Small tidbits and Sparks of wisdom

Torah Wisdom from the Chofetz Chaim and the Beis HaLevi

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When Effort Becomes a Distraction from Mission

A wealthy and generous supporter of Torah institutions once told the Chofetz Chaim that he planned to retire from business and devote himself to full-time Torah study.

He expected admiration. Instead, he received a sharp truth.

The Chofetz Chaim explained: “An infantry general has no right to switch battalions. Each soldier must serve where he was placed.” This man’s tafkid—his God-given role—was not to sit in the beis medrash, but to support it. His calling was to sustain Torah through his business success, not to abandon it in pursuit of personal spiritual growth.

True greatness is not in changing roles, but in fulfilling the one Hashem gave you.

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The Parable of the Wine Vat

To drive the point home, the Chofetz Chaim shared a parable:

> A man had a vat of wine and wanted to increase profits. He added a second spigot to sell more wine faster. His sales doubled—but the vat emptied in half the time. What did he gain?

The lesson: Overexertion often leads to spiritual depletion, not blessing. You might double your output—but if you drain your time, faith, and priorities, you’ve lost far more than you’ve gained.

Yes, the Torah values hard work—but not if it costs you your connection to Hashem, your Torah learning, or your peace of mind.

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The Beis HaLevi: When Effort Itself Is a Sin

The Beis HaLevi, in Shaar HaBitachon (chapter 21), makes an even stronger point. He writes that not all effort is kosher. Some people engage in hishtadlus (human effort) through deceitful, unethical, or forbidden means—claiming that the pressure of parnassah forces their hand.

But the Beis HaLevi calls this a “stolen answer” (teshuvah genuvah).

> “It is only because he engages in forbidden methods that he lacks parnassah,” he writes. “He says he’s forced—but the truth is, he brings the lack upon himself.”

Citing Yeshayah 59:5—“They hatch adder’s eggs”—he explains that dishonest pursuits yield poisonous outcomes. Even if they seem effective short-term, they bring damage, not blessing.

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So What Is Proper Effort?

Honest, measured effort that does not compromise Torah or trust in Hashem.

A livelihood pursued with boundaries, not obsession.

Success achieved through emunah (faith) and yashrus (integrity), not desperation or moral shortcuts.

> Hashem gives the results. Our job is to act in accordance with His will—not to “force” blessing through overwork or dishonesty.

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Final Thought

Work is not the enemy. But unbalanced, unethical, or overdone effort is.

You don’t need to sell faster, build more, or chase extra to be blessed. What you need is to walk your unique path, within Torah, with humility and clarity.

> “One must never lose sight of life’s priorities nor water them down for illusory gains.”
— Chofetz Chaim

> “Once we recognize that it is Hashem—and not our efforts—Who provides our sustenance, we realize how foolish it is to try making money in forbidden ways.”
— Beis HaLevi

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