A Soulful Journey

 Queen Victoria and Price Albert had a quarrel shortly after their marriage.  Albert stormed out of the room and locked himself in his private apartment.  Victoria hammered furiously on the door.  "Who's there?" called Albert. "The Queen of England and she demands to be admitted." There was no response. More fruitless knocking was followed by a pause. Then, a gentle tap.   "Who's there?" came the question. "Your wife, Victoria," came the response. The Prince opens the door. Do not let ego ruin your love.

Mrs. Goldberg called the Elmans and asked Rachel if she was available the next night. When Rachel responded she was free, Mrs. Goldberg thanked her and told her it was very important and she should arrive promptly at 7:45 the next evening. Tuesday night arrived and Mrs. Goldberg waited at the window at 7:45. She did not see or hear from the babysitter.  She waited a bit longer and tried calling Rachel but the line was busy.   By 8 o’clock she became angry. She started expressing her views about Rachel and their family in general.  “How could a girl be so irresponsible? I always had my doubts about them.” At 8:02 there was a knock on the door. She opened it expectantly only to find her husband. She became even more angry. At 8:05 she you again try to call Rachel and this time her mother picked up the phone. Furious, Mrs. Goldberg asked to speak with Rachel. ”Oh are you the one Rachel was supposed to babysit for?” Mrs. Elman asked.  “You hung up before y...

Jerry Lewis, the great comedian, once remarked that the best wedding gift he ever received was a film of the entire wedding ceremony.  He said when things got really bad in his marriage, he would go into a room, close the door and walk out a free man. Remember the best. Forget the worst. It is always your choice what you remember.

In the midst of great joy, do not promise anyone anything. In the midst of anger, do not answer anyone’s letter.  – Chinese proverb Emotions and deliberate thought to dot always corroborate one anther.  Think first,  Then do.

Rabbi Solomon Schonfeld was known to be an arrogant and defiant man.  Where there was no trouble he would create it as though the lull was a detrimental factor to Jewry.   The week after he was honored for his 70 th birthday his brother was held up in New York.  An intruder broke into his car and screamed, “Move over! Or I’ll blow your brains out.”  Immediately, the Mr. Schonfeld retorted, “No I won’t! You get out.”  The mugger was so startled that he immediately ran away.  – Jewish Chronicle 2/1982 Anger isn’t always bad or inappropriate.

Rava said, "If a young scholar becomes enraged it is because the Torah inflames him, as it is written, Is My word not like fire? " (Jeremiah 23) Rav also commented, A scholar who is not a rock solid as iron is not a scholar as it is written, And like  hammer shatters a rock.  (Jeremiah)

I'm angry; I'm angry And I can tell you why. The reason I am angry Is that somebody made me feel very small And all of a sudden I cried I almost lied and said I wasn't scared But I was scared. And now I'm angry. I'm angry. - Fred Rogers

In some exasperation , Lady Astor said to Winston Churchill, “Winston, if I were married to you I’d put poison in your coffee.” Churchill responded, “And if you were my wife I’d drink it.” Their relation is said to have been  very contentiousness.  While we may chuckle, there is much anger and hurt here.

What do you do with the mad that you feel When you feel so mad you could bite? When the whole wide world seems, oh, so wrong, And nothing you do seems very right? What do you do? Do you punch a bag? Do you pound some clay or some dough? Do you round up some friends for a game of tag? Or see how fast you go? Its great to be able to stop When you've planned a thing that's wrong. And be able to do something else instead And think this song: I can stop when I want to. Can stop when I wish. Can stop, stop, stop anytime. And what good feeling to feel like this. And know that there's something deep inside That helps us become what we can. For a girl can someday be a woman And a boy can someday be a man. -Fred Rogers

Deciding to have pizza for dinner, I called one of the pizza houses in the neighborhood and ordered a jumbo deluxe.  I told the person on the other end of the line that I'd pick it up in 30 minutes. When I arrived, my mouth watering for hot pizza, I was told that my order had never been received.  Furious, I lectured the young waiter on the poor service before storming out. On the way home, I stopped at a competing pizza shop and requested a jumbo deluxe.  "That's funny," the young man said as he took my order.  "You're the second person named Collins to order the same pizza in the last 45 minutes.  I don't think the other guy is going to show."  - Dave Collins Be very careful before "telling someone off."

Ty Cobb once was bothered by a heckler and left onto the stands to attack him.  "When a bystander stated that the fallen man had  no hands, Cobb shouted, 'I don't care if he has no feet,' and continued flailing at him with his spiked shoes."  - Daniel Okrent and Steve Wulf Never should we lose control of ourselves.  Think before responding.

"Some guy hit my fender the other day, and I said to him , "Be fruitful and multiply."  But not in those words." - Woody Allen Anger inevitably brings out the worst.  When we lose it we also lose our self.

A preacher was bothered by a parishioner sleeping during his services, even during his sermon.   Getting angrier and angrier he finally whispered to the congregation, “All who wish to walk in the kingdom of heaven, stand up.”   They all rose.   Then the preacher shouted: “Now all those who wish to walk with the devil, rise.”   The poor sleeping man was startled and quickly stood.   He looked around and so no one else standing so he said, “I don’t know what we’re voting on preacher but it looks like you and me are the only ones for it.”   -Lyndon Johnson

George Bernard Shaw once observed, "If you strike a child, take care that you strike it on anger, even at the risk of maiming it for life.  A blow in cold blood nether can nor should be forgiven."

"A wound reveals the real man." -Waziri saying How we behave when we are full of anger tell the true story of our character.

“Rachel gave voice to the definite words of despair, “Give me children.   If not, let me die!”   Her husband Jacob was angry that she asked for a miracle: “Shall I take God’s place?”   But rabbinic tradition did not approve of his response.   According to one sage, God replied: “Is that how you answer someone who cries in distress?”   - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks , 1981 Anger destroys. It is not constructive, most emphatically among people who love one another.

Two monks were casually walking through the woods, chatting.   As they approached a river they saw a scantily clad woman trying to cross it.   The older monk decided he would go over and help her.   The younger one warned against going to her. Nevertheless the older monk picked the woman up despite the urgings of his younger comrade and carried her across. Some time later the younger monk complained, “You should not have picked that lady up.” Retorted the elder, “I put her down a long time ago.” Moral? Put down what you have been carrying. It is way to heavy to continually bear.   Then move on.

One who comes in from a journey is forbidden to pray.   Or one is distraught is forbidden to pray.   What is the reason?   Declares Isaiah, “Therefore now hear this, you afflicted and drunken but not with wine….”   51:21 -Yerushalmi 5:1 Why would the Talmud make such a statement? Surely we need to pray when we are distressed, in need of help?! Perhaps, they reason, that if we prayed out of anger we may say words that we come to regret.   Prayer should always be treated as sacrosanct, not like Monopoly money.

In October 1973 the Egyptian and Syrian armies attacked Israel on the morning of Yom Kippur, the Day Atonement, when all Jews spend the day in Synagogue, fasting and praying.   Many lives were lost in those first hours of fighting.   I heard of a man who went to his rabbi a few days later and told him: “When I heard the news about the fighting in Israel, I slammed my prayer book shut and walked out of the synagogue.   I said to myself, ‘If God is going to let young Jewish boys be killed for defending their country on Yom Kippur I am not going to sit here reciting psalms to Him.’    I walked out of Temple and spent the rest of the holiday sitting at home, angry at God.   Now, three days later, I feel embarrassed by what I did.   I feel guilty for walking out on the Yom Kippur service and I want to know what I can do to make up for it. The rabbi told him, “You have nothing to feel guilty about and nothing to apologize for.   Your...