When the great Reb Moshe Leib of Sassov passed
away, he did not eagerly tread the path to the Next Universe. Instead, he fretted that his opportunity for
doing mitzvahs had ended. No longer in the land of the living the
venerated rabbi sighed. “In death I am
free from doing the Will of the Almighty.
Now what can I do to please my Maker?
How can I serve my Lord, God?”
He thought, “It must surely be God’s desire that I
be punished for all my many transgressions.”
Immediately Reb Moshe Leib jumped straight down into the pit of
Gehenna. Heaven flew into an
uproar. How could the holy rabbi do such
a thing? Gehenna was not his place! This sainted leader was destined for great reward,
not terrible punishment!
Heaven issued a decree that Gehenna was to cease
all its excoriating, terrible fires. As
long as the vaunted Sassover Rabbi was there, Gehenna was directed to be silent. That is when the master of Gehenna turned to
the holy man himself and begged him to leave.
As long as the rebbe was there, peace would reign in the nether-world.
“I will not move from here,” said Reb Moshe
Leib. “I will not move unless all these
afflicted, tormented souls will go with me.
When I was on earth, I took my obligation seriously of helping the
needy. I fought for them. I worked to free the captives from
prison. Why should it be different now?”
They say the Sassover Rebbe had his way.
“Lord, break
the yoke from the necks of Your children over the earth. Have compassion for those who suffer. Let those imprisoned go free.” ~ Siddur
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