Alex - it's good to hear from you! You always hit the jackpot with your questions!

The Maharsha in Avoda Zara 24a DH l'Shanah writes that Dama was in fact one of the pious of the nations of the world. When he told the Chachomim that he would not ask from them a fantastic sum for the Poroh Adumah he had a good reason for this.

The Gemara says below 39b that when the Torah states (Devorim 5:16) concerning honoring one's father and mother "In order that you should have long days and in order that it should be good for you","it should be good for you" refers to the World to Come. However this only applies to Yisroel who are commanded to honor father and mother, whilst Nochrim, who are not commanded on this (see Nozir bottom 61a), receive all their reward in this world. Because Dama was so righteous, he did not want to receive all his reward in this world, but rather wanted something left over for the next.

That is why Dama said that I know you would give me all the money in the world, but I don't want to receive the reward for the Mitzvah of Kibud Av v'Eim now, but rather I only want now to cover my losses, but the reward for the Mitzvah I will receive in Olam Habo.

Dovid Bloom

Here is a nice proof from the words of the Gemara that Dama was not greedy. Dama said to the Chachamim that I know that if I would ask from you all the money in the world that you would give it to me, "but I am not requesting this from you - only the money that I lost because of honoring my father". Dama stressed that he was not asking them for a lot of money. This is the difference between him and between Bilam, because Bilam said that if Balak would give me all the money in the world, I cannot go against Hash-m, but Bilam did not say that he would not ask for the money. In contrast Dama went out of his way to say that he was not asking for the money.

KOL TUV

Dovid Bloom