קידושין פב.
טוב שברופאים לגיהנם
Kiddushin 82a
The best of physicians go to hell.
This surprising line from the mishnah has already been heavily discussed. Conveniently enough, the most popular Jewish doctor and Talmudist, haRambam, does not have this line as part of his text of the Mishnah at the end of Masechet Kiddushin.
Several authors have taken this line pretty literally. The Kaf haChaim (Phalachi) in Siman 21 argues that medicine is one of two fields that an observant Jew may not enter (the other being a strip-club musician). However, most writers have found ways to reinterpret it. A"A shared one with me a few days ago, which I wanted to share:
The numerical value of "tov" is 17. The Mishnah is alluding to those doctors who only pray 17 berachot in their amida instead of the prescribed 18 berachot. (This assertion must have been made before the 19th beracha was added.) Those doctors who cut out the beracha of "Refa'enu Hashem veNeraphe" because they're afraid to lose their clientele will wind up in the depths of hell.
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