is not permitted to think about Torah in the bathroom regularly, but what about Purim Torah, which is certainly not real Torah study, but still often refers to actual Torah?
One might think that ...
- 25.1k
6
votes
1
answer
830
views
Is one allowed to go to a standup comedy show during the 3 weeks?
I know that one is not allowed to listen to live music during the 3 weeks.
My question is if Standup comedy is not allowed as well?
- 1,105
8
votes
4
answers
5k
views
What's wrong with pastrami on white bread with mayonnaise?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1zktTCVrDs#t=108s
I usually understand most of Weird Al's references, but this one baffles me.
What's wrong with eating pastrami on white bread with mayonnaise?
(For ...
- 199
7
votes
11
answers
1k
views
What puns are there in Tanach?
Related to Are there any jokes in tanach?, what puns exist in Tanach?
- 4,132
17
votes
2
answers
444
views
Having fun with telemarketers
Growing up, we had a separate home phone line that was listed in the phonebook and had a distinctive ring. So we knew when someone was calling us who had gotten our number out of the phonebook. This ...
- 59.1k
15
votes
4
answers
446
views
A practical joke that leads to a mitzvah
When I was in Yeshiva, someone somewhere in Klal Yisrael played a practical joke. Sometime during the week of Parshas Vayeishev, a text message went around saying something to the effect of "a 17 ...
- 59.1k
11
votes
2
answers
489
views
Is it a sin to joke about sinning?
For instance, to joke about committing suicide or something less extreme like eating non-kosher.
My inclination is towards saying that it is forbidden since it might desensitize one to the idea ...
- 1,705
9
votes
2
answers
2k
views
May one celebrate April Fool's Day?
Many people in the world celebrate and play pranks on each other on April 1.
Is it halachically permissible to play pranks on people or in any kind celebrate April Fool's Day?
- 1,849
7
votes
2
answers
738
views
Would Chazal intentionally make a joke/pun?
Is making a joke in the Talmud something Chazal would do?
What makes me wonder is the gemara in Pesachim (9b), which, in discussing the concern that a weasel may drag chometz around the house and ...
- 59.1k
6
votes
2
answers
308
views
How old is Purim Torah?
How old is the tradition of Purim Torah? The Wikipedia article linked from our PT policy notes a disputed claim of Purim Torah in the talmud (Hulin 139b), with some saying that while the talmud ...
- 57k
6
votes
6
answers
516
views
Are there any pranks in the talmud?
Are there any examples of someone pulling a prank or other practical joke on another person in the talmud?
- 15.4k
-1
votes
1
answer
121
views
What is the preferred attitude towards the Sources?
PTIJ? I don't know. You tell me. I hope this stays up long enough for me to get an answer or two.
You can approach a text with some levity (which does not preclude seriousness), with neutrality, ...
- 23.7k