Especially in these days of Corona when tensions rise and some react out of distress or depression, lashing out in anger becomes more prevalent. This could be problematic with families that have many rambunctious children, husbands out of work, and maybe mothers stressed to her limits. Also we have witnessed groups protesting in anger on the streets for perceived and actual inequities and injustices. But anger is not the solution and does not help.
*What Anger Does to Us (excerpted from Parsha commentary by Rabbi Rabinowitz)
"One of the early Jewish biblical commentators, Rabbi Judah ibn Balaam (Spain, 1000-1070), made a connection between this story and one about the prophet Elisha told in Kings II. The story there is about a regional war led by King Yehoram of Israel, King Yehoshafat of Judea, and with them the king of Edom, against King Meisha of Moab. At a certain point, when the armies of Israel and Judea were in trouble, the kings turned to Elisha the prophet who was accompanying the army. Elisha initially responded in anger, “What do I have [to do] with you? Go to your father’s prophets and to your mother’s prophets!” – hinting at the idol worship prevalent in those days in the kingdom of Israel. Later, Elisha agreed to the kings’ request and instructed, “And now fetch me a musician.” And immediately, “the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him.”
"Why did Elisha need a musician to play for him? Rashi answers this in only a few words, “Because of his anger, the Divine Presence left him” (Rashi on Kings II 3, 15). Again, we encounter a tremendously spiritual person getting angry, even legitimately and justifiably angry, but as a result of this anger, he is unable to return to his spiritual level. The Ralbag (Rabbi Levi ben Gershom, commentator and astronomer, Provence, 14th century) wrote the following about the story of Elisha:
“To tell us that one should avoid anger, because anger extinguishes the light of the intellect.”
"We are being called upon to learn from our nation’s greatest leaders, from their successes but also from their failures. We have to admit that we don’t have to go all the way back to Moses in the 14th century BCE or back to the prophet Elisha in the 9th century BCE.
We know full well how anger can be detrimental and we are fully aware of the damage and harm that come from rage. How many relationships have been harmed by an uncontrolled moment of anger? How many disputes could have been resolved had people exercised restraint and not allowed anger to gain control over them?
"Yes, we can. We can overcome anger, control it and manage it."
*this appeared in the weekend edition of the Jerusalem Post, written by Rabbi Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall
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