תּוֹרָה סח - חֹמֶר אִסּוּר כַּעַס

Chomer Issur Ka'as — "The Severity of the Prohibition of Anger" · Likutay Moharan Part I, Toirah 68

The soul comes from a lofty place from which money also derives and descends and comes into being. For the beginning of the place from which money descends is the aspect of holiness and holy abundance — only afterwards it coarsens below and becomes money. And this is what is said regarding the money of a hired day-labourer: "for to it he lifts his soul" [Deuteronomy 24:15]. And therefore the soul yearns for money — because the soul comes from the place from which money comes. But one must not desire the money itself — as has already been explained the great contemptibility of the desire for money. Rather, one should desire and love the place from which money comes and descends as above.

Know: it is fitting that every Jew should have money. But there is one attribute that ruins and destroys the money from them. And this bad attribute is the attribute of anger [ ka'as ]. For through it one ruins and destroys the money that was fitting to have. And you should know: when the evil inclination entices you to become angry — know that at that very hour a certain sum of money is being influenced to you from above. And the evil inclination wishes to ruin this influence through the anger it has arranged for you — for it damages the abundance and the wealth (see the main text).

Know: even if the abundance has already reached him — and has become money — and he already has the money — even so the accuser sometimes provokes him to such great anger that he ruins and loses even the money he already has. May Hashem protect and save us from this contemptible attribute. Amen — so may it be His will. 📜 Translator's Summary — Toirah 68 [from the Translator] Central theme: A short, focused Toirah on the spiritual physiology of anger and money. The soul and money share a common root in holiness — hence the soul's natural attraction to money. The right response: love the source, not the money itself. Anger is the single most destructive force against one's livelihood — it specifically intercepts heavenly influence of money before it arrives, and can even destroy money already in hand. The evil inclination times its provocations to coincide precisely with moments of incoming abundance.