How Much Effort is Necessary? 3 Golden Rules to Guide You

Life is full of various delays before the desired salvation—how can we know how much effort we must exert (or let go) to accelerate achieving our desire, and what are the 3 rules to measure the necessary effort?

Rabbi Yisroel Lugasi in his book "Living with Faith," addresses this topic and provides several strengthening insights.

Firstly, the starting point is that delays are from Hashem, not by nature or chance, as people tend to confuse.

Secondly, one can clearly see that while a person experiences prolonged delays, when the time for true salvation comes, everything suddenly aligns smoothly and swiftly.

"When the right match arrives, things happen quickly with divine assistance, and when someone's healing time comes, the circumstances miraculously and swiftly bring about their salvation."

"How can a person know that all the delays until their salvation were from Hashem and not from nature and chance? It is in that when salvation time arrives, everything happens quickly and suddenly. Then, observing this, one understands it was Hashem hurrying and accelerating their salvation, proving that all previous delays were His doing, as when the time of salvation came, everything materialized immediately, without further delay."

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Delay, Salvation, and Delay Again?!

Sometimes, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel; it feels like salvation is near, and then again—disappointment, uncertainty, and a sense of returning to the starting point. Rabbi Lugasi also addresses and explains this:

"When the time for true and final salvation comes, sometimes heaven shows a person as if their salvation time has arrived, and suddenly there is another delay. This is part of the 'delay' rectification process we mentioned, and perhaps the most challenging part, where a person feels as if divine mercy is upon them, and suddenly everything turns negative again. But when the hour of true redemption arrives, as mentioned, one sees their salvation swiftly and miraculously, and reflection reveals how true this is..."

If Salvation Has a Precise Time - How Far Does One's Effort Extend?

There are three divine conducts with people, serving as a guide to assess our effort in a given matter.

"As I once heard from a wise and righteous Torah scholar, who told me, 'You should know a great principle in life, which is that there are three conducts of Hashem with His creations, and based on this, a person can know how to act':

1. When a person achieves success easily, without any delays—they should reconsider their actions

"When a person easily accomplishes something, be it spiritual or physical, without obstacles, they should thoroughly examine whether their actions are good or not, as our world is a world of "toil." If one achieves something without toil, they should check what evil force is concealing it."

2. When delays are numerous and all efforts are in vain—they should cease their efforts

"When a person does not succeed in any way in a certain action and all their efforts fail one after the other, such as in a particular livelihood, acquiring a home, and similar matters, even in a good deed, such as wanting to open a yeshiva, start a charity organization, and similar, they should not force the moment and should cease their efforts.

3. When the beginning is difficult and subsequently things flow easily—they should continue on this path

"When a person starts with difficulty, toils and exerts effort, and over time it becomes easy, this is a sign to strengthen in this deed, as it is Hashem's will for them to do so. Just as we see many who wished to develop a yeshiva, a kollel, a charity organization, and similar, to build a home, and in spirituality, to teach Torah, ethics, initially found it very difficult, and eventually the gates of success opened for them, the gates of wisdom. This is a sign that they are on the correct and desirable path."

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In conclusion, Rabbi Lugasi emphasizes:

"It is very important to remember that all this applies to the 'do good' aspect, but in the 'turn from evil' aspect—here, a person must persist all their life and not let go, and even if it is hard to overcome a certain trait or desire all their life, they must continue and not relent, as this is their rectification.

Of course, the three conducts we mentioned are in general, but regarding specific matters, a person should consult with a wise individual to know when to cease and when to continue and insist."

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