“Time is money,” or so goes the common refrain. It is intended to underscore the importance of every moment. You wouldn't discard a dollar so why waste a moment? The point is well taken, but the comparison is not equitable. Time is not money, it is much more than money. A lost penny can be replaced. A lost moment is irreplaceable.

The other day, at Synagogue, a friend checked his watch and proclaimed, “Oy, it's late!” After a brief pause he remarked ruefully, "and its getting later by the minute." How right he is. The sands of time are not sympathetic to our needs or desires. They are relentless.

One of my favorite teachers would begin every lecture with the same announcement, "Time is precious." He would repeat this statement like a mantra till the general din subsided and the lecture could commence. He never asked us to be quiet, he simply reminded us that time offers no second chances. The minutes we wasted now, would never reappear. They were forever lost to the waste bins of history.

Time is not money, it is much more than money. A lost penny can be replaced. A lost moment is irreplaceable.

With Every Breath

The Psalmist wrote, “Every breath shall praise G-d.”¹ This verse carries two messages. With every breath, we must praise G-d and every breath is praise to G-d. Both translations are correct. We must devote every moment to the praise and worship of G-d, we must fill every moment with divine meaning, because every breath we draw is a testament to G-d; to His incredible, creative ability.

Every time the complex biological system we call the human body, expands its lungs and draws a breath, contracts its lungs and exhales, we witness a miracle. Every time we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide we witness The Creator in action. How complex and awesome are His creations! G-d must have had a serious purpose in mind to justify undertaking such a complex operation only to provide me with fresh air.

Such complex synthesis, such inspiring beauty cannot have been deliberately created so that we could waste it. Every moment of life is meaningful. Every breath we draw is an opportunity to raise our conduct to a higher level and our discourse to a more exalted plane. Denying this opportunity is not only an irreplaceable waste of our own time, but a colossal waste of G-d's effort.

With every breath we must praise G-d, for every breath is so inspiring, a gift unto itself and an ode to G-d's Almighty effort. G-d intended for us to use these breaths and these moments of life to praise and compliment Him, to serve a divine purpose. When we use these moments to serve ourselves, our interests and pithy desires, G-d's effort goes for naught.

Enrichment

I once heard an acquaintance try to disengage from an expensive long distance cell phone conversation by jesting, “Every moment I talk to you drops me into greater poverty." Indeed, every moment filled with divine purpose is enriching. Every underutilized moment impoverishes.

When we devote a moment to the service of G-d we too attain a moment of timelessness. That moment remains before G-d forever. No one can take it from us. No one can take it from G-d. It becomes irreversible, incontrovertible. It never fades with time. It can't – it's timeless. Even if we stray from G-d He will always view us through the prism of this timeless moment.

So now consider that a wasted moment is not only a discarded moment, of which there are many, but a discarded eternity, a loss of timelessness.

Of course there will always be another moment and the next moment can also become timeless. But even if you amass a million eternities, the loss of a single eternity is still tragic.

Consider life as a succession of trains that depart the station at every moment. If you missed the first train you can take the next train, but because the march of life is unrelenting, that first train will forever remain beyond your reach. You will never catch a glimpse of that train again. You missed it because you came one moment too late. Destiny intended it for you, but you deprived yourself.

Just as the seventh candle burned well beyond its time so does a moment with G-d. A good deed is timeless; it lasts forever

Of the seven lights on the Temple's candelabra only six were kindled daily. The seventh light miraculously burned continually, day and night without requiring rekindling.² The question poses itself, why was it necessary for the priest to kindle the six lights when they could have been perpetuated by G-d just as He did the seventh? On the other hand, if the priest was supposed to kindle the lights, why did the seventh burn miraculously?

The priest was instructed to kindle the lights every day because G-d wants us to understand that every day is unique. No two moments are alike, no two days are alike. We cannot be complaisant about even a single moment despite the abundance of moments that await us. Every moment is unique and tomorrow cannot possibly replace today.

The daily kindling reminds us that every day carries a unique assignment; an opportunity to draw new divine radiance into the world. Yesterday's kindling cannot provide today's illumination just as tomorrow's illumination cannot be provided by today's kindling.

This message, however, is transmitted only through six of the seven lights. The seventh light carries a separate message.

The seventh candle reminds us that every moment is not only unique but also eternal. This is why the priest always found one of yesterday's lights still ablaze. A moment does not end when it passes. A good deed does not expire when it is concluded. Just as the seventh candle burned well beyond its time so does a moment with G-d. A good deed is timeless; it lasts forever.