Reb Zalman Brizel (of Yerushalayim) spent a night in Bnei Brak, at his son, Reb Nota’s, house. Reb Zalman was studying Torah diligently.
"Father, it's late," Reb Nota told his father. “You can finish your studies tomorrow."
Reb Zalman didn’t respond. He just kept on learning.
The son kept trying a couple more times, but each time, Reb Zalman just continued learning. He finished learning around midnight. Reb Nota was then in the kitchen, eating a late supper. Reb Zalman said to his son, "Nota, it's late. You can finish your meal tomorrow."
The message was understood. There are some important things that one just doesn’t push off for tomorrow.
But if he throws the items in without folding them and without order, after just a few items are put into the bag, there isn’t room for much else.
Time is similar. If one is cautious and orderly with his time, he will see that there is a lot of time in the day. But those who aren’t careful with their time can’t find time for anything.
A student asked Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt’l how to set up his schedule for learning Torah. Reb Shlomo Zalman advised him to set aside time each day to review everything he had studied until then. The student told Reb Shlomo Zalman he didn’t have time for that.
Reb Shlomo Zalman had a bar-mitzvah present on his table. It was a wrapped sefer, bound with a rubber band. Reb Shlomo Zalman took off the rubber band and showed him how small it became, compared to when it was stretched around the sefer. Reb Shlomo Zalman explained to him that this represents time. It seems short. But if one stretches it, one can find that he has plenty of time to do everything he needs to.
In Parashas Bechukosai, it states the rewards for keeping the mitzvos. One of the rewards is (Vayikra 26:9), אליכם ופניתי. Rashi explains, אפנה שכרכם לשלם עסקי מכל, “I will turn away from all my work so I can pay you your reward.”
The Chidushei HaRim zt’l explains that ופניתי comes from the word פנאי, which means ample, extra time. The brachah is that the tzaddikim are granted ample time to accomplish a lot in avodas Hashem.
The Chidushei HaRim would often repeat this translation, for it is indeed the greatest gift to have enough time to do everything one needs to do.
In the tochachah (curses), it also states (Vayikra 26:17) , בכם פני ונתתי. According to the Chidushei HaRim's explanation, that פני means extra time, why does Hashem grant sinners ample time? The Beis Yisrael zt’l answers that having time is a blessing for those who use it well and a curse for those who use time unwisely and for sin.
Some have the custom of giving a gold watch as a gift to a chasan. This is to remind the chasan that time is precious like gold.
The Lev Simchah zy'a added that the gold watch is only the wrapping of time. The wrapping is always less valuable than what it holds. If the wrapping is made of gold, it shows that time is far more valuable.
