Hershey and Linda Friedman have achieved something special with God Laughed: Sources of Jewish Humor.This text contains not only a thorough analysis of humor from the Torah, Talmud, and Midrash, but also a discourse on powerful relationships that have been built through laughter and hyperbole. The Friedmans bring to light a source of joy and education that spans countless lifetimes, from the Garden of Eden to the reader’s contemporary greenhouse.
This book’s unique and humorous perspective on Judaism’s sacred texts will both enlighten and entertain. When I look back on my experience of reading the Torah before reading God Laughed, I realize that I missed many absurdities and sardonic remarks embedded in the text.
It’s the originality and uniqueness of God Laughed that will draw the reader’s interest; Jews and non-Jews alike will find this book relatable. The lesson of humor that the reader discovers within the Torah’s walls can enable the distinct feeling of togetherness — of bringing people of disparate backgrounds to one spot so that they can laugh and enjoy life’s mysteries as a united group. This book is not about the Jewish people’s otherness, but of how they found a way into different communities, a way of making friends against all odds.
Why not dive into a world where Sarah, Rachel, and Isaac can explain their opinions of HaShem in parables? Be enchanted with all of the Friedmans’ findings.
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