פירוש על ברכות 70:8

From the Baal Shem Tov, everyone needs to act on their own level. This is not the case when one grasps the level of his friend, both don’t last. This what is written “Many (tried) to do like Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and they were not successful” meaning they weren’t at his stature, rather they only did like Rabbi Shimon, for they saw him at this level, thus they were not successful.

Viz. they combined Torah with work. Cf. Abot ii. 2 ; Singer, p. 187.