"Lakhn" is the Yiddish Word  Meaning "to Laugh" by
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe

Syosset, New York

Newspapers report that "laughter may be good for your health."  Research shows that laughing causes the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to expand and thereby increase "blut" (blood) flow.

At a meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Orlando, researchers had "tsvantsik" (20) healthy volunteers watch a 15-minute segment from "Kingpin," a 1996 movie starring Woody Harrelson. In "Kingpin," a mismatched duo are intent on conning their way to a bowling tournament--the $1,000,000 Winner-Take-All Reno Open.  Bill Murray, as
the veteran McCrachen, sports rodeo shirts with built-in back bracs, and the most god-awful combover in the history of hair.  48 hours later, the volunteers then view the opening battle scene from "Saving  Private Ryan," the 1998 war movie starring Tom Hanks.

After each movie was shown, researchers used ultrasound to measure change in "di oder" (blood vessel) reactivity.  On average, blood flow increased 22 percent after seeing the humorous Harrelson, Randy Quaid, and Bill Murray movie, comparable to the increase brought on by aerobic exercise, and decreased 35 percent after "Saving Private Ryan."

Dr. Michael Miller, the lead author of the study, said that a stress-inducing movie can have a negative effect on cardiac health.  He said that "Laughter may help reduce the need to run marathons...but we don't recommend replacing exercise with laughter as a public health measure."

I, too, believe that comedy is good for people, and during a recent book signing at Borders Books & Music in Boynton Beach, Florida, I shared the following three stories:

• A "kinder-gortn" teacher in a Hebrew day school in Manhattan, is introducing the Yiddish words for the numbers 1, 2, and 3. "Eyns, Tsvey, Dray, Eyns, Tsvey, Dray," she repeats.  She puts up one finger, and asks Max, "What does this mean?"  Max, five years old, hesitates, and then SHOUTS,  "TAXI."
  
  
• Mrs. Goldberg, a new "bobe," is pushing a carriage through the jewelry department of Fortunoffs.  Her 3-month old granddaughter is sleeping peacefully.  She meets her "shokhente" (neighbor), Mrs. Abelson, who peers into the carriage.   "Oy, such a "shaineh maidelah."  Mrs. Goldberg, kvelling, replies, "That's nothing!  You should see her picture."
  
• Sammy, an octogenarian, walks into the new Ben's Deli in Boca Raton.  The owners of the 7,000-square-foot store were tired of hearing New Yorkers ask when they were opening.    "ALRIGHT, WE'LL OPEN IN BOCA.  STOP   KVETCHING ALREADY."

    A WANDERING PEOPLE FOR 5,000 YEARS - THEN WE FOUND BOCA.

    TODAY I AM A MAN, TOMORROW I RETURN TO 7th GRADE.

    IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMETHING NICE, SAY IT IN YIDDISH.

Sammy orders a mile-high pastrami on rye ($8.29), cole slaw, pickles, matzo ball soup ($3.79), a side of fries ($2.99), Dr. Brown's soda, and a rich dessert.  The food was very tasty and the portions were "grois" (big.)  He's so impressed that the next day he brings  5 synagogue members back to Ben's for dinner. They all order the identical food Sammy had ordered the previous day, but when it's served, the portions are tiny--"pitseleh."   Sammy says to the waiter,    "Antshuldik mir" (excuse me), how come yesterday the portions were so 'grois" and today they're so 'pitseleh'?"  The waiter answers, "Yesterday you were seated near  the window!"    :-)

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___________________________________________
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe is the author of
two books:

"Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers" and
"Are Yentas, Kibitzers, & Tummlers Weapons of Mass Instruction?  Yiddish
Trivia."  To order a copy, go to her
website: MarjorieGottliebWolfe.com

NU, what are you waiting for?  Order the book!

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