“Expel anger from your heart and remove evil from your flesh”
(Kohelet 11:10)
Whoever is quick to anger is punished with various forms of Gehinnom, as the pasuk states, “Banish anger from your heart and remove evil…” Evil is a reference to purgatory (Nedarim 22a).
One who tears his clothes, breaks a dish, or wastes money in his anger is considered to be worshipping idols. This is the way of the Yetzer Hara. Today, he says, “Do this,” and tomorrow, he says, “Do this,” until he persuades a person to worship idolatry (Shabbat 105b).
A person’s nature is illustrated by three things: His cup, his purse, and his anger (Eiruvin 65a).
Reish Lakish states, “If a scholar becomes angry, his wisdom leaves him” (Pesachim 66b).
There are some traits from which a person must distance himself completely. Anger is one such trait. It is an extremely bad characteristic, from which one should distance himself at any expense. One would do well to teach himself never to become angry, even about something about which it is fitting to become angry (Rambam, Hilchot De’ot 2:3).
One must completely eradicate anger, like a strongman who vanquishes his enemies. But passions must only be subdued for the service of Hashem, like one who captures a city (Gra on Mishlei 16:32).
Rabbeinu Yerucham of Mir (Da’at Torah, Shemot, Yitro 172) goes so far as to say that if someone ever became angry in his life, he will never merit the brilliant light of wisdom. Certainly, those who are not in control of their inclinations have no wisdom. They do not have the ability to advise others regarding the truth.
One should not look into the face of an angry person. It indicates the power of evil, hurrying to avenge its suffering. Moreover, one who looks into the face of an angry person forgets his studies (Sefer Chassidim, 1,026).
Whoever becomes angry knows that he is on the way to losing his intelligence. He will then be nothing better than the beast, lacking his Divine image. In general, one sin begets another, different sin. Not so with anger. A person in a fit of anger is like a madman, liable to commit all of the sins in the world. This is why all forms of Gehinnom take control over a person who is easily angered. Hashem loves the one who maintains his Divine image, just as He intended during Creation. But one who is angry loses this quality (Kochvei Ohr I, 35).
