Commentary for Bava Batra 16:3
חרב קשה ממות אי בעית אימא קרא ואי בעית אימא סברא אי בעית אימא סברא האי קא מינוול והאי לא קא מינוול ואי בעית אימא קרא (תהלים קטז, טו) יקר בעיני ה' המותה לחסידיו
and [commenting on this] R. Johanan said: Each punishment mentioned in this verse is more severe than the one before. The sword is worse than death; this I can demonstrate either from Scripture, or, if you prefer, from observation. The proof from observation is that the sword deforms but death does not deform; the proof from Scripture is in the verse, Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXVI, is. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
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