Laughter Lifts Learning (Ki Tavo 5781)

What an exciting first day of school we enjoyed this week. All students on campus at the same time for the first time since March 2020! The journey of a school year is so exciting. And anxiety producing. And confusing. And joyful. So many different feelings come together on that first day of school. 

As we gathered the whole JCHS school community this week in the theater ahead of our first classes of the day, I told the student body about a gift my mother handed me my first day of school one year. She gave me "101 Elephant Jokes" saying to me, "laughter lifts learning! If you start your day with a smile, the learning will be better." Wanting to tell some of my favorite riddles from that now tattered book, I put on a clown mask (see photo - because this year we are all masked indoors all the time in California schools), so my smile behind the mask could be seen outside the mask, then shared:

 

Q: What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?

A: Time to build a new fence.

Q: Where do you find elephants?

A: It depends where you left them.

Q: How many elephants will fit into a Mini-Cooper?

A: Four: Two in the front, two in the back.

Q: How many giraffes will fit into a Mini-Cooper?

A: None. It's full of elephants.

Q: How do you know there are two elephants in your refrigerator?

A: You can hear giggling when the light goes out. 

Q: How do you know there are three elephants in your refrigerator?

A: You can't close the door.

Q: How do you know there are four elephants in your refrigerator?

A: There's an empty Mini-Cooper parked in your driveway

Q: Why did the elephant paint its fingernails red?

A: So it could hide in a strawberry patch.

Students laughed, some groaned. I think most were smiling behind their masks. 

Then I turned to the Hebrew word for joy or happiness -- samey'ach. It is familiar to many of us in the phrase for "Happy Birthday" - Yom Huledet Samey'ach  or "Happy Holiday" -- Chag Samey'ach. That word appears twice in this week's Torah portion (Ki Tavo). In fact, it is used more times in the fifth and final book of Torah (Deuteronomy or Devarim) than in any of the other four books of Torah combined.

One of the times samey'ach is used this week is especially instructive. An entire community is subjected to curses when a community's service to God is not accompanied by "joy and gladness of heart" (Deut. 28:47). In other words, the most meaningful work that can be done by a community is done best, most valued, most appreciated when it is done with joy. And not just the joy of a few, but the joy of many is needed to elevate the vital work of a community. 

This theme is echoed in the book that the JCHS professional community and board read this summer, Marc Brackett's "Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive." Brackett explains research that demonstrates feelings of joy reduce levels of stress, laughter is good for heart health, happiness increases one's capacity to learn. In other words, as my mother said, "laughter lifts learning!" 

I urged our students this week during the journey of our year together to make this a year of courage and encouragement, of learning and befriending, of empowering and enjoying. Of finding ways within our school community to bring more joy and delight into the world. To lift their learning with laughter.