Iheard in [Rebbe Nachman’s] name that he reproved someone who had told him that he had no time to learn because he was involved in business. [The Rebbe] said that nonetheless it behooved him to grab some time every day to be involved in Torah. He said that this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: A person is asked: “KaVAata (Did you set) times for Torah?” (Shabbat 31a). The term KeVA (set) connotes “stealing,” as it is written, “and KaVA (rob) the life of those who rob them” (Proverbs 22:23). That is, they ask the person if he stole from the times he was busy with his affairs. Did you steal times for Torah from them? For a person must grab and steal times for Torah from [his daily] concerns and affairs.
שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁהוֹכִיחַ אֶת אֶחָד שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ פְּנַאי לִלְמֹד מֵחֲמַת שֶׁעוֹסֵק בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, אָמַר: שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן רָאוּי לוֹ לַחֲטֹף אֵיזֶה זְמַן לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה בְּכָל יוֹם. וְאָמַר, שֶׁזֶּהוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת לא), שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הָאָדָם: קָבַעְתָּ עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה, קֶבַע הוּא לְשׁוֹן גְּזֵלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי כ״ב:כ״ג): וְקָבַע אֶת קֹבְעֵיהֶם נָפֶשׁ; הַיְנוּ שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הָאָדָם, אִם גָּזַל מִן הַזְּמַן שֶׁהוּא טָרוּד בַּעֲסָקָיו, אִם גָּזַלְתָּ מֵהֶן עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה, כִּי צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לַחֲטֹף וְלִגְזֹל עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה מִתּוֹךְ הַטִּרְדָּא וְהָעֵסֶק:
Iheard in [Rebbe Nachman’s] name that he reproved someone who had told him that he had no time to learn because he was involved in business. [The Rebbe] said that nonetheless it behooved him to grab some time every day to be involved in Torah. He said that this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: A person is asked: “KaVAata (Did you set) times for Torah?” (Shabbat 31a). The term KeVA (set) connotes “stealing,” as it is written, “and KaVA (rob) the life of those who rob them” (Proverbs 22:23). That is, they ask the person if he stole from the times he was busy with his affairs. Did you steal times for Torah from them? For a person must grab and steal times for Torah from [his daily] concerns and affairs.