They say that “Laughter is the best medicine,” and based on my limited research it’s what the experts say too. (BTW did you know that my full Jewish name - Yosef Yitzchok - means “increased laughter”?) Laughter, it turns out, is not funny business; it’s highly important for a fulfilled life. In fact, did you know that one of the great scholars of the Talmud, Rabbah, was known to begin each lesson with a joke. His intention? Not like a typical speaker that needs to draw in the crowd - his crowd, his students, were dialed in already - he did it because laughter opens us up for greater achievement and deeper understanding. Laughter is powerful in so many areas of life; relieving stress, improving your relationships and even your job. And yes, according to Rabbah, even helps you better understand your studies. Why is joy - especially as epitomized by laughter - so powerful? When one is in a joyous mood they feel less inhibited, more expansive and generous. And in a spiritual sense too, when one is joyous it is reflected from Above and the flow of blessing from on High are moved to broader and more expansive channels. Perhaps this is why Abraham and his wife Sarah laughed when they heard that they would be giving birth to a son at their advanced age - this response of theirs actually opened up broader channels of blessing from on High, miraculously enabling them to conceive a child. And what name did they give their son? You guessed it! Yitzchak (Isaac), which means “laughter”.
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