Rabbi Yehoshua and the Emperor's Daughter

The daughter of the emperor once said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, “You are the epitome of magnificent Torah, but it is stored in an ugly vessel!”

Apparently, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya was an unattractive man. The emperor’s daughter was puzzled as to why Hashem would deposit his Torah in an ugly individual. Rabbi Yehoshua told her, “You may learn the answer to your dilemma from your father’s house. In what type of container do you store wine?” She said to him, “In earthenware vessels.” He said to her, “Is it conceivable that everyone stores their wine in earthenware vessels, and you also store it in earthenware vessels? Is there no distinction between the emperor and ordinary people? You should place your wine in vessels of silver and gold.”

She went and placed her father’s wine in vessels of silver and gold. The wine spoiled.

Rabbi Yehoshua said to her, “The same is also true of the Torah. It spoils if it is contained in a handsome person.” She asked him, “But are there not people who are both good-looking and learned in Torah?” He said to her, “If they were ugly, they would be even more learned!” (Nedarim 50b).