Midrasz do Królów II 4:23

R. Isaac said: "A year which is poor (Israel appears humble) in the beginning, will be rich in the end (Israel's request will be granted). What is the reason for it? For it is written (Deut. 11, 12) From the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year; i.e., there are two parts in a year, the beginning and the end." (Ib. b) K. Isaac said again: "A man is judged only according to his deeds at the time of sentence; as it is said (Gen. 21, 17) God heard the voice of the lad, as he then was." Another thing R. Isaac said: "Three things cause a man's record of sins to be recalled. Three occasions cause the sins of man to be brought to mind: a threatening wall, calculating during prayer, and one who appeals to the Lord for judgment on his neighbor; for R. Chanin said: 'Whoever appeals to the Lord for judgment on his neighbor is first punished; as we find in the case of Sarah, who said (Gen. 16, 5) I suffer wrong through thee, may the Lord judge between me and thee. And shortly after this we read (Ib. 23, 2) And Abraham came to mourn Sarah and to weep for her.'" Another thing said R. Isaac: "Four things cause an evil decree which is passed on man to be torn (annulled). They are charity, prayer, change of name and change of conduct: Charity, as it is written (Prov. 10, 2) Charity delivereth from death; prayer, as it is WTitten (Ps. 97, 19) They cry unto the Lord when they are in distress, and He saveth them out of their afflictions; change of name, as it is written (Gen. 17, 15) As for Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be: and the text continues saying: Then will I bless her, and give thee a son also, because of her change of conduct; as it is written (Jonah 3, 10) And God saw their works that they had turned from their evil ways; and immediately following: And God bethought Himself of the evil He had said He would do unto them, and He did it not." Some add also the change of location; as it is said (Gen. 12, 1-2) And God said to Abraham, get thee out from thy land [and afterwards] I will make of thee a great nation. But the former authority claims that the latter one was on account of the merits of the land of Israel.

(Fol. 27b) Our Rabbis were taught: It once happened that R. La'yi went on a festival to Lud to pay his respects to his teacher R. Eliezer. "La'yi, art thou not of those who rest on the festival?" R. Eliezer asked him; for R. Eliezer used to say: "I praise the sluggards, who do not leave their houses on a festival, for it is said (Deut. 16, 14) And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, etc." Is this so? Did not R. Isaac say: "Whence do we learn that a man must pay respects to his teacher on the festival by visiting him? It is written (II Kings 4, 23) Wherefore art thou going to him to-day? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath? From this we infer that on a new moon and a Sabbath it is a duty for every one to visit his teacher." This is not difficult to explain: the latter deals with a case where one can go and return the same day [when the teacher lives in the same city]; and the former deals with a case where one cannot return on the same day [one should prefer the reunion with his family].