Three Gifts Acquired Through Struggle
Three treasures given to Israel, Torah, the Land and the world beyond, are acquired only through suffering.
Rashbi taught that Israel received three precious gifts from Hashem, and that each of them is obtained only through hardship. They are the Torah, the Land of Israel and the World to Come. The Gemara does not present difficulty as a mistake in the plan. It is the price tag and, at the same time, the way a person is prepared to receive something so great. A gift that arrives too easily is not felt, and the effort of acquiring it makes a person a fitting vessel. For Rashbi, who spent years hidden from Rome learning in a cave, this was not theory. The things of greatest worth to a Jew, learning, a homeland and eternity, are the ones into which we pour effort, and the pain that comes with the effort is part of what makes the gift ours.
Source: Berachos 5a
When something you care about feels hard today, whether a stubborn page of learning, a difficult davening or a long stretch of waiting, do not read the difficulty as a sign that you are failing. Stay with it for five more minutes than you planned, and tell yourself that this is the cost of something worth having. Rashbi lived through hardship and called its fruits a gift. If you are carrying a heavy effort now, take a moment tonight to thank Hashem for the part that is already yours.