Humor

Several biblical passages feature laughter, playfulness, or irony, though the extent to which the Bible contains intentional humor is a matter of debate. In rabbinic literature, humor is utilized as a tool for engaging with foreign views, as a pedagogical method to engage students, and as part of natural interactions between scholars. Chasidic texts expound on the significance of incorporating humor in one's spiritual life, and works throughout the Jewish textual tradition engage in humor and analyze its role in Jewish life.