Blowing Your Top

Being a Rabbi means you really do get to meet lots of different types of people. Some are nice, some are not so nice and some are....well unusual. The other week I was giving a sermon from a Synagogue pulpit. It went down just fine. I hadn't spoken about anything controversial or contentious; yes everyone seemed to like it... except just one particular fellow. I finished speaking and sat down. Looking around I noticed a congregation of smiling faces beaming in my direction, which is the usual indicator of a bronze silver or gold medal. Suddenly a chap I'd never met before came hurrying up to my seat and began to erupt like a volcano which feels it's been ignoring it's duty for too many centuries. You can usually spot this type of fellow... there are warning signs. He had grown purple at the base of the neck and this had travelled up towards his scalp. His head shone in a traffic light sort of way. His eyes did a good bit of bulging too and then he got down to it.

Of course everyone in the Synagogue was looking to discover what this was all about and he decided that they should not be disappointed, no matter how hard of hearing they might be. What I gathered from the hurricane force winds that issued from his mouth was that I had committed a terrible crime in my speech. Surprisingly it wasn't anything I'd actually said that had lit the blue touch paper, it was what I had not said. He felt that I should have mentioned a subject which was very dear to his heart.

Now I have to admit I wasn't particularly upset. Once or twice before I have experienced similar onslaughts. But my thirteen year old son who witnessed the whole affair was really upset. Being an intelligent boy of refined taste, he had liked what I'd said and he couldn't quite work out why this man was attacking his dad. Later that night a knock at the door revealed the fellow standing contrite and full of apologies. He explained that he had lost his head and in particular he was sorry that he had upset my son. He hadn't realised that he was listening. I invited him in and it really ended quite well.

But I think his biggest mistake was the one he realised himself. It's very unusual that you loose your temper with someone and upset only them. If they are upset, then people they love will be upset too. Even if we feel the person does need telling off, it's worth bearing in mind that those who will be upset with them, might not deserve our anger.