Silliness, Blessedness and Wisdom

A friend of mine pointed me to a game called Flyguy, and I was so taken by the silliness, simplicity, and deeply lighthearted experience that I started thinking once again about the connection between silliness and blessedness (you know, the origins of the word "silly" include the concept of "blessed").

I've also just recently begun correspondence with Gershon Winkler, who "is both a renowned scholar as well as a rabbinic trickster." In his first message to me, Rabbi Winkler wrote: The Zohar says "There is no wisdom as wholesome as that wisdom that comes out of silliness." Which connected the whole "silly" thing back to wisdom. Which reminded me how I talk about DeepFUN as "exploring the wisdom of games." Because I believe that games, especially those that are truly fun, are also resevoirs of great wisdom. Which is what I write about extensively in articles like Near Myths and stories like the one about the children's games of Hot Bread and Butter.

I asked Rabbi Winkler if he could tell me more about that amazing quote. He explained: "The Zohar teaching is from Volume 3, folio 47b, and it goes on and on about the importance of clowning and how the teachers would open their discourses with silly things to open the hearts to the wisdom and that without clowning, the knowledge cannot be imparted wholly." Which reminded me of that piece I found about play and teaching. Which reminded me about how and what I teach. (See this for more of Rabbi Winkler's wonderful quotes.)

I'm not sure what this is all leading or taking me back to. Maybe a validation. Maybe a new direction. But I thought you'd enjoy the dance.