“Isaac his father answered and said to him: Behold, from the fat of the earth will be your dwelling, and from the dew of the heavens from above” (Genesis 27:39). “Isaac [his father] answered and said [to him: Behold, from the fat of the earth will be your dwelling” – this is Italy.13Rome is viewed as being the descendant of Esau. “And from the dew of the heavens from above” – this is Beit Guvrin. Another matter, “Behold, from the fat of the earth” – from the fat cats of the earth.
What renders the earth fat? It becomes fat from the dew. Antoninos sent [an emissary] to Rabbeinu [Yehuda HaNasi], he said to him: ‘Because my royal treasuries are depleted, what can we do to fill them?’ He took the emissary and brought him into a garden.
He began uprooting large radishes and planted small ones. He said to him: ‘Give me an answer.’ He said: ‘You do not need one.’ He ascended to him.14The emissary returned to Antoninos.
He said to him: ‘Where is the response?’ He said to him: ‘He did not give me anything.’ He said to him: ‘What did he say to you?’ He said to him: ‘He did not say anything.’
He said to him: ‘Did he not do anything in your presence?’ He said to him: ‘He took me and had me enter into a garden. He uprooted large radishes and planted small ones; large beets and planted small ones; large lettuce, and planted small ones.’ He understood immediately.
He began dismissing officers and appointing officers, until the coffers were filled.15Both the dismissed officers and the appointed officers paid higher taxes because they feared him, and the coffers were filled.