LEV95 Anger breeds arrogance in a man, and because of it he will not submit and will not acknowledge the truth. The Sage has said, "When you wish to choose a man as your friend, make him angry. If he admits the truth to you in his anger, make him your friend, and if not, leave him." Anger produces error. Who is greater than Moshe our teacher, may peace be upon him, who became angry three times and erred because of his anger? As it is written [this verse]: "And he became angry with Elazar and Isamar," followed by (ibid: 17): "Why did you not eat the Sin Offering in the sacred area?" [A question indicating a misapprehension on Moshe's part], and (Bemidbar 20:10): "Listen, you rebellious ones," followed by (ibid. 11): "And he smote the rock" [instead of speaking to it], and (Bemidbar 31:14): "And Moshe was angry with the commanders of the army," followed by (ibid.:21): "And Elazar the priest said to the men of the army who had gone to war, 'This is the law of the Torah,'" indicating that Moshe had forgotten the law (Sifri, Mattos 31:21) . And now, understand, if this happened to Moshe our teacher, may peace be upon him, the father of the Sages, what happens to fools who become angry? It is for this reason King Shelomo wrote (Koheles 7:9): "Do not be hasty in your spirit to become angry." And take great heed that you do nothing destructive in the midst of your anger, for our Rabbis have said (Shabbos 105b): "If one tears his garments, or scatters his money, or breaks his vessels in his anger, he should be in your eyes as one who serves idols. For such is the craft of the evil inclination. Today he tells a man, 'Do this,' and tomorrow he tells him, 'Go and serve idols,' and he goes! In this connection it is written (Tehillim 81:10): 'Let there not be in you a strange god.' Which is the 'strange god' in a man's body? The evil inclination." Observe how one's evil inclination intensifies in the time of his anger.