The Gemara in Megila 6b says that if someone tells you that they understood a piece of Torah and they didn't work hard for it you shouldn't believe them.
The Ramha"l says in the Hakdama to his magnum opus Mesilat Yesharim about the Pasuk (Mishlei 2:4) "אם תבקשנה ככסף וכמטמונים תחפשנה, אז תבין יראת ה'"
He says:
אינו אומר אז תבין פילוסופיה, אז תבין תכונה, אז תבין רפואה, אז תבין דינים, אז תבין הלכות, אלא אז תבין יראת ה.
What is the difference between "Yagat Welo Masat" and "Im Tevakshena"?
Answer
The Targum on Mishlei 2:4 translates תחפשנה as sitzb'yah - desire, suggesting that the analogy in Mishlei emphasizes that you should be highly motivated and driven. By contrast, yaga'ti seems to by definition refer to the actual work that someone retrospectively put in to acquire Torah.
Note, however, that the Malbim (Mishlei, 2:4) distinguishes between bakashah and chipus; he writes that the former implies desire while the latter implies action.
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