VaYerah וירא – Laughter

Yitzchak avinu is born in parshas VaYerah. His name literally means "he will laugh". The name is first mentioned in parshas Lech L'cha (Genesis 17:19). In it Avraham receives a prophesy that he and his wife, Sarah, will give birth to a child. Avraham understands this as occurring within a year when he will one hundred years old and Sarah will be ninety. His reaction is joy and laughter. Because of Avraham's laughter, Hashem commands that the child be named "laughter", or in Loshon HaKodesh, "Yitzchak" (יצחק) (see Rashi).

Siyum of the Mishna 11 May 91

The blessing is multifaceted. A sign of the covenant is to be circumcision. Uncircumcised (ערל) is an expression of being crude and primitive. Being circumcised is considered an aspect of sensitivity and refinement. It includes the promise that his son to be, Yitzchak, will advance the tradition which will yield a large nation of priests who will possess the land of Canaan. However, it is the idea that a couple in their old age will give birth to a child that makes him laugh.

When the child is born, Sarah's reaction is pretty much the same. The language of the Chumash is almost stream of consciousness, "G-d has done me laughter, all that hear will laugh about me", (Bereshis 21:6). The Rashbam explains this laughter as "joy from amazement". Rashi brings, "a Midrash that many barren woman gave birth with her, many of the sick were healed on that day, many prayers were answered with hers, and that there was much laughter in the world". The narrative continues, "Who would say Sarah would be nursing sons for Avraham; for I have born him a son in his old age", (ibid 7). The term "son of his old age" (בן לזקניו) is also an idiom he will be an elder and a sage.

Laughter is also used in this parsha in a negative sense. When travelers visit Avraham and announce that by the following year Sarah will have a child, her reaction is derisive laughter (see the Ramban Bereshis 18:15). Because of changes in the body caused by age, she sardonically wonders if she can be rejuvenated. The text lends itself to an interpretation that it is the laughter that comes from despair. The visitors than reveal themselves as angels and remind her of G-d's omnipotence.

Later in the parsha a derivative of laughter saying the Sarah saw Ishmael joking (מצחק) (Bereshis 21:9) is used. The Sforno explains at the banquet for the weaning Yitzchak, Yishmael frivolously repeated the mockery that Avimelech, who had seized Sarah less than a year ago, was really the father of Yitzchak. Rashi explains that מצחק is the language of idolatry, adultery, and murder. He continues that Yishmael quarreled with Yitzchak about the inheritance then shot an arrow at him and said it was a joke.

We see that laughter can be good, bad, or neutral. It can be the pure joy of seeing a miracle or of wishes thought to be hopeless coming true. It can also be also be an expression of mockery of miracles, happy occasions, or even heaven itself. Conversely one can take pleasure from the pain and misfortunes of others. Also one can hold the arrogant and the faithless in contempt.

Laughter is also an important topic in the Sefer Yetzirah (5:10). The letter kuf (ק) rules with laughter and is its crown. Kuf literally means a monkey and is also the first letter of the word kadosh. This hints at the extremes to which laughter can bring us. This classic work of kabala has a similar analysis for all letters of the aleph beis. The study of the letters ends by saying that the letters can be made into a trough or a wall and applied to war. This suggests that laughter can be sustenance, a home, or a weapon.

The contemporary writer, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, discusses pleasure ענג in his book "The Anatomy of the Soul". He explains that pleasure is a manifestation of the crown כתר in the ten sefiros. Keter has two divisions of which the higher one is Atik Yomin (עתיק יומין, "Ancient of Days"). Atik Yomin is simple faith and the joy that comes from it. The second level is Arich Anpin (אריך אנפין, "the Long Countenance"). This is the joy that comes from intellectual achievement, good character and the emotion, and from speech. Keter is the place where the soul joins its source in G-d's essence.  In other words by means of the laughter of Yitzchak we can achieve the heights of character, intelligence, faith, and attachment to Hashem.

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Bay Ana Ra-cheetz בה אנא רחיץ sung at 8:54

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Discussion of over reacting to an unsavory situation

http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com/2013/10/vayerah-laughter.html

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