Why Spiritual Effort Matters More Than Results: Torah Learning and Eternal Reward

In the physical world, a craftsman earns payment for results. If he toils and exerts himself but doesn’t complete the task, he won't receive payment for the effort alone.

In the spiritual world however, the rules are different. A person who toils in Torah study or any mitzvah is rewarded not for the outcome, but for the effort. For example, if someone goes to great lengths to attend a Torah class and it ends up being canceled, or struggles to understand a Talmudic passage but fails to grasp it, they still receive full reward. In Heaven, they say: “According to the pain is the reward.” The more effort, time, mental strain, or surrounding challenges one faces, the greater the spiritual reward, regardless of the final result.

This leads to what may seem like an absurd situation: someone with abundant time or natural brilliance might master a page of Talmud in 30 minutes and understand it in depth. Yet, if they waste the rest of their day, their eternal reward may pale in comparison to someone with limited time or a weaker mind, who struggles for hours- or even days- over the same page and understands it only partially. Society might admire the first and disregard the second, but in Heaven, the scales are reversed. There, the struggles, effort, and perseverance of the second person are fully recognized and richly rewarded.

When Torah is studied in a group, each person’s reward is multiplied by the number of participants. As the Shedeh Chemed writes: “Group learning multiplies your merit according to the number of people involved. When a mitzvah is done in partnership, each participant receives reward as if they did the whole thing themselves.” The Chafetz Chaim adds that learning in a group sanctifies G-d's Name, which is why Kaddish is recited afterward. This makes it a doubly powerful mitzvah.

A quick calculation shows that time holds within it millions upon millions of spiritual treasures, far beyond the capacity of the human mind to comprehend. The wise person does not let the material world hide this truth. Instead, he trains himself to set aside time daily for Torah learning, using every free moment to immerse in it, and thereby fills his time with the most valuable “currency” in existence: eternal spiritual reward.

A Parable

Imagine a man who saves the king’s daughter from drowning. As a reward, he’s granted two hours in the royal treasure vault to take whatever he wishes. Fearing he’ll empty the vault, the royal ministers line the entrance halls with rich delicacies, entertainers, and pleasures. As he enters the palace, the man is captivated. He samples the food, listens to the music, and lingers far too long. Suddenly, he realizes that only two minutes remain. He runs to the treasure room and is awestruck by the sparkling jewels, golden crowns, and priceless artifacts. Just as he steps forward, a hand taps his shoulder. His time is up.

Though he begs to stay just a little longer, he is forced to leave, empty-handed and devastated. Only then does he realize that the fleeting pleasures offered along the way cost him treasures beyond imagination. Had he taken even a single jewel, it would have surpassed the value of all the indulgences he wasted time on. What if he’d had time to take entire crowns?

The same is true with life. We’re given a limited time on earth, filled with illusions of temporary material pleasure, while the real treasure of Torah and mitzvot is waiting. These spiritual acts create true and eternal delight, far beyond anything this world can offer. And yet, this opportunity is only available here, in the physical world. The temptations are many, but the wise person overcomes them and fills each moment with meaningful deeds.

As the verse says: “No eye has seen it, G-d, but Yours”- referring to the joy awaiting those who spend their time wisely. Fortunate is the one who, with courage and resolve, conquers their impulses and lives for what lasts forever.