6857 —מאבקים בצמיחה רוחנית וערך ההכנה

B"H, 9 Iyar, 5719. Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 3rd of Iyar, where you outline what you have experienced and how you have now settled, ending with a question: why is it that when you wish to ascend in matters of Torah and mitzvos, you encounter various difficulties, while you see other young men living freely without struggles or effort?

The answer is actually found in your own letter when you describe your settling down: that one must study his profession for three or four years, and now in practical work like any other worker according to his knowledge, he earns only 11 lira per month. In other words, the action itself is not enough; it requires proper preparation through study and knowledge. Then the action itself improves and becomes much more rewarding.

The reason is simple: the greater the achievement sought, the greater and broader the preparation must be. The smaller the achievement—or if there is no real achievement at all—the less preparation is needed or none at all. Similarly, for lives lacking substance, no preparation is required because any pleasure they contain passes in a moment and disappears. So it is no wonder that such lives need no preparation.

That means anyone who contemplates his future—even for a short time—will strive as much as necessary for the best possible preparation over several years because this will improve his life many times over in both the near and distant future—over decades upon decades. As our Sages succinctly put it: Lefum tza'ara agra (According to the pain is the reward), except that the reward is many times greater than the pain, effort, and striving; meaning that by multiplying effort and striving, the reward and benefit increase many times over.

I hope these few lines will suffice for you to reflect on their content and come to the true conclusion: that you should use these years—and your youthful energy—for the necessary preparation for your entire future so that you will be happy both materially and spiritually. There is only one path to this: inner preparation through studying our Torah of life and fulfilling its mitzvos about which it is said "and you shall live by them"—this fulfills the request, encouragement, and command: "U'vacharta ba'chayim" (And you shall choose life)—true and happy life even in this world.

May it be G‑d's will that you share good news regarding all of this.

Summary

True growth requires effort; lasting fulfillment comes from preparing oneself through Torah study and mitzvah observance rather than seeking easy paths without substance.