דניאל, פרק ז׳, פסוק ט״ו

Prophetic visions often trigger overwhelming emotional and physical reactions, shaking the observer to the very core. Following a deeply unsettling dream, Daniel experiences a paralyzing terror, illustrating the profound distress of a soul that feels trapped within its physical form. The vivid images playing out in his mind are the direct cause of this severe anguish, casting a crippling fear over him [מצודת דוד, יוסף אבן יחיא, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The nature of this encounter is highly personal and direct [מנחת שי]. To capture the intensity of the moment, the human body is compared to a sheath used for holding a sword. In this metaphor, the physical body acts as a casing that contains the spirit. Although the spirit does not actually leave the body, it undergoes violent turbulence and anxiety, feeling as though it is being destroyed while still locked within its physical shell [רש״י, מצודת דוד].

Commentators explore the exact nature of this intense inner panic through different lenses. Some describe the sensation as being entirely uprooted, as if the spirit is forcefully dug out from its deepest resting place [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others view it as a feeling of being completely cut off, an extreme severing of vitality where the spirit feels detached from its source [מצודת דוד, יוסף אבן יחיא]. Alternatively, the distress is understood as a severe shortness of breath, a physical and emotional tightness brought on by sheer panic [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].