Hearing a comical statement or seeing a comical sight naturally causes laughter. Such a reaction is to be expected of anyone, even from a refined and intelligent person provided the laughter is cultured and the person’s refined posture is retained. This is because halachically and midos-wise there is nothing wrong with a moderate, cultured form of laughter. Although Chazal (our Sages) say, ×סור ל××“× ×©×™×ž×œ× ×¤×™×• שחוק בעוה”×– – “A person must not fill his mouth with laughter in this world [before the coming of Moshiach].” [1. Brachos 31a] Nevertheless, this does not mean that he should not laugh at all.
There are, however, immodest forms of laughter, in which the person bursts into raucous laughter or screams loudly with laughter. Such behavior–and even lesser forms of outright laughter–is unfitting for a refined and cultured person and even degrades him in the eyes of others. This type of laughter is particularly unfitting for women and girls since, apart from the external unpleasantness of such behavior, it is associated with a loss of self control due to which the person screams. This is in variance with tznius–which requires constant vigilance and care. It also reflects a coarseness of character since a refined person does not behave in such a manner.
Chazal (our Sages) say, בשלשה ×“×‘×¨×™× ××“× × ×™×›×¨, בכוסו ובכיסו ובכעסו, ו×מרי לה ××£ בשחקו — “The character of a person can be detected in three ways: by the way he behaves when drunk, by the manner in which he gives tzedaka, and by how he reacts when angered. Some say, also by the way he laughs.” [2. Eruvin 65b] The wisdom and perception of our holy Sages is extraordinary!
Modesty-An Adornment for Life: Rabbi Pesach Eliyahu Falk, © Feldheim Publishers.
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