What Is The Difference Between A Joke & Leitzanus?

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The opening of this shiur, in Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky’s own words — taken from the captions, so names and Hebrew terms may be approximate.

Hi, this is Rabbi Lopianksy with our question and answer series where we try in a short amount of time to answer very difficult and complex questions in a very simple fashion. What is the difference between a joke and leitzanus and how do you tell? So, this is um Mesechta Shabbos and Perek Keitzad it speaks specifically about schok v'lotzon. Schok is laughter and lotzon is scoffing. A joke is where you say something that is funny that is not in any way degrading or insulting. Yeah? And leitzanus is making fun of things. Particularly making fun of important things. So, um uh [clears throat] classic joke All right? Man walks into a bar, says ouch. Okay, not very funny, but it's a joke. Because it's it's not it's not meant to hurt anybody. It's a funny observation. Seinfeld says, I walked into a drugstore. I was trying to pick a cold reliever. And this one's fast-acting but this one's long-lasting. When do I want to feel better? Now or later? So, that that's not hurtful at all. It's just a joke. George Carlin says, when you buy a loaf of bread, do you reach right into the middle cuz everyone knows those are the best pieces? >> [laughter] >> It's not making fun of anybody, right? But, when I get up and I make a joke that makes fun of Torah or makes fun of chachamim or frankly makes fun of anybody. You know? Um I remember one time one of my kids, we were by a relative's house and uh and the kids were making fun of each other, you know, and saying things. And the relative said,

Jump to a moment

1. 0:00Hi, this is Rabbi Lopianksy with our question and answer series where we try in a…
2. 0:30A joke is where you say something that is funny that is not in any way…
3. 1:02Because it's it's not it's not meant to hurt anybody. It's a funny observation. Seinfeld says,…
4. 1:35the best pieces? >> [laughter] >> It's not making fun of anybody, right? But, when I…
5. 2:08"Why would you say that if it's hurtful?" And they said, "It's funny." And she said,…
6. 2:41Otherwise, you can get carried away. You know, you you when you laugh, you release endorphins.…
7. 3:14a joke and then he would he would give his shiur. But, you know, always start…
8. 3:46avodah zarah. Where you make fun of negative things. And things that are anti-Torah and things…
9. 4:16remember me and a friend of mine were working on the Purim play and Chofetz Chaim…
10. 4:47So, we started the play by holding up pictures of avodah zarah and to ask everyone…

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