One of the Rebbe’s followers was once very sick. He suffered excruciating pain in his teeth for a very long time. The torture continued to grow worse, increasing without limit, until his agony was beyond description. This man’s face had become very swollen and the doctors had to resort to all sorts of agonizing methods to remove his teeth. His internal organs were also affected, torturing him to the point of death. It was beyond all measure.
The Rebbe spoke to this man and said, “You have suffered the most severe and bitter pains all these years. Es iz altz besser eider ein brei in Gehennom. Ein brie in Gehennom is ergir derfun – But it is still better than one burn in Gehinnom. One such singe is worse than all this.”340Cf. Ramban, Introduction to Job; Alim LeTerufah #167.
אָמַר לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה חוֹלֶה גָּדוֹל מְאֹד וְיִסּוּרָיו הָיוּ קָשִׁים מְאֹד מְאֹד. כִּי הָיָה חוֹלֶה מֻטָּל עַל עֶרֶשׂ דְּוַי, וְהָיָה לוֹ כְּאֵב הַשִּׁנַּיִם כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה זְמַנִּים בִּכְאֵב מֻפְלָג וְעָצוּם מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, עַד שֶׁכָּל פָּנָיו נַעֲשֶׂה נְפוּחוֹת (שֶׁקּוֹרִין גִישְׁוָואלִין). וְהֻכְרְחוּ בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת שֶׁל דָּאקְטוֹרִים מֻפְלָגִים לְהוֹצִיא שִׁנָּיו. וְגַם בָּאֵיבָרִים הַפְּנִימִיִּים הָיָה חוֹלֶה גָּדוֹל עַד לְמִיתָה. וְיִסּוּרָיו הָיוּ בְּלִי שִׁעוּר.
One of the Rebbe’s followers was once very sick. He suffered excruciating pain in his teeth for a very long time. The torture continued to grow worse, increasing without limit, until his agony was beyond description. This man’s face had become very swollen and the doctors had to resort to all sorts of agonizing methods to remove his teeth. His internal organs were also affected, torturing him to the point of death. It was beyond all measure.
וְאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל אֵלָיו: שֶׁכָּל הַיִּסּוּרִים הַקָּשִׁים וְהַמָּרִים שֶׁסָּבַל כַּמָּה שָׁנִים, כֻּלָּם הֵם טוֹבִים יוֹתֵר מִכְּוִיָּה אַחַת בְּגֵיהִנֹּם. כְּוִיָּה אַחַת בְּגֵיהִנֹּם גָּרוּעַ מִזֶּה. (עֶס אִיז אַלְץ בֶּעסֶיר אֵיידֶיר אֵיין בְּרִיא אִין גֵּיהִנֹּם, אֵיין בְּרִיא אִין גֵּיהִנֹּם אִיז אֶרְגֶיר דֶער פוּן).
The Rebbe spoke to this man and said, “You have suffered the most severe and bitter pains all these years. Es iz altz besser eider ein brei in Gehennom. Ein brie in Gehennom is ergir derfun – But it is still better than one burn in Gehinnom. One such singe is worse than all this.”340Cf. Ramban, Introduction to Job; Alim LeTerufah #167.