[Avodah] Comedy -- is it good for the Jews?

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Dec 17, 2018 at 9:02am EST, R Moshe Y. Gluck replied to me on Areivim
in a conversation about a stand up comic at a venue that lost their hekhsher
over it:
: One can argue that comedy, in it of itself, is assur, independent of
: subject matter because of Assur L'maalos Piv Schok B'Olam Hazeh (Berachos
: 31a).

This gemara makes an interesting contrast to the rather famous gemara
(Taanis 22a) about Rabbi Beroqa Choza'ah and Elihahu haNavi in the marke
of Bei Lefet. Elihahu points out two beduchei as among those there who
would merit olam haba, eiuther because they chear up the depressed or
bring peace to those arguing.

Given the first "i nami" in Taanis, where's the chiluq to be drawn?

Another problem I have understandign the gemara in Taanis. The
market in question was full of Jews. (Another person Eliyahu pointed
out was noted for not dressing like one, but turned out to be employed
by the prison system and he protected the women in his jail.) And
"kol Yisrael yeish lahem cheileq". So why are just these people
being pointed out as being "bar alma de'asi"?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
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