The Rebbe said, “Many times I imagined what it would be like to die. I did this to such an extent that I literally sensed the taste of death. It was as if I had actually died.”
Another time, he told me, “As a youth, I would think what it would be like to die. I imagined how people would cry over me …. I would imagine every aspect of my death (see “His Wisdom” #37).
אָמַר: שֶׁכַּמָּה פְּעָמִים צִיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ עִנְיְנֵי מִיתָה, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא מֵת מַמָּשׁ, עַד שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ טַעַם מִיתָה מַמָּשׁ.
The Rebbe said, “Many times I imagined what it would be like to die. I did this to such an extent that I literally sensed the taste of death. It was as if I had actually died.”
גַּם אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁאָמַר: שֶׁבִּימֵי נְעוּרָיו הָיָה מְצַיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ מִיתָתוֹ וְאֵיךְ יִבְכּוּ עָלָיו וְכוּ'. וְצִיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב כָּל עִנְיְנֵי מִיתָה.
Another time, he told me, “As a youth, I would think what it would be like to die. I imagined how people would cry over me …. I would imagine every aspect of my death (see “His Wisdom” #37).
וְאָמַר: שֶׁהוּא מְלָאכָה לְצַיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ זֹאת הֵיטֵב.
“To do this well is a very difficult task.”