Likutei Moharan 27:7/ליקוטי מוהר"ן כ״ז:ז׳

17. { “Behold, in peace I had great bitterness; but You loved my soul and kept it from the pit, for You have overlooked all my sins” (Isaiah 38:17). } It was specifically in MaRah that they received the Sabbath of Peace. For such is the nature of peace, to be enclothed in M ’Rirut (bitterness). This corresponds to, “Behold, in peace I had great bitterness.” Just as all cures are in bitter remedies, so too, peace, which is a cure for all things; as in (ibid. 57:19), “‘Peace, both for those far and near,’ says God, ‘and I will heal him.’”

2But sometimes the illness is so overpowering that the patient is unable to bear the bitterness of the remedies. The doctors then abandon the patient and give up on him. This is likewise so when the sins, which are the illness of the soul, become very overpowering. It is then impossible for him to bear the bitterness of the remedies. And then, “‘there is no peace,’ says <God>, ‘for the wicked’” (ibid. 48:22).

3It was for this that Chizkiyah praised the Holy One, who overlooked all his sins so that He would not have to enclothe the peace in a great deal of bitterness. This is the meaning of, “Behold, in peace I had great bitterness.” That is, it is known that peace requires bitterness. “But You loved my soul and kept it from descending to the pit,” because You know that I have not the strength to bear the bitterness commensurate with my sins. “For You have overlooked all my sins,” so that peace would be enclothed in a bitterness which I can handle. { “Avraham was old, well advanced in years, and God had blessed Avraham with everything” (Genesis 24:1). }

4And this is the meaning of “Avraham was old”—as a result of <the aspect of> elder mentioned above. Because of this, “God had blessed Avraham with everything.” <“With everything”> is peace, as is written (Daily Liturgy), “Who makes peace and creates everything.”