Hillel had no savings. His daily earnings were spent: half went to the salary of the guard of the study hall, and the other half he spent for his family sustenance. Once he did not find work and could not pay the guard. But he could not bear to be away from the study hall, especially on Friday night when they studied Kabbalah. So, he went up on the roof and stayed there listening until he was covered by a pile of snow. They discovered him on Saturday morning by his shadow in the window and saved him.
Rabbi Elazar ben Charsom was rich - his father left him a thousand cities, a thousand ships, and corresponding estate. Nevertheless, he would package a pack of flour and go from place to place seeking more Torah knowledge. Once his own servants caught him and wanted to make him work for their master. They have not recognized him because he never occupied himself with business, and they did not know him. He gave them a lot of money and was released to continue on his learning quest.
Yosef - the wife of Potifar, by the name of Zuleikah, would dress up for him in different garments every day, morning and evening. When that failed, she threatened to imprison him, torture him, or blind him. She invited her friends, gave them knives to cut fruit, and they all cut their fingers looking at Yosef, who walked in. (In the end, he did marry her, but in the following reincarnation.) See this story re-told by the poet Jami.
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife by Guido Reni (1575–1642)
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