QUESTION:
1) What does the soul see at the first moment it leaves the body?
ANSWER:
It depends on what the person’s level is. If one is zocheh, he sees the light of the Shechinah and he melts into it, and then he leaves [the world]. If one is at a lower level, he sees his relatives or those whom he was close with, who come to greet him. There are others who see both [the light of the Shechinah and also their relatives/close friends].
QUESTION
2) Is the soul afraid at death?
ANSWER
Refer to the previous answer, regarding the soul’s fear. However, that is only after the soul leaves the body. But before that, if one is not zocheh, he sees the Angel of Death wielding its sword, as the Gemara says. See sefer Raishis Chochmah, shaar haYirah, and Maseches Chibut HaKever.
QUESTION
3) If a person sees himself as a soul (neshamah) even during this lifetime, will this ease the process for the soul at death?
ANSWER
Yes, certainly. Part of the fear is because the soul is separating from the body, and therefore when one learns to identify himself as a soul already in his lifetimes, it makes the transition a lot easier.
QUESTION
4) Is there anything the Rav can tell me to see all of this [the transition of the soul at death] in a way that’s not frightening?
ANSWER
Feel that you are with Hashem, constantly, at all times and in every place, and He is watching you, with His endless love.
QUESTION
5) When the soul leaves the body, does it realize that it woke up from a dream, now that it has left the world and it is at the true kind of life?
ANSWER
Yes. It is like what is written about the future, that when we return to Tziyon we will realize that during the exile “Then, we were like dreamers.” Life on This World is all a dream, compared to life in the Next World. As an aside, only think about these topics for a little bit of time during the day, but for the rest of the day,
QUESTION
2) Is the soul afraid at death?
ANSWER
Refer to the previous answer, regarding the soul’s fear. However, that is only after the soul leaves the body. But before that, if one is not zocheh, he sees the Angel of Death wielding its sword, as the Gemara says. See sefer Raishis Chochmah, shaar haYirah, and Maseches Chibut HaKever.
QUESTION
3) If a person sees himself as a soul (neshamah) even during this lifetime, will this ease the process for the soul at death?
ANSWER
Yes, certainly. Part of the fear is because the soul is separating from the body, and therefore when one learns to identify himself as a soul already in his lifetimes, it makes the transition a lot easier.
QUESTION
4) Is there anything the Rav can tell me to see all of this [the transition of the soul at death] in a way that’s not frightening?
ANSWER
Feel that you are with Hashem, constantly, at all times and in every place, and He is watching you, with His endless love.
QUESTION
5) When the soul leaves the body, does it realize that it woke up from a dream, now that it has left the world and it is at the true kind of life?
ANSWER
Yes. It is like what is written about the future, that when we return to Tziyon we will realize that during the exile “Then, we were like dreamers.” Life on This World is all a dream, compared to life in the Next World. As an aside, only think about these topics for a little bit of time during the day, but for the rest of the day,
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