I need to know what does this quote mean

Can u help me explain what does this quote mean please

"Much that we would think funny in the days to come would scarcely have caused the shadow of a smile at home in Vilna but we needed to laugh as much as we needed bread."

I think it means that they have laughed as much as they needed bread.

Greetings!

What the quotation is saying is that the people ("we") have endured some very difficult times, and they now needed to experience joy. They therefore found humor even in small things that they might not have considered funny back when times were good, because laughter can feed the soul the way bread feeds the body.

I hope this helps!

Thanks,

Sarah, EssayForum.com