Wealth Fails on the Day of Wrath but Torah Saves

... A person should not say: Since I occupied myself with Torah at first, I will go and occupy myself from now on with money and property; and he does not know that they avail him nothing, as it is said (Proverbs 11:4): "Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath." And what will profit him? Words of Torah, which are likened to life, as it is said (Proverbs 5:6): "Lest you ponder the path of life." "But righteousness delivers from death" -- from the judgment of Gehinnom. There is a person who gives it to one who is worthy of it and to one who is not worthy of it; could it be that if he gives it to one who is not worthy of it, it will deliver him? You must say to him: "Righteousness" means nothing other than Torah, as it is said (Deuteronomy 6:25): "And it shall be righteousness for us, if we take care to do," and so on. Whoever wishes, let him learn it from here, for Rabbi Yose said: May my portion be with the collectors of charity and not with the distributors of charity, for the one who receives it knows from whom he receives it, but the one who gives it does not know to whom he gives it. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa said: There is no charity that delivers a person from the judgment of Gehinnom except Torah alone; therefore it is said, "and righteousness delivers from death," for it has the power to deliver from the day of judgment. Could it be that even if a person became liable for a matter of transgression, it delivers him on the day of judgment? Scripture teaches (Proverbs 11:8): "The righteous one is delivered from trouble, and the wicked comes in his place." Here we have, from this, the case of a disciple of the sages who transgresses in a matter, that it delivers him on the day of judgment. The wholly righteous one, from where? Rabbi Akiva said: You need not say it; rather, their deeds themselves deliver them, as it is said (Proverbs 11:6): "The righteousness of the upright delivers them." And all this, why? On account of the merit of the Torah, which is likened to charity, and is likened to life, as it is said (Proverbs 11:19): "So righteousness tends to life, and he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death." And is there a person who pursues evil and death?! Rather, this is one who lengthens his days without Torah. Rabbi Abbahu said: This is one who lengthens his days in scoffing. Rabbi Ze'ira said: This is one who makes himself great in a matter of transgression, as it is said (Proverbs 12:11): "and he who pursues empty things lacks a heart." It is said here "lacks a heart," and it is said elsewhere, regarding a matter of transgression, "lacks a heart," as it is said (Proverbs 6:32): "He who commits adultery with a woman lacks a heart; he who would destroy his own soul, he does it." And not only that, but he brings evil upon himself at the hour of his death; therefore it is said, "and he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death." What is written after it (Proverbs 11:20)? "Those of perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the upright in their way are His delight." Rabbi Yochanan said: This is one who hardens his heart against doing repentance, and the Holy One, blessed be He, calls him an abomination; therefore it is said, "Those of perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the upright in their way are His delight," for if he turns back and does repentance, He calls him upright. Happy is the one who is made whole of his iniquities and does repentance. Another interpretation: "but the upright in their way are His delight" -- Rabbi Tanchuma said: Come and see the greatness and the wisdom of Solomon, that all that his father prophesied, Solomon prophesied. Of David it says (Psalms 101:4): "A perverse heart shall depart from me," and Solomon said, "Those of perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD." David said (Psalms 119:1): "Happy are those upright in the way," and Solomon said, "but the upright in their way are His delight." Rabbi Zevida said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Whoever walks in wholeness before me, it is as if he did my will, as it is written, "but the upright in their way are His delight."