מדרש אויף ירמיהו 15:19

Rabbi once happened to come to the city where R. Tarphon used to dwell, and asked: "Has the man who used to swear by his children left a son?" And he was told that he had left no son, but a grandson of his daughter, and that he was so beautiful that even prostitutes whose price was two dinars would pay four to him. He sent for him, and said: "If you will repent, I shall give you my daughter." And he did so. According to some, he married Rabbi's daughter, but divorced her afterwards; and according to others, he did not marry her at all, so that people should not say that he repented only for the sake of this woman. But what was the reason that Rabbi troubled himself so much in such cases? R. Juda said in the name of Rab, according to others, R. Chiya b. Abba said in the name of R. Jochanan, and according to still others, R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said in the name of R. Jonathan: "He who teaches the Torah to the son of his neighbor will be rewarded with a seat in the heavenly college; as it is said (Jer. 15, 19) Behold, thus said the Lord… . Thou shalt stand before me, and if thou bring forth the precious from the vile, thou shall be as my mouth. And he who teaches the Torah to the son of an Am Ha'aretz, even if the Holy One, praised be He, ordained an evil decree against the world. He will abolish it [for the sake of this meritorious act]; as it is said (Ib.) And if thou bring forth the precious from the vile."

Another thing that is precious in the eyes of God is the death of His saints. It is like a parable of a king who went out to the desert with his soldiers and had a crystal goblet in his hand. He said, "If only someone would give me one glass of wine." Someone came and gave him a glass of wine and surpassed him in food and drink. When he arrived in the settlement, he forgot him. After some time, the owner of the crystal goblet came before the king and stood before him. The king asked him, "How are you?" He said to him, "I am the one who gave you the glass of wine in the desert." The king said to him, "You are made a ruler." He said to him, "That is why I gave it to you and served you." The king said to him, "You are made a commander." He went back and said to him, "That is why I gave it to you and served you. You are made like me, perhaps you ask for more than me." So, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the righteous, "You are like me, perhaps you ask for more than me," as it is said, "If you return, then I will restore you— before Me you will stand. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, but as for you, do not turn to them." Just as I am the Creator of worlds and revive the dead, so are you.

(Ibid.) "And Israel dwelt … alone": Not "alone" as in (Jeremiah 15:19) "Because of Your hand I sat alone." And not "alone" as in the words of that wicked one (Bilam, Bamidbar 23:9) "Lo, the people (Israel) shall dwell alone" (in the world). But as "alone" in the words of Moses (Devarim 32:12) "The L-rd alone led them, no strange god with Him."