יֵשׁ זָרִיז וְנִשְׂכָּר, זָרִיז וְנִפְסָד
Quick and Gaining, Quick and Losing
There is one who is quick and gains, and one who is quick and loses. A mitzvah draws the next mitzvah, and what lies between one mitzvah and the next is itself very precious. One who has walked the straight path from youth, rising step by step like Avraham, loses by rushing, for he skips the holiness between the mitzvos; pausing a little lets him gain it. But a baal teshuvah must be very quick, run, leap and jump into holiness, for he must start anew; he is quick and gains. 'And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying', the words before each mitzvah, also hold service.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
יֵשׁ זָרִיז וְנִשְׂכָּר, זָרִיז וְנִפְסָד (ע' פסחים נ:).
כִּי דַע, כִּי מִצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה (אבות פ"ד), נִמְצָא שֶׁהַמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת אֶת חֲבֶרְתָּהּ. וּבְוַדַּאי יֵשׁ אֵיזֶה בְּחִינָה בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת, מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה, שֶׁהוּא מְקַשֵּׁר מִצְוָה אַחַת לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַמִּצְווֹת נִגְרָרִים אַחַת אַחַר חֲבֶרְתָּהּ. וּבֶאֱמֶת זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, הַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן יְקָרָה מְאֹד.
וְעַל־כֵּן מִי שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק מִנְּעוּרָיו וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר מִיָּמָיו, מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּאַבְרָהָם (בראשית כ״ד:א׳): וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים – שֶׁאַבְרָהָם בָּא לַדַּרְגָּא שֶׁלּוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הַיָּמִים, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר (חיי שרה דף קכט.), כִּי בֶּן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים הִכִּיר אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ (נדרים לב), וְהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִיד מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא. וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינָה זוֹ, הוּא מַפְסִיד עַל־יְדֵי הַזְּרִיזוּת. כִּי כְּשֶׁהוּא זָרִיז גָּדוֹל וְרָץ בִּזְרִיזוּת מִמִּצְוָה לְמִצְוָה, אֲזַי הוּא מַפְסִיד עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶת בְּחִינַת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי זֶה הַזְּרִיזוּת הוּא עוֹבֵר וּמְדַלֵּג עַל הַבְּחִינָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי הַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ הוֹלֶכֶת אֵלָיו, כִּי הִיא נִמְשֶׁכֶת וְנִגְרֶרֶת אֵלָיו עַל־יְדֵי הַמִּצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁגּוֹרֶרֶת אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה כַּנַּ"ל. וּכְשֶׁגַּם הוּא רָץ בִּזְרִיזוּת אֶל הַמִּצְוָה, אֲזַי יוּכַל לְדַלֵּג וְלַעֲבֹר אֶת הַבְּחִינָה הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶׁהוּא בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־כֵּן הוּא זָרִיז וְנִפְסָד. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹהֶה קְצָת, יוּכַל בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ לְהַשִּׂיג גַּם הַבְּחִינָה שֶׁבֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
וְכָל זֶה – לְמִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי ה' כַּסֵּדֶר מִנְּעוּרָיו. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, הוּא צָרִיךְ דַּוְקָא לִהְיוֹת זָרִיז גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד, לְמַהֵר וְלָרוּץ מְאֹד, לְהִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, וְאָסוּר לוֹ לִשְׁהוֹת כְּלָל לַעֲמֹד וּלְהִתְיַשֵּׁב, כִּי בַּעַל־תְּשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא כְּלָל, וְאֵין בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שׁוּם בְּחִינָה הַנַּ"ל, כִּי הוּא צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל מֵחָדָשׁ, וְהוּא צָרִיךְ לָרוּץ וּלְדַלֵּג אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, כַּמּוּבָא, שֶׁהַבַּעַל־תְּשׁוּבָה צָרִיךְ לְדַלֵּג עַל מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ לְדַלֵּג, וְלִקְפֹּץ אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בִּזְרִיזוּת גָּדוֹל. וְאִישׁ כָּזֶה הוּא זָרִיז וְנִשְׂכָּר כַּנַּ"ל:
וּבְחִינָה שֶׁבֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל הוּא כְּגוֹן: וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר וְעָשִׂיתָ. וּבְוַדַּאי יֵשׁ עֲבוֹדָה גַּם בְּאֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים, שֶׁהֵם קֹדֶם הַמִּצְוָה. כִּי עִקָּר הַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה אַחַר־כָּךְ, אַחַר תֵּבַת וְעָשִׂיתָ, אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת בְּוַדַּאי גַּם בַּפְּסוּקִים הַנַּ"ל שֶׁבֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה, יֵשׁ בָּהֶם עֲבוֹדָה. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינָה הַנַּ"ל מַה שֶּׁבֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה.
