The character trait of patience is nice and sweet, and it is a good thing which is essential for every person, the big man according to his largeness and the small according to his smallness. If he is one of the leaders of the people he must bear the burden of the people, and endure his hurt from the wicked people who attack him, and lead them with quiet firmness. In the same way every person in his own house needs just scales and the ability to think and work out what is the correct way, whether to become angry or to bear it and be quiet. How much strength of mind it takes to control himself regarding speech. The best thing to do is that even if his heart is burning like a fire and the words are rumbling inside him and trying to come out, he must be strong like a lion to conquer his evil inclination and to stop his words, as they say “A word is worth one Sela but silence is worth two”. Even more especially at times of anger must he control himself like a dumb person and not open his mouth, for at this time he will not speak with logic, and it is better for him to be quiet, for one who guards his mouth and tongue guards his soul from evil, and merits abundance of goodness.
How much patience does one who wishes to be a teacher of young children need, whether he teaches other children or his own, for many times they will find it difficult to listen and easy to forget, either because they are not clever or because they do not pay attention to listen and understand, and the natural thing to do is to become angry with them. One needs much patience to rebuke them in a fitting way for them according to what they need, and to lead them quietly, and to do much revision with them.
It is no praise when one sees a person who receives honor and respect and others make their will to follow his that he does not become angry. One only deserves praise when people try to make him angry to his face and do incorrect things to him, and he bears all of this and controls his impulses, and with this he will gain that Hashem will forgive him for all of his sins. There is a well-known saying of Chazal who explain the verse “Toleh eretz al belimah” that it means that the whole world only exists because of those who keep their mouths shut at times of quarrel.
