Laugh for God's Sake: Where Jewish Humor and Jewish Ethics Meet

Jewish humor is a venerable part of the Jewish historical experience. It has been a constant companion of Jews, as individuals and communities, accompanying them in many lands and and expressing itself in a number of languages. Jewish jokes penetrate virtually every aspect of human relationships, sparing neither Jew nor non-Jew. Stanley Schachter's study, enhanced by his translations of nearly 150 jokes drawn from Yiddish and Hebrew sources, examines Jewish humor from a novel perspective, revealing their connection to primary teachings of Jewish ethics. His analysis uncovers Jewish humor as an active partner of Judaism's timeless teachings, couched in laughter, and intended to remind Jews of their ethical obligations in life's ever tangled encounters.