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בָּזֶה, וְעַיֵּן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בלקו"א סי' כב) מֵעִנְיָן זֶה, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת יֵשׁ עֲבוֹדָה גַּם בַּפָּסוּק וַיְדַבֵּר וְכוּ':
Hebrew text: Likutei Moharan Tinyana - rabenubook.com via Sefaria (Public Domain) · Sefaria. Names of Hashem are written in the customary form.
Transcripts
1-minute recap
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty nine: quick and gaining, quick and losing.
One mitzvah draws the next, and the space between them is precious too.
One who grew step by step loses by rushing: he skips what lies between.
But a baal teshuvah must run and leap into holiness. He is quick, and gains.
Our own reflection: know your path. Sometimes pause between mitzvos; sometimes run.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty nine. The Sages say: there is one who is quick and gains, and one who is quick and loses. When is speed good, and when not?
A mitzvah draws another mitzvah. So there is something between one mitzvah and the next, which binds them and pulls one after the other. That in-between is itself very precious.
Someone who has been a tzaddik from youth rises step by step, like Avraham, who came into his days, reaching each level through his days. If he rushes from mitzvah to mitzvah, he loses: the next mitzvah comes to him anyway, and his rushing skips the holiness in between. Pausing a little, he gains it.
But one who must do teshuvah has to be very, very quick: run for his life, with no pausing at all. A baal teshuvah does not go step by step; he must start anew, skip what needs skipping, and leap into holiness. He is quick and gains.
What lies between the mitzvos? For example: and Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying. The mitzvah itself comes after, but these words before it also hold service of Hashem.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. If you are climbing steadily, don't rush past the holy pauses between mitzvos. And if you are coming back, don't wait for anything: run.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Quick and Gaining, Quick and Losing —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty nine. A shiur in one part: when speed in mitzvos gains, and when it loses.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty nine. Grey is a verse or teaching he quotes. Green is our own explanation. The Hebrew is the public-domain text from Sefaria; the English is our own paraphrase.
There is one who is quick and gains, and one who is quick and loses.
For know that a mitzvah draws a mitzvah, so the mitzvah draws its companion. Surely there is some aspect between the mitzvos, what is between one mitzvah and the next, which binds one mitzvah to its companion, through which the mitzvos are drawn one after another. And truly this aspect itself, what is between the mitzvos, is also very precious.
Our explanation. One mitzvah pulls the next along. Between them is a holy space, the link that binds them. Rebbe Nachman says that space is precious too, and it can be lost by rushing.
So one who is a tzaddik from his youth, walking the straight path all his days from level to level, as is written of Avraham, 'and Avraham was old, come into days': Avraham reached his level through the days, as the Zohar brings, for at three years old he recognised his Creator and went always from level to level.
One who is on this level loses through quickness. When he is very quick and runs from mitzvah to mitzvah, he loses the holiness that is between one mitzvah and the next; through this quickness he passes over and skips that aspect, for the mitzvah itself comes to him, drawn to him by the first mitzvah, which draws the second.
And when he too runs quickly to the mitzvah, he may skip and pass over that aspect, what is between the mitzvos; so he is quick and loses. But when he waits a little, meanwhile he can reach the aspect between the mitzvos as well.
All this is for one who walks in Hashem's ways in order from his youth. But one who must do teshuvah must be precisely very, very quick, to hurry and run greatly, to escape for his life; he may not wait at all, to stand and settle himself.
For the baal teshuvah does not go from level to level at all, and between him and holiness there is no such aspect; he must start anew, and run and leap to holiness. As is brought: the baal teshuvah must skip what he must skip, and jump to holiness with great quickness. Such a man is quick and gains.
Our explanation, step by step. The one rising steadily should pause, and gain the holiness between mitzvos. The one returning must run and leap, and not wait. Each one's quickness has to fit his path.
Section two. The aspect between the mitzvos is, for example: 'And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: and you shall make'. Surely there is service also in these words, which come before the mitzvah. For the mitzvah itself is said in the Torah afterwards, after the word 'and you shall make'; but truly, in these verses between mitzvah and mitzvah there is service as well. This is the aspect of what is between one mitzvah and another.
