Highlighting: “Parsha Jokes” by Jay Zachter. ISBN-13: 9798990219304.

When Chazal told us that there are “Seventy Faces to the Torah” did they include a “Face” of humor? The question is up to debate. However, for Jay Zachter of Woodmere, New York along with his wife Debra and children Eliana, Talia and Dovi, there is definitely room for the insertion of humor into the weekly Shabbat discussions surrounding parshat hashavua. With the publication of “Parsha Jokes” in 2024, the Zachter family has created a charming and all-inclusive opportunity for family involvement which will enhance the study of the weekly parsha.

In case readers find themselves identifying personally with the contents of the jokes, a warning is provided at the outset. “This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.”

The “Parsha Jokes” undertaking has a charming origin. It dates back to 2018 when Dad Jay Zachter was on his seven-minute walk to shul in Woodmere with his then 7-year-old Dovi in tow. While reviewing the highlights of the weekly Parshat Vayetzei, it was suggested that perhaps they should work jointly on coming up with a clever joke based on the parsha to share with the “girls” when they returned home. Thus, “Parsha Jokes” was created. Legend has it that the first created joke relating to the parsha was, “What did the angels going up Yaakov’s ladder say to the angels going down the ladder? Answer: Sulam (Hebrew for ladder) Aleichem!”

So began the weekly sharing of up to six parsha jokes per Shabbat with the nuclear Zachter family, extended family and invited guests. The measuring tool for the success of the joke was the amount of “rolling of the eyes” that went on following its recitation. Fortunately, over the past six years, enough jokes passed the “eye rolling” test to be included in the collection. Some of the jokes that did not “make the cut” are included in the back section entitled “Outtakes.” There is even a section in the back for holiday jokes, from Rosh Hashanah through Tisha B’Av.

Added to the weekly puns is an additional researched fact relating to the parsha in the form of a boxed in “Did you know?” section. For example, accompanying the very first joke in Parshat Vayeitzei is the comment, “Did you know that the rosh cites a midrash that these angels in the dream needed a ladder to get to heaven because, way back in time, they had given away their wings to a beautiful mortal maiden. She must have been very dreamy.”

As we will most likely be reading this article during Shabbat Parshat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, let’s try the Zachter formula on our families.

Parsha Joke: What financial advice did the Azazel goat give? Be careful when winning a lottery — it might set you up for a fall!” Try this one: “What did the burned-out Kohen say when tasked to prepare the Ketoret for Yom Kippur? This is a real grind!”

As for the “Did you know?” on our parsha, how about: “Did you know that a most intriguing Jewish lottery is the “Goral HaGra,” ascribed to the Vilna Gaon? This lottery has been used by some of the greatest rabbis in the past 100 years and is performed by randomly opening a Chumash and linking a particular pasuk to a posed question.”

The publication of “Parsha Jokes” took on even more meaning as it was published to coincide with Dovi’s becoming a bar mitzvah. The senior Zachter is very excited about this project as he has already seen that it has promoted additional interest in the study of the weekly parsha for adults as well as children. Also, its emphasis on language has sharpened the linguistic focus into the text. Further, Zachter sees it as a positive chinuch tool in that it often serves as an enjoyable launching point for more serious conversation about the parsha.

Zachter is encouraging his readers from all over to send him additional jokes as Volume 2 of “Parsha Jokes” is under serious consideration.

Ready to enliven your Shabbat table? Grab “Parsha Jokes” now! Watch as tradition meets humor, creating an atmosphere of joy around all of your Shabbat and holiday meals. Order “Parsha Jokes” today and let the laughter and learning begin!

“Parsha Jokes” is available at your local Judaica stores. To submit your jokes to Jay Zachter email [email protected].