42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen! 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men (Prov. xvill, 16). Once R. Eliezer and R. Joshua and R. Akiba went to the Harbour area of Antiochia, to make a collection for [the support of] scholars. There was a man there of the name of Abba Judan, who used to provide maintenance liberally [for the needy]. He subsequently became impoverished, and when he saw our Rabbis there, his face turned the colour of saffron. When he came to his wife, she said to him: ‘Why is your face sickly?’ Said he to her: ‘My Rabbis are here, and I do not know what to do.’ His wife, who was even more saintly than he, said: ‘We have nothing left except yon field. Go, sell half thereof, and give them [the proceeds].’ They prayed for him, saying: ‘May the All-present make good your deficiency!’ After some days he went to plough the half field he had retained; and as he was ploughing, his cow fell and its leg was broken. When he went down to lift it up, the Holy One, blessed be He gave light to his eyes, and he found a treasure there. Said he: ‘My cow’s leg was broken, but it turned out to be for my benefit.’