Kabbalah Library
Zohar for All, Volume 3
The Soul at the Time of Its Demise
30) “And the Lord appeared to him by the Oaks of Mamre” speaks of the time of a person’s demise. The time of a person’s demise is the great day of judgment when the soul separates from the body. A person does not pass away from the world before he sees the Shechina [Divinity], as it is written, “For no man shall see Me and live.” Three ministering angels come with the Shechina to receive the soul of a righteous. “And the Lord appeared to him, in the heat of the day.” This is the day of judgment, which burns like a furnace, to separate the soul from the body.
31) “And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing opposite him, criticizing what he had done, and expressed gratitude for them with his mouth.” Since the soul sees this, she exits the body up to the pharynx, and stands there until he confesses all that the body had done with her in this world. At that time, the soul of the righteous is delighted with her deeds and delighted with her deposit. The soul of the righteous yearns, when will she exit this world, which is nonsense, to delight in the next world.
