Midrash su Genesi 19:27

R. Chelbo said, in the name of R. Huna: "The God of Abraham will help him who chooses a regular place for his prayers and when he dies, people will say of him, 'Woe, humble one! Woe pious! one of the real disciples of our father Abraham!' And whence do we know that Abraham had appointed a certain place [for his prayers]? For it is written (Gen. 19, 27.) And Abraham rose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And the word Omad (stood) refers to prayer, as it is said (Ps. 106, 30.) And Phineas stood and prayed." R. Jochanan in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai said: "He who designates a certain place for prayer, will cause all his enemies to fall before him. for it is said (II Sam. 7, 10.) I have procured a place for my people, Israel, and I have planted them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be no more troubled; and that the children of wickedness shall not afflict them any more as heretofore." R. Huna raised the following contradictory question: "It is written (in them), and it is written (Chr. 17, 9.) [of the same thing] Lechalotho (to destroy them). At the beginning the wicked merely afflicted Israel but later they tried to destroy Israel."

(Fol. 26b) We are taught (in a Memera)' that R. Jose the son of R. Chanina said: "The daily services were ordained by the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "The daily services were ordained to correspond with the [two] perpetual-daily-offerings." We have a Baraitha coinciding with the opinion of R. Jose, the son of R. Chanina, and we have also a Baraitha coinciding with the opinion of R. Joshua b. Levi. As to the support of R. Jose we are taught, "Abraham ordained the morning service, as it is said (Gen. 19, 27.) And Abraham rose up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. Omad (stood) refers to nothing else but prayer; for it is said (Ps. 106, 30.) Then stood up (Vaya'amod) Phinehas and offered a prayer. Isaac ordained the afternoon service (Mincha), for it is said (Gen. 24, 63.) And Isaac went out 'Lasuach' in the field towards evening. By the word Lasuach is meant prayer, for it is said (Ps. 102, 1.) A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out before the Lord his complaint (Sicho). Jacob ordained the evening service (Ma'arib), for it is said (Gen. 28, 11.) Vayifg'a upon a certain place, and tarried there all night; by the word Vayifg'a, prayer is meant, for it is said (Jer. 7, 16.) But thou — pray not thou in behalf of this people, nor lift up entreaty or prayer in their behalf, nor make intercession to me (Tifga)." We are taught, coinciding with the opinion of R. Joshua b. Levi: "Why did [the Rabbis] say that the time for the morning service is until noon? Because the perpetual-daily-morning-offering had also its time limited to noon. R. Juda says: Until the fourth hour of the day."

And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). May our master teach us: How many times should one pray each day? R. Samuel the son of Nahman declared: Since there are three periods in each day, a man should pray three times every day—in the morning, when the sun is in the east; at noon, when the sun is at its zenith; and in the afternoon, when the sun is in the west. R. Joshua the son of Levi stated: Abraham established the morning prayer, as it is said: And Abraham arose early in the morning (Gen. 22:3); Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is said: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide (ibid. 24:63); and Jacob introduced the evening prayer, as it is said: And he lighted upon the place and tarried there all night because the sun was setting (ibid. 28:1).