And there is more in this, and see elsewhere about this matter: that truly there is service also in the verse 'And Hashem spoke', and so on.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. If you are climbing steadily, don't rush past the holy pauses between mitzvos. If you are coming back, don't wait for anything: run. And know which path you are on today.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty nine.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 59, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.59
English: our own paraphrase of the Hebrew, written for these videos. It is not copied from any published translation.
Verses and teachings of the Sages appear only as Rebbe Nachman quotes them inside this Torah.
How the text is shown
The Divine Name is shown as ה' and voiced as Hashem. Other Names are written in the customary form (אֱלֹקִים, קֵ-ל, קָהּ, שַׁ-דַּ-י, אֲדֹ-נָ-י, אֶקְיֶ-ה, צְבָקוֹת). No full Name is written or voiced.
Parenthetical source references inside the printed Hebrew are left off the screen to save space; the citation line names the source instead.
Long paragraphs are shown in consecutive pieces. Every Hebrew word on screen is from the edition above; nothing is reworded.
Cards labelled EXPLANATION (green), and every line marked 'our own reflection — not a quote', are our own words, not quotations.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Quick and Gaining, Quick and Losing
Scene 3 · LM II:59 §1, on Pesachim 50b · paragraph §1.1
יֵשׁ זָרִיז וְנִשְׂכָּר, זָרִיז וְנִפְסָד.
EN (our paraphrase): There is one who is quick and gains, and one who is quick and loses.
Scene 4 · LM II:59 §1, on Avos 4:2 · paragraph §1.2
כִּי דַע, כִּי מִצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁהַמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת אֶת חֲבֶרְתָּהּ. וּבְוַדַּאי יֵשׁ אֵיזֶה בְּחִינָה בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת, מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה, שֶׁהוּא מְקַשֵּׁר מִצְוָה אַחַת לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַמִּצְווֹת נִגְרָרִים אַחַת אַחַר חֲבֶרְתָּהּ. וּבֶאֱמֶת זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, הַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן יְקָרָה מְאֹד.
EN (our paraphrase): For know that a mitzvah draws a mitzvah, so the mitzvah draws its companion. Surely there is some aspect between the mitzvos, what is between one mitzvah and the next, which binds one mitzvah to its companion, through which the mitzvos are drawn one after another. And truly this aspect itself, what is between the mitzvos, is also very precious.
Scene 6 · LM II:59 §1, on Bereishis 24:1, the Zohar and Nedarim 32a · paragraph §1.3
וְעַל־כֵּן מִי שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק מִנְּעוּרָיו וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר מִיָּמָיו, מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּאַבְרָהָם: וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים – שֶׁאַבְרָהָם בָּא לַדַּרְגָּא שֶׁלּוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הַיָּמִים, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר, כִּי בֶּן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים הִכִּיר אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ, וְהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִיד מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא.
EN (our paraphrase): So one who is a tzaddik from his youth, walking the straight path all his days from level to level, as is written of Avraham, 'and Avraham was old, come into days': Avraham reached his level through the days, as the Zohar brings, for at three years old he recognised his Creator and went always from level to level.
Scene 7 · LM II:59 §1 · paragraph §1.3
וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינָה זוֹ, הוּא מַפְסִיד עַל־יְדֵי הַזְּרִיזוּת. כִּי כְּשֶׁהוּא זָרִיז גָּדוֹל וְרָץ בִּזְרִיזוּת מִמִּצְוָה לְמִצְוָה, אֲזַי הוּא מַפְסִיד עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶת בְּחִינַת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי זֶה הַזְּרִיזוּת הוּא עוֹבֵר וּמְדַלֵּג עַל הַבְּחִינָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי הַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ הוֹלֶכֶת אֵלָיו, כִּי הִיא נִמְשֶׁכֶת וְנִגְרֶרֶת אֵלָיו עַל־יְדֵי הַמִּצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁגּוֹרֶרֶת אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה
EN (our paraphrase): One who is on this level loses through quickness. When he is very quick and runs from mitzvah to mitzvah, he loses the holiness that is between one mitzvah and the next; through this quickness he passes over and skips that aspect, for the mitzvah itself comes to him, drawn to him by the first mitzvah, which draws the second.
