Between a Mitzvah and a Sin

When the youngest son of Rabbi Yissachar Dov of Belz was old enough, the Rebbe began training him to serve G-d with self-sacrifice.

One winter day, he took his son with him to immerse in the river. The water was very cold. As the boy stepped into the water, he cried out,

"Oy! Oy!"

After immersing, he wrapped himself in a towel. As warmth slowly returned to his body, he murmured with pleasure,

"Ahh... Ahh..."

The tzaddik then said to him:

"Come and see the difference between a mitzvah and a transgression. A mitzvah begins with 'Oy! Oy!' but ends with 'Ahh... Ahh...' A transgression, however, begins with 'Ahh... Ahh...' but ends with 'Oy! Oy!'"