Torah — (Proverbs 1:2) "To know wisdom and mussar (chastisement)," and (Psalms 94:12) "Happy is the man whom You chastise, O L-rd, and whom You teach from Your Torah."
Eretz Yisrael — "the L-rd your G-d afflicts you … for the L-rd your G-d brings you to a good land."
the world to come — (Proverbs 6:23) "For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light, and the chastisements of mussar the way of life (in the world to come)." What is the way that leads to the world to come? Afflictions.
R. Nechemiah says: Beloved are afflictions. For just as sacrifices reconcile (man with G-d), so, afflictions. Sacrifices — (Vayikra 1:4) "And it (the offering) shall be accepted for him." Afflictions — (Ibid. 26:43) "and they (i.e., their afflictions) will effect reconciliation (with G-d) for their sins." And, what is more, afflictions (in this regard) are more potent than sacrifices, the latter being a function (only) of their wealth; the former, of their bodies. And thus is it written (Iyyov 2:4) "Skin for skin, and all that a man has will he give for his life." Once, R. Eliezer was ill, and there came to visit him R. Tarfon, R. Yehoshua, R. Eliezer b. Azaryah, and R. Akiva. R. Tarfon opened: "Rebbi, you are more beloved by Israel than the solar orb. For the solar orb gives light only in this world, and you give light both in this world and the world to come." R. Yehoshua: "You are more beloved by Israel than the rains. For the rains give life only in this world, and you give us life in this world and the world to come." R. Elazar b. Azaryah: "You are more beloved by Israel than father and mother. For father and mother bring a man to this world, and you bring us to this world and to the world to come." R. Akiva: "Rebbi, afflictions are beloved" — whereupon R. Eliezer said to his disciples: "Support me, and let me hear the words of Akiva, my disciple." R. Eliezer sat up and said: "Say on, Akiva."