A Near-Death Encounter: Returning for a Second Chance

"It was a Shabbat morning. My husband went for an outdoor adventure with friends, I was still in bed, and my kids were in their rooms. Suddenly, an unfamiliar wave of physical pain struck me. Shivers gripped me, cold sweat poured down my skin, and within moments, I felt I was about to die," recounts Odelia (formerly Sima) Levi from Kfar Sirkhin, describing the harrowing experience she went through in her 40s.

Odelia Levi, 54, a science teacher and mother of three, was unprepared for this life-altering lesson. It was a lesson learned against her will and the hard way, one she vowed to teach others as long as she lives. "To me, 'Shabbat' symbolized family outings, road trips, and quality time with my family," she recalls. "However, following a recent minor surgery, I was forced to give up trips for a while to regain much-needed rest."

Odelia (Sima) Levi, today

Suddenly, she felt body-wide chills, accompanied by great weakness. With her last ounce of strength, Levi attempted to call her children, but her voice betrayed her. Barely able to dial her doctor from the nearby phone, she softly explained her feelings. "Call a private doctor immediately," he instructed. Shortly after, an elderly doctor from Russia arrived, but unfortunately, he couldn't speak Hebrew. Attempts to find him a translator failed. "He took a pill named CORDIL from his bag and commanded me to swallow it. I felt so terrible, I didn't hesitate or object."

At that moment, Levi lost consciousness.

Later, it was revealed that the pill, meant to widen blood vessels, worsened her condition since Levi suffered from internal bleeding and actually needed the opposite treatment. With Hashem's intervention, her gynecologist stayed on the line the entire time, trying to understand the situation. At some point, he instructed the on-site doctor to call a private ambulance. "Suddenly, an ambulance arrived, and my kids, aged 14 and 17, rushed into the room. I remember the chaos – people and equipment noises. The paramedics swooped in, and the last thing I recall before floating upwards was one shouting hysterically, 'No pulse. No breath. We're losing her,' and another angrily berating the doctor: 'You should have called an intensive care ambulance, why call a regular one?'

"My Soul Rose Like a Helium Balloon"

In seconds that felt eternal, the medical team decided to rush her to the hospital. Her older son, who was weightlifting at the time, carried her to the ambulance. Later he told her that this task was far harder than lifting the weights he was used to. Meanwhile, Levi watched the whole scene from above, observing them placing her on a stretcher, recalling the route to the hospital, and even how the ambulances swapped places en route. "At a certain point, I felt slaps on my face while they called my name. I opened my eyes and saw the ambulance ceiling – I was disappointed."

Why?

"Because it felt so pleasant to leave this world. A massive light appeared from one corner, enveloping my entire field of vision. It approached diagonally from the ceiling, and all I wanted was to cling to it, like a magnet."

How did it feel?

"Wonderful. This light filled me with a sense of supreme happiness and love that is unlike anything I know in this world. Thank Hashem, I have known earthly love from family, but everything pales compared to the love I felt then. I still yearn for that light today."

Were you afraid?

"Not at all. The light was so loving, understanding, and encompassing that there was no reason to fear. I felt protected within it. Suddenly, I understood what it meant to die: just transitioning from one state to another, like moving from wakefulness to sleep. That's all, and it's not frightening at all.

"Slowly, as if my soul became a helium balloon, I felt it rise after the light. Suddenly, without warning, I heard a voice telling me telepathically: 'It's not your time.' At that point, I felt an invisible hand stopping me, preventing me from moving towards the light. Suddenly, Levi's soul returned to her body through her nostrils. "At that moment, it felt like wearing a diver's suit several sizes too small. I tried to resist but couldn't. The body closed in on my soul and me."

"I Realize Now That I Lived in Continuous Self-Deception"

At this stage, Levi describes a sequence of events leading to one conclusion: one must cling to the Creator. Yet, as a rational and educated woman, she didn't let sentiments sway her easily. Not then, and not so quickly. Levi returned to her spirituality-free daily routine, and as a science teacher, found a reasonable excuse to keep her mind occupied and away from pestering questions demanding satisfactory answers. "I perceived the entire event as a kind of dream I had. I explained to myself it was hallucinations due to lack of oxygen," Levi recalls contemplatively. "Years later, I continued to live as a secular person."

So what triggered the change?

"A show I saw 'by chance' on National Geographic about life after death, featuring testimonials from people worldwide about clinical death. Suddenly, I realized these stories mirrored my experience, and it even had a name. It was a pivotal moment for me – I began researching and learning about the phenomenon. That's when I came across the book 'The Revolution' by Rabbi Zamir Cohen, and my internal strengthening began."

Odelia (Sima) Levi, in the past

And externally?

"I know it sounds weird, but not yet. I was a tough nut to crack and refused to connect the series of miracles that happened to me to any religious reasons. Instead of using my experiences for the greater good, unfortunately, I exploited them for my own benefit."

What do you mean?

"After the event, I felt I received special 'abilities'. It's hard to explain, but I suddenly could say things about people, and I recognized the business potential here. I thought, 'Great. At least make money from it,' and started advertising myself as a palm reader.

"Of course, I quickly realized this wasn't Hashem's will. From the moment I engaged in this, a series of troubles hit us: expensive appliances broke down, we had three car accidents in three months, one where my husband was miraculously saved, I underwent two unnecessary surgeries, my husband suddenly got cancer, and the list goes on. Troubles at home and beyond."

The Son's Return to Faith Brings His Mother Back

When does a person look upwards, if not in times of crisis? "One day, I visited a rabbi and asked, 'Why all these troubles?' His answer stunned me: 'You must not do what you're doing; Hashem is not pleased with it.' I was terrified and informed my clients the business was closing the very next day."

"In the meantime, my son, who was already serving in the military, began strengthening his faith and drawing closer to Hashem. Without me, of course. When he announced his religious return, my husband and I felt like the world had collapsed on us. I told him, 'You want to be religious? Be religious in your room.' And so it was. He would make *kiddush* in his room while we sat watching TV in the living room. Until at 50, I decided to buy myself a gift: a head covering."

How did that happen?

"Thanks to him, naturally. As any good Jewish man who just found his Creator, my son wanted to benefit his mother, constantly lecturing me that everything I teach is in the Torah. 'You teach science, right? So how do you not know there's order to things, that they're not created by themselves?' He would challenge me with difficult questions until I had to face the truth."

When asked to share one of the many insights she gained from her harrowing ordeal, Levi takes a deep breath and replies: "Due to the failure of the first surgery, I had to undergo another one for nothing. Afterward, for three long months, I couldn't eat or drink and suffered excruciating pain in body and soul. Thanks to Rabbi Shalom Arush's book, 'In Praise of Gratitude,' that came into my hands, every time I felt pain – instead of complaining, crying, and groaning, I began to say thank you."

It took some time, but gradually the wound healed, the suffering became bearable, though Levi never forgot her promise to Hashem when it was all over. "I promised Hashem that as long as I live – I would tell the world of the miracle, sanctifying His name publicly. I would share how He was with me every step of the way, never leaving my side. You ask for one insight from me? There are so many, but the most important is the power of the mouth and the strength of gratitude. Through them, I was redeemed, and through them – you beloved daughters of the King will be saved."