אות - פד

Do not say that the pit and grave will be your refuge (cf. Avot 4:22) .

In this world, you have the burden of livelihood and many other worries. Therefore, you are not aware of minor annoyances. A mosquito can bite you, but because of your many concerns, you may not even feel it.

But in the grave, you have no distractions. You can even hear the sound of the maggots crawling toward you and feel the pain of their every bite into your flesh. 121 Cf. Berakhot 18b; Shabbat 13b; Alim LeTerufah #167. This is Chibut HaKever , the punishment of the grave (see note 172). There is nothing that can take your mind away from this suffering, may God spare us.