Don't Run from Your Mistakes: Why the First Jewish Child Was Named Laughter: This class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Tuesday, 13 Cheshvan, 5786, November 4, 2025, Parshas Vayera, at The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY. Why would Sarah deny the truth that she laughed? The Torah says, “because she was afraid.” Afraid of whom? Why was she afraid to tell Abraham that she laughed? After all, she was 89 years old, and Sarah stood her own in the presence of Abraham. Maybe the Torah means she was scared of G-d. But that is senseless. Did she believe that you can hide from G-d? Even more strange is the response to her denial. “But He said, ‘No, you laughed indeed.’” What was this all about? A he said/she said game in the therapist’s office? She said I never laughed; he says: No you did laugh! Okay great. Now what? The biggest question is this: When this miracle child is actually born, the name he receives is Yitzchak, which means LAUGHTER! Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter; everyone who hears will laugh with me!” Strange. When Sarah hears she will have a child, she laughs. G-d gets upset over the fact that she is laughing. He confronts Abraham about her laughter. She denies it. Then Abraham, or G-d, says: No, you did laugh, Sarah! And then when the baby was born, they gave him that very name—laughter! There seems to be some strange theme unfolding here. One of the Chassidic masters, the Sefas Emes, provides a marvelous commentary. It was the moment that created the eternal and legendary Yiddishe Mamme, who will stop for nothing to protect and to believe in her children, and offer them the maternal holding, the fit of inner regulation, peace, and self-love. Cynicism undermines our feminine energy in very profound ways. It buries our trust. Our mother Sarah needed not only to avoid it, but to transform it.

Weekly Women's Class by Rabbi YY Jacobson

Rabbi YY Jacobson

Sarah's Laughter: How Cynicism Corrodes Our Feminine Energy and How to Heal It - Women's Vayera Class

NOV 4, 202599 MIN
Weekly Women's Class by Rabbi YY Jacobson

Sarah's Laughter: How Cynicism Corrodes Our Feminine Energy and How to Heal It - Women's Vayera Class

NOV 4, 202599 MIN

Description

Don't Run from Your Mistakes: Why the First Jewish Child Was Named Laughter<br><br><p style="text-align: justify;">This class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Tuesday, 13 Cheshvan, 5786, November 4, 2025, Parshas Vayera, at The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Why would Sarah deny the truth that she laughed? The Torah says, &ldquo;because she was afraid.&rdquo; Afraid of whom? Why was she afraid to tell Abraham that she laughed? After all, she was 89 years old, and </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sarah stood her own in the presence of Abraham.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Maybe the Torah means she was scared of G-d. But that is senseless. Did she believe that you can hide from G-d?&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even more strange is the response to her denial. &ldquo;But He said, &lsquo;No, you laughed indeed.&rsquo;&rdquo; What was this all about? A he said/she said game in the therapist&rsquo;s office? She said I never laughed; he says: No you did laugh! Okay great. Now what?&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The biggest question is this: When this miracle child is actually born, the name he receives is Yitzchak, which means LAUGHTER! Sarah said, &ldquo;God has brought me laughter; everyone who hears will laugh with me<span dir="RTL" lang="HE">!</span>&rdquo;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Strange. When Sarah hears she will have a child, she laughs. G-d gets upset over the fact that she is laughing. He confronts Abraham about her laughter. She denies it. Then Abraham, or G-d, says: No, you did laugh, Sarah! And then when the baby was born, they gave him that very name&mdash;laughter!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There seems to be some strange theme unfolding here.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One of the Chassidic masters, the Sefas Emes, provides a marvelous commentary. It was the moment that created the eternal and legendary Yiddishe Mamme, who will stop for nothing to protect and to believe in her children, and offer them the maternal holding, the fit of inner regulation, peace, and self-love.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 6pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cynicism undermines our feminine energy in very profound ways. It buries our trust. Our mother Sarah needed not only to avoid it, but to transform it.&nbsp;</span></p><br><br>View Source Sheets: <a style="color: blue;" target="_blank" href="https://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9789">https://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9789</a>