I agree with your explanation and think it is true but I would like to add a further insight. The Tanna, Rebbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, who was asked 12 questions by the men of Alexandria (see above 69b), stressed the need for diligent study and minimizing business activities because he wanted to show that even though other things are also necessary to become a Talmid Chacham, if you don't sit and learn you certainly won't make it. So the starting point is that you must learn hard and remove worldly interests as much as possible. If one does not do this, the airplane will certainly not get off the ground. This is why R. Yehoshua only mentioned this aspect initially. However, if one does all the Hishtadlus - makes all the possible effort - one still needs Tefilah and Rachamim in order to succeed. There is a principle that the Mefarshim explain: after one has put in all the effort one can for spiritual matters then davening helps, but if a person does not try to start to help himself, Hash-m will not help him.

I saw an interesting idea recently in the name of R. Yaakov Rosental, the head of the Beis Din in Haifa. He said that the reason he did not leave Haifa during the recent war in the North, despite the missiles, was because Haifa needed the merit of those learning Torah there in order to save the city. He explained that even though one needs the merit of the Tefilos of the residents, nevertheless Torah is even more important. We find that in the morning we say the Berachos on learning Torah before Pesukei DeZimra when we praise Hash-m. We say the Beracha of Ahavah Rabah or Ahavas Olam, which is a request for understanding the Torah, before reciting the Shema which declares our belief in Hash-m. If Torah does not come first, prayer and belief in Hash-m does not have a lasting hold. The greatest protection for Klal Yisrael in our wars is from the merit of those learning Torah. This may also be the reason why R. Yehoshua stressed first the importance of actually sitting and learning.

KOL TUV

D. Bloom