Another may have a lamp that burns longer. He has more time to probe the celestial treasuries. Still another may have a lamp that blazes for an entire day or even longer.
But there is one who has the most wonderful lamps of all. These are never extinguished, but burn and shine forever. The owner of these lamps can delve into the King’s treasuries continuously and forever.
From this we understand that even an ordinary religious person can explore the King’s treasuries, but only for a given time as determined by his good deeds. Even this is certainly a most wonderful privilege. You can find wonderful treasures even in this short time and then enjoy them in the World to Come forever.
All of your future life is determined by what you find during the time of exploration. If you are worthy of more time in which the lamps created by your deeds shine, you will certainly find more good in the King’s treasuries. It all depends on how long your lamp can burn.
שַׁיָּךְ לְסִימָן ער"ה בְּלִקּוּטֵי חֵלֶק רִאשׁוֹן, הַמַּתְחֶלֶת: דַּע שֶׁכָּל מִצְוָה וְכוּ' נַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנָּה נֵר וְכוּ' עַיֵּן שָׁם.
Likutey Moharan I, 275 begins with the statement: “Every good deed that one does is made into a lamp.”
עַתָּה שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֶחָד, שֶׁשָּׁמַע גַּם־כֵּן זֶה הָעִנְיָן מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ, וּבֵאֵר הַדָּבָר יוֹתֵר קְצָת, שֶׁאָמַר: שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁנֵּר שֶׁלּוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִדְלֹק כִּי־אִם אֵיזֶה שָׁעָה, מְחַפֵּשׂ עִם הַנֵּר אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה שֶׁדּוֹלֵק, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ נִכְלֶה הַנֵּר וְאֵין לוֹ בַּמֶּה לְחַפֵּשׂ.
One of my companions told me that the Rebbe once explained this idea in greater detail:
וְיֵשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁנֵּר שֶׁלּוֹ דּוֹלֵק אֵיזֶה שָׁעוֹת יוֹתֵר, וְיוּכַל לְחַפֵּשׂ יוֹתֵר אֲבָל אַחַר־כָּךְ נִפְסָק. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁנֵּר שֶׁלּוֹ דּוֹלֵק יוֹם אֶחָד. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁדּוֹלֵק עוֹד יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר.
Another may have a lamp that burns longer. He has more time to probe the celestial treasuries. Still another may have a lamp that blazes for an entire day or even longer.
אֲבָל יֵשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ הַרְבֵּה נֵרוֹת נִפְלָאִים כָּאֵלּוּ, שֶׁדּוֹלְקִים וּמְאִירִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד וְאֵינָם נִכְבִּים לְעוֹלָם, וְהוּא זוֹכֶה לְחַפֵּשׂ בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְּמַלְכָּא תָּמִיד לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים – אַשְׁרֵי לוֹ.
But there is one who has the most wonderful lamps of all. These are never extinguished, but burn and shine forever. The owner of these lamps can delve into the King’s treasuries continuously and forever.
וְהִנֵּה מִזֶּה מוּבָן, שֶׁגַּם אֲנָשִׁים כְּשֵׁרִים פְּשׁוּטִים זוֹכִים בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא לְחַפֵּשׂ בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְּמַלְכָּא, אֲבָל הַחִפּוּשׂ שֶׁלָּהֶם הוּא רַק לְפִי שָׁעָה, כְּפִי הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם, וּבְוַדַּאי גַּם זֶה הוּא זְכִיָּה גְּדוֹלָה וְנִפְלָאָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁמְּחַפֵּשׂ בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְּמַלְכָּא אֵיזֶה שָׁעָה יוּכַל גַּם־כֵּן לִמְצֹא שָׁם אוֹצָרוֹת נִפְלָאִים שֶׁיּוּכַל לִחְיוֹת בָּהֶם חַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא לָנֶצַח.
From this we understand that even an ordinary religious person can explore the King’s treasuries, but only for a given time as determined by his good deeds. Even this is certainly a most wonderful privilege. You can find wonderful treasures even in this short time and then enjoy them in the World to Come forever.
אֲבָל חַיָּיו יִהְיֶה רַק כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיִּמְצָא בְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁעָה. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁזּוֹכֶה שֶׁנֵּרוֹת מִצְווֹתָיו מְאִירִין וְדוֹלְקִין יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, בְּוַדַּאי יִמְצָא רַב טוּב בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְּמַלְכָּא יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר. וְכֵן כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁנֵּרוֹת מִצְווֹתָיו דּוֹלְקִין יוֹתֵר.
All of your future life is determined by what you find during the time of exploration. If you are worthy of more time in which the lamps created by your deeds shine, you will certainly find more good in the King’s treasuries. It all depends on how long your lamp can burn.
אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיק הַגָּדוֹל זוֹכֶה לְחַפֵּשׂ תָּמִיד בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְּמַלְכָּא וְנֵרוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ לֹא יִכְבּוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
The light of a great tzaddik is never extinguished. His exploration of the King’s treasuries can go on forever.
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בָּזֶה דְּבָרִים בְּגוֹ. וְדַי בָּזֶה.
There is much more to this, but what we have presented is sufficient.