Shfoch Chamat ’ cha
Rabbi Beth Naditch
Throughout our liturgy , we hopefully include “ Erech apayim ,” the quality of being slow to anger , in the Thirteen Attributes of God . 16 Most humans , as individuals and collectively , viscerally know the experience of being the target of another ’ s anger , an experience which can range from uncomfortable to frightening . Fraught with vulnerability , unpredictability , and potential lack of safety , many people strive to avoid being either the aggressor or the recipient of anger . The ideal of slowness to anger both for God and for we human beings who strive to live in the image of God is one to which we hold fast in more peaceful times .
It is alarmingly easy , however , to carry the messaging of erech apayim a step forward and slip into the mindset that anger should always be subdued or suppressed . In most years , this passage in our Haggadah , with its unabashed embrace of anger towards our enemies , can be a challenging one . In times such as these , however , when the full spectrum of human emotions flow turbulently through our souls in response to horrifying events , suppressing anger would deprive us of critical outlets to process grief , loss , and trauma . Anger , when appropriately directed , is a life-giving force .
16
Ex . 34:6
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