The Rabbis taught:
The pauper, the rich man, and the wicked one stand for judgment before the heavenly throne. The poor man is asked: ‘Why did you not study Torah?’ If he replies, ‘I was poor and busy supporting myself,’ he will be asked: ‘Were you poorer than Hillel who studied Torah despite his poverty?’ It was said about Hillel that he earned a small coin each day, half of which he would give to the watchmen to gain entry to the Beit Midrash and half of what he used to support himself and his family.
When the rich man comes he is asked: ‘Why did you not study Torah?’ If he replies, ‘I was wealthy and occupied with my business affairs,’ he will be asked: ‘Were you wealthier than Rav Elazar? It was said of Rav Elazar ben Charsom that his father bequeathed him a thousand cities on land and 1000 ships at sea. Each day he would take a sack of flour on the shoulder and go from city to city and from province to province to study Torah.
The wicked man is asked: ‘Why did you not study Torah?’ If he replies: ‘I was extremely handsome and was preoccupied with temptations,’ he will be asked: ‘Were you more handsome than Joseph who resisted the enticement of Pharaoh’s wife Potiphar?’
Thus, poor people will be held accountable because of Hillel, the rich because of Rav Elazar ben Charsom, and those who cannot resist temptations will be compared to Joseph. –Yoma 35b
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