LEV610 The angry man will not be very wise, for anger drives wisdom from one's heart, so that he will not be able to answer correctly or to reprove correctly, and none of his words will be reasonable. The angry man hardens himself to reproof and chastisement, for no one is allowed to reveal to him his mistakes and his ugly ways. Everyone is afraid to speak to him of his affairs lest he arouse his anger. And even if someone does offer him reproof, he will reject it in anger. In sum, the angry man will not accept any good trait if he does not remove anger from his heart. And just as the angry man cannot accept chastisement from others, so he cannot administer it to them, for the Torah has written [this verse]: "Reprove, reprove your friend and do not bear sin because of him." In the beginning, reprove him gently and in private, telling him softly and ingratiatingly that you are speaking to him for his benefit. If you do so, you will not bear sin because of him. But if you rebuke him in the beginning in a loud, angry voice, and you shame him, then you will bear sin because of him, and that friend will not accept reproof from you. For this is the way of men. When one man bears down strongly on another, the latter stiffens and stands up against him and does not submit. About this Shelomo has said (Koheles 9:17): "The words of the wise, uttered gently, are accepted." We are familiar with the instance of Hillel and Shammai, about whom the three converts said (Shabbos 31a): "The unyieldingness of Shammai was like to drive us out of the world, and the humility of Hillel brought us under the wings of the Shechinah." Hillel, because of his great humility, could not be brought to anger, for one who keeps himself from anger acquires the trait of humility and of mercy. For cruelty proceeds from anger, as it is written (Shemos 22:23): "And I will be angry, and I will kill you with the sword" and accordingly anger is always found in conjunction with revenge, as in (Devarim 11:17): "And the anger of Hashem will burn against you, and he will close up the heavens." (Continued at [[LEV95]] Leviticus 10:16 angry TZADIK 241-3).