Midrash su Salmi 146:7

(Fol. 35b) Our Rabbis were taught: When the poor, the rich or the wicked man shall appear before the Divine Judgment, the poor man will be asked: "Why hast thou not studied the Law?" If he answers: "He was poor and had to earn his maintenance [and therefore had no time to study], he will be answered, "Wast thou then poorer than Hillel the Elder?" Concerning Hillel the Elder it was said that every day he went to work and earned a Tarpeik, of which one-half he gave away to the porter of the college [for admission], and by the other half he and his family lived. Once it happened that he did not earn anything, and the porter would not admit him. He ascended the roof and swung himself over to an opening where he sat down so that he might listen to the words of the living God, from the mouth of Shemaia and Abtalian. It was added that this happened on Friday, during the season of Tebeth (winter) and he was besnowed. When it dawned, Shemaia said to Abtalian: "Brother, why is it that every day light is visible in the academy at this time, and now it is yet dark? Is it such a cloudy day?" They raised their eyes, and saw the figure of a man above the window. When they went up, they found on him a layer of snow three cubits thick. After removing the snow, they took him down, washed him, dressed him with oil, placed him before a fire, remarking: "Such a man deserves that even the Sabbath should be violated for his sake." When the rich man is asked: "Why hast thou not studied the Law?" if he answers: "Because he was a rich man with many estates and had no time to study," they will answer him: "Wert thou then richer than R. Elazar b. Charsum?" Of R. Elazar b. Charsum it was said that his father had bequeathed to him a thousand towns of laud, and a thousand ships on the sea, and he himself used to put a bundle [containing his necessities] on his shoulder, and travel from town to town and from land to land to study the Law. Once his own servants found him, and put him to hard labor. He said to them: "I pray you, let me go to study the Torah." They replied: "We swear, by R. Elazar b. Charsum's life that we will not let you go before you work." He went and paid them a big sum of money in order that they should let him study, for he never saw his servants, but studied the Torah by day and by night. When the wicked man is asked: "Why hast thou not studied the Law?" if he replies that he was handsome, and was troubled by his inclinations, they will answer him and ask whether he was more troubled by his inclinations than Joseph the Righteous? It was said of Joseph, the Righteous, that every day Potiphar's wife used to try to seduce him by her talk. The clothes she used to put on in the morning [to attract his attention] she did not put on in the evening, and vice versa. "Listen to me; do what I ask of you," she pleaded with him, to which he answered, "No!" "I will imprison thee," she threatened him, and he replied (Ps. 146, 7), "The Lord looseneth the prisoners." "I will bend your loftiness," she warned him, his reply was (Ib.) "The Lord raiseth up those who are bowed down." She said to him: "I will blind you." He answered (Ib. 8) "The Lord causeth the blind to see." She gave him a thousand talents of silver, but he was averse to her. Consequently Hillel will cause the conviction of the poor; R. Eliezer b. Charsum, the conviction of the rich, and Joseph, the conviction of the wicked man.

And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22). Scripture states elsewhere: He executeth justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:7). This verse alludes to Israel. R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, explained: This teaches us that there were seventy nations in Egypt, but only Israel was treated unjustly. Who dealt justly with them? He who executeth justice for the oppressed.

Another comment on He executeth justice for the oppressed: This alludes to the righteous Joseph, whose mistress wronged him, when she said: The Hebrew servant came in unto me (Gen. 39:17). “I will sever your pay if you do not hearken to me,” she told him, and he replied: He who giveth bread to the hungry (Ps. 146:7) will feed me. “I will put you in chains,” she shouted, and he retorted: The Lord looseth those that are bound up (ibid.). “I will blind your pretty eyes,” she cried; and he answered: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind (ibid., v. 8). Finally, she said to him: “I will have you banished,” and he retorted: The Lord preserveth strangers (ibid., v. 9).