(Proverbs 28:19): "He who works his land will have plenty of bread." If a person merited Torah, he will be satisfied with bread, as it is said (Proverbs 9:5): "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine I have mixed." "But he who pursues empty things will have plenty of poverty" — as it is said (Proverbs 3:34): "If [he deals] with scorners, He will scorn them, but to the humble He gives grace." There we learned (Mishnah Avot 4:10): "If you have labored in the Torah, you have much reward to receive; and if you have neglected the Torah, you have many idlers set against you."
The One Who Works the Soil of Torah Eats Bread
Midrash Mishlei 28:5
(משלי כח יט): "עובד אדמתו ישבע לחם" - אם זכה אדם לתורה - ישבע לחם, כמד"א (משלי ט ה): "לכו לחמו בלחמי ושתו ביין מסכתי". "ומרדף ריקים ישבע ריש" - כמד"א (משלי ג לד): "אם ללצים הוא יליץ, ולענוים יתן חן". תמן תנינן: (משנה אבות ד יב): "אם עמלת בתורה - יש לך שכר הרבה, ואם בטלת מן התורה, יש לך בטלים הרבה כנגדך".