at least לפחות

I seemed to have confused my understanding of בדיעבד I understood it as “at least”, it’s real meaning is “in retrospect”, “post factum” or “after the event” and is the opposite to לכתחילה which means “from the start” or “a priori”.

“At least” לפחות is insufficiently, not entirely, incompletely

It is NOT “at most” or completely.

Our presence on earth in front of God demands nothing less then בכל לבבך בכל נפשך ובכל מאודך With all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might.

At least, isn’t good at all. It’s existence allows room for mediocrity בינוניות. It puts a stumbling stone in the path of redemption and under minds the presence of God.

At least allows the caterpillar to accept his state and not enter “Pupa/Chrysalis” the transition stage, to finally arrive at what he was created to be the beautiful butterfly.

יהיה בסדר It will be alright, is close to אין מה לעשות there’s nothing to do. It is the ultimate excuse for not doing things right in the first place.

A good friend of “At least” is “Good enough” which is the ideology representing the mental embodiment of a person who could physically obtain perfection, but, under the circumstances, does not. Therefore, he is good enough.

דברים פרק ל פסוק י

כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֗ע בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֺתָיו֙ וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י תָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ פ

Deuteronomy 30:10
You shall obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law. You must turn to him with your whole mind and being.