R' Yehoshua sad that to become rich, he must spend more time in business. But if it is all decided on Rosh Hashanah and one must only do one's histadlus, what is working MORE advised? What good will it do?
Barry Epstein, Dallas, USA
It could be that your question is one of the reasons why the HAGAOS HAGRA decided that this was not the correct text of the Gemara. He apparently understood that Rebbi Yehoshua merely said that one should deal honestly.
However, one can find an answer to your question in MICHTAV MEI'ELIYAHU (vol.1, pg. 200). The Michtav mei'Eliyahu discusses the different amounts of Hishtadlus a person should do, depending on his level of Bitachon. The reason why a person must do Hishtadlus, he explains, is in order that he should realize that even though he is working, the results of his actions are totally guided by Hash-m and not by his skill or might. One who has already achieved perfect Bitachon, meaning that he considers both miracles and "nature" (Teva) to be open miracles, no longer needs to do any Hishtadlus, as he has already perfected his Bitachon. However, a person who has not yet reached perfect Bitachon should keep on being Mishtadel in order to perfect his Bitachon by thinking while he is working that the result of his actions is dependent fully on Hash-m. To such a person, Rav Dessler explains, our Gemara is addressed. Such a person should increase his working in order to perfect his Bitachon. If he does perfect his Bitachon, he will no longer have to be Mishtadel, as befitting a Tzadik with perfect Bitachon.
All the best,
Yaakov Montrose