עח

And the full extent of his weakness during all those days — it is impossible to explain. And even so he spoke with the assembled — and spoke with each and every person what was needed. And all received leave from him after Rosh Hashana. And he spoke with each one at great length as was always his way — so that it did not occur to them at all that he would pass away so soon. For had this occurred to them — they would not have traveled from him. And even his daughters and son-in-law — may they live — all traveled from there after Rosh Hashana. For it did not occur to them that his passing would arrive so very soon — even though in truth had we paid attention a little, we would have seen with our own eyes that he was close to passing — and that he was living by miracle at every single moment. And he zichrono livracha himself alerted our hearts times without number — and informed us in many languages that his passing was very close. But because of our many sins we did not set our hearts to this. And it seemed in our eyes impossible that Hashem Blessed be He would do this — to take from the world such a pure light — and so on. And through this we lost what we lost — what we could have heard from him more. But praised be Hashem who took pity on us in His kindness — and we had already merited from before to hear from him much — that is enough to revive the entire world for generations upon generations.