Rabbi Akiva became betrothed, etc.: This story is also found in the chapter [entitled] Af Al Pi (Ketuvot 62b-63a), with a few differences; see there. But it is brought here in comparison to what it brought above, that Rabbi Yehudah and his wife were poor but they did not want to benefit from that of others; Rabbi Akiva and his wife, the daughter of Kalba Savua, were the same [in this regard]. As they slept in the straw storehouse in the winter, etc. And that which he said, "If I had the means, etc.," - meaning, of my own - I would make you a Jerusalem: It is since she, in her poverty, saw to beautify him on his head, gathering the straw from his hair; he said to her [that he wanted] to give her reward when he would be wealthy, to make upon her head, a golden City of Jerusalem, decorated as explained at the end of Sotah - a City of Gold is a crown of brides and grooms, see there. And it is based on the verse (Psalms 137:6), "If I do not place Jerusalem above my greatest joy." And even though they made a decree against brides' crowns during the war of Titus, as it is explained [at] the end of Tractate Sotah, and Rabbi Akiva was after the destruction [of the Temple] - being from the students of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua - the Tosafot have already written, in the chapter [entitled] BeMeh Isha, that they only decreed [it] against grooms and brides, but not against all other people; see there. And be precise and you will find it simple.

He heard, etc. one wicked person was saying to her, "Your father behaved well toward you, as he is not similar to you": Meaning to say, he is not similar to you in wealth, as she was the daughter of Kalva Savua, one of the wealthy men of Jerusalem. And also (another answer) - he is not similar to you in lineage, as Rabbi Akiva was from the children of converts. And in the chapter [entitled] Af Al Pi (Ketuvot 62b-63a), this is not there, rather that old man only said the latter [reason] to her, "For how long, etc." And likewise that which that one evil man said to her, "And to where are you [going]," is found in the chapter [entitled] Af Al Pi, in a different [fashion]. As [there], it was for her good - "Her neighbors said to her, 'Borrow clothes, etc.'"

A righteous one knows the life of his beast: It can be explained that this is what she is saying - a righteous one knows that I do not have fancy clothes, and that he even promised me a necklace - meaning a Jerusalem of Gold - when he will have the means. [A Jerusalem of Gold] is like the explanation of Rashi here and in the chapter [entitled] BeMeh Isha. And see my Chiddushei Aggadot in the chapter [entitled] Af Al Pi.