How to Avoid Getting Upset on Shabbat Often, when I speak of the importance of not getting upset on Shabbat, people ask whether this implies that it’s acceptable to become agitated and upset on weekdays. This question was raised already by the Hid”a, in his work Ruah Haim . The context of the Hid”a’s discussion is the pasuk in Sefer Shemot, לא תבערו אש בכל מושבותיכם ביום השבת – “Do not kindle fire in all your residences on Shabbat day.” The Zohar interprets this pasuk as referring not only to the actual kindling of fire, but also to igniting the “fire” of anger and rage. The Torah here teaches us that we must avoid anger on Shabbat. The Hid”a asks, why are we told to avoid anger specifically on Shabbat? Is anger acceptable at other times? Should we conclude on the basis of the Zohar that there is nothing wrong with getting angry during the workweek? The Hid”a answers that certainly, anger is to be avoided at all times. The Zohar ’s intent, he explains, is that anger is especially harmful on Shabbat, as indicated by the Torah’s warning not to kindle a flame בכל מושבותיכם . Anger on Shabbat has a widespread destructive effect, causing harm in “all your residences,” and therefore special care must be taken on Shabbat not to lose one’s temper. The question remains, however, why is this the case? Why is anger especially severe on Shabbat? The experience of Shabbat is described as מעין עולם הבא – a “taste” or representation of the next world. On Shabbat, we are able to experience, one some level, the idyllic conditions of עולם הבא . And the Gemara (Pesahim 53) teaches that whereas in this world we respond to tragedy by reciting the berachah of דיין האמת , acknowledging the justice of G-d’s harsh decisions, in the future, we will recite over all events the berachah of הטוב והמטיב . In the next world, it will become perfectly clear how everything is good. We will not have to struggle to accept G-d’s judgment, because it will be obvious that everything He does is for the best. Events that here in this world seem tragic will seem to us as causes for joy, just like the happiest moments in this world. Similarly, the pasuk says that in the next world, יהיה ה' אחד ושמו אחד – “Hashem will be one, and His Name will be one.” Of course, Hashem already is only one G-d. However, in this world, we see a distinction between good and bad; between good fortune and misfortune. In the next world, however, יהיה ה' אחד – it will be clear and evident that everything is caused by Hashem, who is entirely good. Shabbat allows us to approach life and the world with this mindset, at least on some level. On Shabbat, we are able to recognize more clearly than during the week that everything that happens is for the best. And thus we recite in the Minhah prayer on Shabbat, אתה אחד ושמך אחד – “You are one, and Your Name is one.” We are able to truly appreciate the “oneness” of G-d, that there is no difference at all between that which appears to be good and that which appears to be bad. The story is told of Rav Efrayim Zalman Margoliyot, the author of Bet Efrayim and other important Torah works, who was an outstanding scholar as well as a very wealthy man. Once he bought an exquisite, very expensive decanter with a matching tray and cups, and gave them to his wife. His wife was enamored by the beautiful set of utensils, and decided to save them for Simhat Torah, when the entire community would come to their house to celebrate. Finally, Simhat Torah came, and one of the servants, a young orphan, was carrying the set to serve the guests. Unfortunately, she slipped and fell, and all the utensils smashed into smithereens. The young woman fainted from embarrassment, and the Rabbi’s wife was inconsolable. It was a terrible scene. The wife noticed that her husband, Rav Efrayim Zalman, remained perfectly calm, and showed no signs at all of being agitated or upset. She asked him why he was not reacting to what had just happened, and he replied, “Ask me next Simhat Torah.” Sure enough, the following year, during the Simhat Torah festivities, his wife turned to him and asked why had not gotten upset when the exquisite glass set broke the previous year. “Does it bother you now?” the Rabbi asked his wife. “No,” she replied. “I’ve gotten over it.” The Rabbi explained, “Exactly. I just figured it out more quickly than you did. I realized already then when it happened that it wasn’t such a big deal.” When we get caught in the moment, then we become upset. But if we can fast forward in our minds to the future, and try to see things from the future’s perspective, then we can take everything in stride. Shabbat is the time for us to have this “futuristic” perspective, to see everything clearly, within a broader picture, and in its proper proportion. If we can see all things from this vantage point, then we will remain calm and composed even when difficult challenges arise. But how do we do it? How can we avoid getting stuck in the moment, and see things from the proper perspective? Rav Elimelech Biederman, in his commentary to the Haggadah , tells the story of a religious advisor to a king who would react to all events by saying, גם זו לטובה – “This, too, is for the best.” The king found this practice irritating. After all, he thought, not everything is for the best. Some things are just plain bad. Once, the king went out to the woods with his men to hunt for sport. During the trip, somebody shot a bullet that pierced the king’s leg. Although it was not a life-threatening situation, the king was in excruciating pain and was bleeding. He heard his advisor say, “This, too, is for the best.” This was too much for the king. How could a serious bullet wound in the leg be good? He reprimanded his advisor and sent him away. Shortly thereafter, when the group was still in the woods, the king was captured by a band of cannibals, who tied him up and were about to kill him and eat his flesh. Just then, the leader of the band noticed the bruise on the king’s leg. He was afraid that the king might have an infection, and he and his men might get sick if they ate his flesh. They released the king and let him go. When the king later saw his advisor, the advisor said, “You see – if you weren’t shot in the leg, you would have been killed. And if you hadn’t sent me away, I would have been killed.” So often in life, we realize how situations that seemed unfortunate were, in fact, the source of great blessing. In our world, it is not always evident how everything is good. But each week, on Shabbat, we get a glimpse of the world to come, when such clarity will be attained. If we make a special effort on Shabbat to view everything from this עולם הבא perspective, then we will never become upset or angry. We will recognize that everything is truly for the best, and we will enjoy peace, serenity and joy regardless of the circumstances, and this beautiful experience will then profoundly impact our entire week and our entire lives.