The Sefer Chassidim relates the following story: A father told his son, "You honored me in my lifetime. I request that you honor me after I die. And this is what I ask from you: When you have reason to become angry, wait until the next day. Don't become angry immediately."
The son promised that he would do so. This is what he took on himself as kibud av ve'em after his father's demise. The son got married and shortly after that left his wife and traveled to a distant land to earn parnassah. When he finally returned, he was about to knock on
the door of his home when he heard the voice of a man. Why was there a man in his house, conversing with his wife? He drew his sword, ready to kill his wife and the intruder. But then he reminded himself that he doesn't act on his anger
before sleeping a night. He returned his sword to its sheath and then heard his wife say to the man, "Your father left many years ago, and didn't know that I was pregnant with you. If he knew that he has a grown son, ready for marriage, he would
certainly come home to marry you off." From outside the door, the husband announced, "My wife, open the door. I've returned!" He told them, "I bless Hashem for helping me overcome my anger. And I bless my father for teaching me to sleep a night before acting on my anger.
Otherwise, I would have killed my wife and my son tonight." They were extremely happy, and all their neighbors came to their home to celebrate together with them." Indeed, it is an important counsel to push off anger for a later time. So many family feuds (and the like) develop
when people react immediately when they get angry. And after there's a breach, it is so hard to rectify it. We can save ourselves from so many unnecessary fights and trouble by training ourselves to push off getting angry.
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