How Much Hishtadlut?

One of the difficult balances in life is knowing when enough hishtadlut has been done so that a person can place the matter fully into the hands of Hashem. On one hand, we are obligated to make hishtadlut in order to fulfill our needs. But on the other hand, if a person overdoes hishtadlut it is considered an infraction, reflecting an underlying belief that results are dependent upon human effort rather than solely upon Hashem. One of the greatest tests in life is believing that although we are the ones making the efforts, the results themselves have nothing to do with those efforts. Hashem alone decides the outcome. He merely requires enough hishtadlut for the result to appear natural within the normal way of the world. Sometimes Hashem specifically places a person into situations where he feels completely powerless so that he can discover this truth more clearly — that his help was always coming only from Hashem. Once a person has put in a reasonable effort, one of the greatest things he can do afterward is stop chasing people and begin speaking more to Hashem. Rabbi Betzalel Bloy from Bnei Brak related that after investing enormous effort writing, organizing, and preparing the shiurim of his Rabbi for publication, he finally reached the last stage before printing the sefer. Everything was ready. He felt strongly that the sefer would bring tremendous chizuk to many people. There was only one thing missing: Money. He needed thousands of dollars to print the sefer and had no idea where the funds would come from. He worked very hard collecting small donations from various places, but after all the effort, he still managed to gather only one-third of the amount he needed. People advised him to approach a certain wealthy individual who might be interested in supporting the project. Rabbi Bloy gathered his courage and went to speak with him. He explained the greatness of the sefer, the importance of its message, and how many people could potentially benefit from it. The wealthy man listened carefully and then replied: "Go to another wealthy man at this address. Whatever amount he gives you, I will contribute half of it." Rabbi Bloy left the meeting feeling crushed and embarrassed. He did not know whether the man genuinely intended to help or was simply trying to avoid responsibility. More than anything, the entire experience was emotionally painful. The thought of now having to approach another wealthy individual filled him with dread. But he desperately wanted to publish the sefer. Unsure what to do next, he went to ask his father for advice. His father then gave him one sentence that completely changed his perspective. "Don't do anything else," he said. "Just talk to Hashem." His father understood that Rabbi Bloy had already done what was reasonable. Continuing further would only push him emotionally beyond his limits. Hearing those words brought Rabbi Bloy tremendous relief. He now felt permitted to stop chasing people and simply turn to Hashem. That night he poured out his heart in tefillah. The next morning, he did the same during Shacharit. Then, that very afternoon, the second wealthy man suddenly called him. "The first donor told me about your sefer," he said. "We decided that I will cover two-thirds of the remaining amount, and he will cover the other third. We are very happy to participate in your project." Within a short amount of time, the money was paid and the sefer went to print. Rabbi Bloy later reflected that his father's words taught him the true perspective on hishtadlut. A person must make an effort. But once he has done what is reasonable, Hashem does not require more than that. Hashem loves when we ask Him directly for our needs — and for that, we never have to feel embarrassed. The more we recognize Who the true Provider is, the more blessing Hashem places into our hishtadlut.