Q&A: Mockery
Mockery
Question
The Talmud in Sanhedrin (63b) says:
Rav Nachman said: All mockery is forbidden, except for mockery of idol worship, which is permitted, as it is written, “Bel bows down, Nebo stoops…”
What is the scope of the above prohibition, which was ruled in the Shulchan Arukh? Since it is learned from the Prophets (though in truth it is specifically the permission to mock idol worship that is learned, and perhaps that is really the focus), is it Torah-level / of biblical origin, or is it rabbinic, or perhaps these are aggadic statements and the intent is only guidance about character traits and proper conduct?
Answer
Where did you see a prohibition of mockery in the Shulchan Arukh? As I understand it, this is not Jewish law but rather guidance or an ethical recommendation.
Discussion on Answer
That’s not a valid inference. If there were a prohibition, he would have had to state it. Besides, it is well known that the Shulchan Arukh is not always careful to distinguish between actual laws and proper forms of conduct.
It seems to me that the “mockery” mentioned here is along the same lines as what Rashi explains regarding mockery in Kiddushin—”to say that it is easy to overcome the evil inclination if one wants to.” The point there is that one may not mockingly say that it is easy to overcome the evil inclination if one wants to, except with regard to the sin of idol worship. That is, this excludes mockery directed at other sinners who transgress out of other desires and urges, like the way Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Meir mocked. The novelty here is that only mockery of idol worship is permitted, but not mockery of other sinners. Consider this carefully.
He rules the above Talmudic statement in Yoreh De’ah 147:
“It is permitted to mock idols,”
and from the positive statement you infer the negative.