ויקרא פרק ה, יא וְאִם-לֹא תַשִ יג יָדוֹ לִשְׁתֵי תֹרִ ים אוֹ לִשְׁנֵי בְנֵי-יוֹנָה וְהֵבִיא אֶׁת-קָרְ בָנוֹ אֲשֶׁׁר חָטָא עֲשִירִ ת הָאֵפָה סֹלֶׁת לְחַטָאת לֹא-יָשִים עָלֶׁיהָ שֶׁׁמֶׁן וְלֹא-יִתֵן עָלֶׁיהָ לְבֹנָה כִי חַטָאת הִוא :
The Medrash says G-d showed to Avrohom all the korbanos (that would bring forgiveness to his descendents) with the exception of the tenth-of-an-ephah offering. It is possible to explain this exception in the concept that this offering is available as on option for only the poorest of the poor. And HaShem wished to spare Avrohom the knowledge that such severe poverty would occur to a large part of the Jewish people.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai disagrees and says the HaShem did show this korban to Avrohom. Rabbi Shimon (and his Rebbe, Rabbi Akiva) maintain that poverty is a negative only in this world. They maintain that riches (and the worldly benefits) in this world subtract from one’s rewards in the future world. And, thus HaShem did show this type of Korban to Avrohom even though it indicates the poverty of the Jews, since ultimately poverty is not a negative concept.
