2 replies to this topic

[Chaim613]

It is a popular topic to talk about near-death experiences these days in the secular world. Many formerly secular or atheistic people get an operation or are in some car accident and actually see/ feel themselves leaving their bodies, approaching a bright light, encountering relatives etc....

 

There have been some books from frum people put out on the topic .... I was wondering what the proper hashkofo is on this? Furthermore, I just wanted to follow up, that sometimes when these things happen to non-Jews, they sometimes see not only relatives but also their "holy people" "saints" etc. ..  What is a proper perspective on what these things are?

 

thank you

[Rabbi Shapiro]

It's psychological. A person is either alive or dead. If alive, they are unable to experience what they claim they did. If they were dead, then coming back would be Techiyas HaMeisim. 

[goddessofdance]

Someone actually did an experiment with someone who can do self-induced out of body experience - which is basically the same thing that happens with near death experience. 

 

This person was on a bed and a screen was completely placed over him while he had his out of body experience. When he woke, he did not mention anything about the screen. He said he was able to clearly see himself from above, lying on the bed. Even though that would have been impossible since his body was covered. So an OBE is merely a subconscious experience, not reality.