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Words have a power all their own; in fact, words create reality! So the Torah says: "All that comes out of our mouth, we shall do." And so when we make a promise, we are bound to keep it. That is why the Hebrew word for "word" is "mila" – which connects to brit mila. We "write a covenant" each time we utter a pledge or a promise.
Words can be wonderfully constructive: we can use them to pray, to study, to bless or to complement others, to spread wisdom by teaching that which we have learned. But words can also be destructive, such as when we disparage or slander others, when we curse, or when we let our anger get the best of us & say something harsh.
In our Sedra, Moshe loses his temper when he learns that the army officers leading the war against Midian spared the Midianite women, who had seduced the Jewish men. As a result of this outburst of anger, Moshe momentarily forgot the specifics of the laws of kashering (the captured vessels of the Midianites) & so Elazar HaKohen had to teach these laws to the nation. Says Rashi: "Anger will always lead to mistakes."
I would argue that righteous indignation is a positive side of anger; we should get riled up when we see injustice or inequality, & do something about it. But most anger is unhealthy & unproductive, & can only injure us. I want to suggest that abiding anger comes from 3 primary places:
First, it stems from an inflated ego. When we think that everything is coming to us, we tend to get mad when things don’t go our way. A modest person is much more inclined to "go with the flow" than a conceited individual.
Anger also connects to jealousy. When we see someone accomplishing something that we feel we could be doing, we get frustrated, & this leads to anger. When we sense that we’ve not lived up to our own potential, we tend to lash out, as a way of deflecting our disappointment with ourselves, & this is expressed in angry words or actions.
Finally, anger indicates a basic lack of faith. Once we do our best, then we have to trust that whatever happens to us is from Hashem, & for the best. We all have had things happen to us that seemed bad, yet turned out well.
So lower your pride, lift your faith, & let your anger go!
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
