Siman 490

(47.) One boy of nine years old was somewhat ill — he had the illness called shtechinus [sharp pains]. And his father sent him to Rabbainu o.b.m. — and he spoke with him much and gave him wonderful moral instruction. For the boy had great fears. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him: "Why do you fear now? Remember the fear you will have when they carry you to the cemetery and you will be left there alone — and all will part from you, and you will be lying among the dead. You are afraid now to go out alone at night — what will you do then?" And similarly many words of moral instruction. And he also said to him: "Who is there who would want to burn himself with his own hands?" Meaning: when you sin, you are burning yourself with your own hands. For in the end you will receive your difficult and bitter punishment — and why do you not take pity on yourself — you are literally burning yourself with your own hands. Afterwards he told him a segulah for his aforementioned illness: that they should take dust that is trodden upon a doorstep — and place that dust in some vessel over a fire until the dust becomes white-hot and very well heated. And that hot dust should be placed at his side — and he would be healed. Afterwards the boy grew up and the words that Rabbainu o.b.m. had spoken with him remained fixed in his heart — and he still remembers them. And Rabbainu o.b.m. spoke many more things with him. From this we see how Rabbainu o.b.m. would look even upon a child — and wanted to instill in him awe of Heaven, so that he should begin to be educated in His service, may He be blessed. And he would also remember them in his greatness — as it is written [Proverbs 22]: "Educate a child according to his way" etc. And there are many more things that he spoke with the aforementioned child on several occasions — about the circumcision of the heart that must be performed etc. And so I heard from several people who were young children in the days of Rabbainu o.b.m. — and they told me several wondrous things and beautiful conversations they heard from him in their childhood. And they still remember them, and now understand them retroactively — how he was hinting to them matters that would benefit them in their end.