Anger: most dangerous of all traits? In the view of the Rambam, while most traits are ideal in delicate balance, anger is so dreadful, that we must go to the extreme to avoid experiencing it.
Yet, anger may have its merits.
Rashi, quoting the Gemara, asserts that every time the Torah mentions that “Vayichar af Hashem,” we must search for the consequences of G-d’s anger.
It is impossible, it seems, that the Torah tells us Hashem was upset, without the anger being actualized in some respect.
There are two weighty messages buried here: The first aligns with Rambam’s approach: if no consequences are needed, why would Hashem, or we, by extension, bother getting angry?
But the second crucial lesson is that if anger is righteous and correctly placed and directed, it must, necessarily, lead to action. We must not sit by while horrors are perpetrated and let them go, feeling accomplished simply by getting worked up. We should attend a rally, contact our representative, or find a different way to snap into action – but put our righteous indignation to action to improve our world!