Scene 8 · LM II:59 §1 · paragraph §1.3
וּכְשֶׁגַּם הוּא רָץ בִּזְרִיזוּת אֶל הַמִּצְוָה, אֲזַי יוּכַל לְדַלֵּג וְלַעֲבֹר אֶת הַבְּחִינָה הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶׁהוּא בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־כֵּן הוּא זָרִיז וְנִפְסָד. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹהֶה קְצָת, יוּכַל בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ לְהַשִּׂיג גַּם הַבְּחִינָה שֶׁבֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): And when he too runs quickly to the mitzvah, he may skip and pass over that aspect, what is between the mitzvos; so he is quick and loses. But when he waits a little, meanwhile he can reach the aspect between the mitzvos as well.
Scene 9 · LM II:59 §1 · paragraph §1.4
וְכָל זֶה – לְמִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי ה' כַּסֵּדֶר מִנְּעוּרָיו. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, הוּא צָרִיךְ דַּוְקָא לִהְיוֹת זָרִיז גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד, לְמַהֵר וְלָרוּץ מְאֹד, לְהִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, וְאָסוּר לוֹ לִשְׁהוֹת כְּלָל לַעֲמֹד וּלְהִתְיַשֵּׁב,
EN (our paraphrase): All this is for one who walks in Hashem's ways in order from his youth. But one who must do teshuvah must be precisely very, very quick, to hurry and run greatly, to escape for his life; he may not wait at all, to stand and settle himself.
Scene 10 · LM II:59 §1 · paragraph §1.4
כִּי בַּעַל־תְּשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא כְּלָל, וְאֵין בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שׁוּם בְּחִינָה הַנַּ"ל, כִּי הוּא צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל מֵחָדָשׁ, וְהוּא צָרִיךְ לָרוּץ וּלְדַלֵּג אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, כַּמּוּבָא, שֶׁהַבַּעַל־תְּשׁוּבָה צָרִיךְ לְדַלֵּג עַל מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ לְדַלֵּג, וְלִקְפֹּץ אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בִּזְרִיזוּת גָּדוֹל. וְאִישׁ כָּזֶה הוּא זָרִיז וְנִשְׂכָּר כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): For the baal teshuvah does not go from level to level at all, and between him and holiness there is no such aspect; he must start anew, and run and leap to holiness. As is brought: the baal teshuvah must skip what he must skip, and jump to holiness with great quickness. Such a man is quick and gains.
Scene 12 · LM II:59 §2 · paragraph §2.1
וּבְחִינָה שֶׁבֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל הוּא כְּגוֹן: וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר וְעָשִׂיתָ. וּבְוַדַּאי יֵשׁ עֲבוֹדָה גַּם בְּאֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים, שֶׁהֵם קֹדֶם הַמִּצְוָה. כִּי עִקָּר הַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה אַחַר־כָּךְ, אַחַר תֵּבַת וְעָשִׂיתָ, אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת בְּוַדַּאי גַּם בַּפְּסוּקִים הַנַּ"ל שֶׁבֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה, יֵשׁ בָּהֶם עֲבוֹדָה. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינָה הַנַּ"ל מַה שֶּׁבֵּין מִצְוָה לְמִצְוָה.
EN (our paraphrase): The aspect between the mitzvos is, for example: 'And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: and you shall make'. Surely there is service also in these words, which come before the mitzvah. For the mitzvah itself is said in the Torah afterwards, after the word 'and you shall make'; but truly, in these verses between mitzvah and mitzvah there is service as well. This is the aspect of what is between one mitzvah and another.
Scene 13 · LM II:59 §2, on Likutei Moharan I, 22 · paragraph §2.2
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בָּזֶה, וְעַיֵּן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר מֵעִנְיָן זֶה, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת יֵשׁ עֲבוֹדָה גַּם בַּפָּסוּק וַיְדַבֵּר וְכוּ':
EN (our paraphrase): And there is more in this, and see elsewhere about this matter: that truly there is service also in the verse 'And Hashem spoke', and so on.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.2: זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, הַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן יְקָרָה מְאֹד.
Scene 3 · §1.3: וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינָה זוֹ, הוּא מַפְסִיד עַל־יְדֵי הַזְּרִיזוּת.
Scene 4 · §1.4: וְלִקְפֹּץ אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בִּזְרִיזוּת גָּדוֹל.
Scene 5 · §2.1: וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, הַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהוּא בֵּין הַמִּצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן יְקָרָה מְאֹד.
Scene 3 · §1.3: וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינָה זוֹ, הוּא מַפְסִיד עַל־יְדֵי הַזְּרִיזוּת.
Scene 4 · §1.4: וְלִקְפֹּץ אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בִּזְרִיזוּת גָּדוֹל.