Long-Suffering Quiets Strife and the Mastery of Self

Midrash Mishlei 15:2

"A wrathful man stirs up strife" (Proverbs 15:18). Rabbi Nehemiah said: This is one whose patience is short with him [whose temper is short]. "But one who is slow to anger calms a quarrel" (Proverbs 15:18) - this is one whose patience is long with him [who is long-suffering]. There we learned (Mishnah Avot 4:1): "Who is mighty? One who conquers his impulse," as it is said (Proverbs 16:32): "Better is one slow to anger than a mighty man, and one who rules his spirit than one who captures a city."

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