Commentary for Kiddushin 98:8
איני והאמר מר סימן לגסות עניות ועניות בבבל הוא דאיכא מאי עניות עניות דתורה דכתיב (שיר השירים ח, ח) אחות לנו קטנה ושדים אין לה וא"ר יוחנן זו עילם שזכתה ללמוד ולא זכתה ללמד
and one by the rest of the world. But did not conceit descend to Babylon! But it is written: Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; now they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
Arrogance accompanies poverty, but not poverty of material. Rather, it accompanies spiritual poverty, the lack of Torah. Elam which has material wealth lacks Torah and thus it, not Babylonia where Torah is abundant, is characterized by arrogance.
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