Burning Anger
D'var
Torah: Vayakhel-Pekuday
March 20, 2009
When someone says "I was really burned up" or "he really burns me up" we know what that means. That person is saying he is very angry or more accurately very, very angry. The imagery of burning fire symbolizes anger. When we feel most angry, we can almost feel a fire burning within us.
We are a country burned up this week after learning that these Wall Street traders, who were apparently responsible for the collapse of the too big insurance company AIG, are collecting bonuses larger than most Americans earn in a life time. Everybody's angry. Citizens throughout the country are angry. Congress is angry. The president is angry.
As I sat with my Humash opened to this week's Parsha, I was immediately struck by one of the opening verses "You shall not burn a fire in all of your habitations on the Sabbath." I recalled once reading a commentary on this verse that Shabbat is a day not only to refrain from working, from using money, but a day to take leave of our anger for a day of calm and spiritual rest. As we are commanded to light no fire on the Sabbath, we are similarly instructed not to get burned up on Shabbat. We sometimes get burned up at work so don't work. We sometimes get burned up in reading our e-mail so don't read e-mail. Yes, we sometimes get burned up by family members and Shabbat is a day to spend time with family. Nothing is foolproof. Nevertheless on Shabbat, do the things that make you calm, that bring you pleasure. This week in particular, we can all use a Sabbath to rest from our angry week.
In general, I am not a big fan of anger. More often than not, anger burns. It is destructive. We do more regrettable than laudable acts when we are angry. A teaching in the fifth chapter of Pirkei Avot pulls no punches when it describes the person who is quick to anger and slow to pacify as a wicked individual. The author was also no fan of anger. Anger is not the path to happiness and well being. Studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between anger and longevity. Anger shortens our lives quantitatively and diminishes the quality of our lives.
A person who never feels anger is a saint. We get angry. That's life. What do we do however with our anger. A Talmudic teaching instructs "Who is a strong person? One who controls his impulses. Feeling anger and acting on our anger are not the same. I have learned over the years that when I feel angered most and want to respond the fastest, the best thing to do at that moment is......nothing until the fire burns itself out and then proceed based on more rational thought. The ability for us to recognize our anger and control it rather than having it control us will serve us well. Our society can use a little less road rage. I am always saddened and upset when I hear of uncalled for anger expressed in the synagogue by volume or vocabulary. Thankfully, these episodes are rare and surely don't belong in a synagogue whose very name means one who loves peace.
The behavior of those who took these bonuses in return for destroying a company is despicable, deplorable and disgusting. We have every right to be angry but have we gone overboard with our anger this week? Is this anger sinking us? While Congress and the executive becomes obsessed with retrieving this 169 million and we should, who is focused on the other hundreds of billions that have been given to AIG and other financial institutions to keep our economy from imploding? Have we again, taken our eye off the real ball? Is anyone staying calm and focused enough to keep the ship afloat in these stormy waters and direct us to calmer seas? Congress has shown us that they can sure get angry and that anger can drive them to pass legislation real fast. I would like the recipients to return more than ninety percent of our money but Jay Leno said it best last night to the President. In referring to this quick congressional action, he commented what happens if next they don't like how I'm making money and they pass legislation against me. Jay Leno is not only exact in his timing in delivering a punch line, he is exact in his thinking.
As I wrote above, I am no fan of anger. That is unless our anger can help us repair a broken society, unless our anger can help us perform some act of tikkun olam, unless our anger can inspire us to build anew and not only burn down. Our Biblical prophets were often angry. They were angry at the people and leaders alike for behavior they found to be despicable, deplorable and disgusting. Their goal was to repair what was broken under the kingdom of the Almighty.
Maybe our collective anger at these traders who have no shame is anger that can build rather than burn. Maybe we are ready to embrace the idea that wealth is not the highest ideal. Maybe we are ready to recognize that values like fairness, integrity and contributing to the welfare of society are values not to be sacrificed in the sole pursuit of the next million. The great sage Hillel would embrace the American value of individual achievement in his teaching "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" Hillel however doesn't stop there. He goes on "If I am only for myself, what am I?" Those who have already cashed their bonuses are out for themselves alone and so what are they? And then Hillel says "If not now when?" Maybe our constructive anger will result in fewer of our best and brightest heading for Wall Street and more headed to the classroom to teach, the science lab to research, the hospital to heal, Silicon Valley to develop and making something that America and the world truly needs.
We will recover from these difficult economic times and return to an era of prosperity. Perhaps that prosperity will be not only be a return to profits but to the teaching of our Prophets. In the words of the Prophet Micah to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your G-d.
Shabbat Shalom
