Happiness of the poor man

When a rich man makes a successful business deal his joy is in true monetary wealth. He worked for it and made a real amount of money.

The poor person who is given a coin, on the other hand, is also happy. He, however, did not work for the money and it is not an amount of real value.

Nonetheless, the poor man's happiness is centered on a deeper concept. The rich man is happy because of the money and accomplishment. The poor man is happy because of the life that the money will actually bring him.

With this you can understand the way in which Ballei Teshuva are greater than Tzadikim.  The teshuva of the Bal-Teshuva is like the 'small coin' - of the poor person in comparison to the many and mighty deeds of the Tzadikim. However, the happiness the Bal-Teshuva is from the feeling that they are now close to the king again, while the Tzadik's joy is a composite (simcha moorkevet) of what they have accomplished.
-Mittler Rebbe

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