Мидраш к Эйха 3:41

R. Ami said: "The prayer of a man is not answered unless he puts his whole soul into it; as it is said (Lam. 3, 41) Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heaven." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni then appointed an Amora (interpreter) who expounded as follows (Ps. 78, 36) For they prayed insincerely to Him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto Him. For their heart was not firm with Him, and with their tongue, they lied unto Him. Nevertheless, it says (Ib. 38) Still He, being merciful, forgave the iniquity. Do these two passages not contradict each other? No difficulty is here presented. One deals with a prayer uttered by a single man, [when he must put his whole soul into it]; but the other deals with a congregation in prayer, [when the individual is heard even if he does not pray devotedly]."

The intercalation takes place in the presence of three; Rabbi Eliezer says that ten (men are required), as it is said, "God standeth in the congregation of God" (Ps. 82:1), and if they become less than ten, since they are diminished they place a scroll of the Torah before them, and they are seated in a circle in the court-room, and the greatest (among them) sits first, and the least sits last; and they direct their gaze downwards to the earth and (then) they stand and spread out their hands before their Father who is in heaven, and the chief of the assembly proclaims the name (of God), and they hear a Bath Ḳol (saying) the following words, "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron… saying, This month shall be unto you" (Ex. 12:1, 2).

(Ib. b.) R. Chiya and R. Simon b. Rabbi were sitting together when one of them opened the conversation and said: "He who prays should fix his eyes downward, as it is said (I Kings 9, 3) And My eyes and My heart shall be there all the time." And the other one said: "His eyes should be [fixed] upward, as it is said (Lam. 3, 41) Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens." While they were thus discussing, R. Ishmael son of R. Jossi came and asked them: "In what subject are you occupied?" "In prayer," replied they. He said to them: "Thus said my father: 'He who prays should fix his eyes downward and his heart upward in order to reconcile both of the above passages.' " Meantime, Rabbi entered the college. Those who were slight of stature went quickly and occupied their seats, R. Ishamel the son of R. Jossi, however, being stout, kept on walking, whereupon Abdan (a disciple) remarked: "Who is he that forces his way over the heads of the holy people?" "This is I, Ishmael, the son of R. Jossi, who came to study the Torah from Rabbi," was the reply. "Art thou then worthy to study the Torah from Rabbi?" Abdan questioned him. Whereupon he said: "Was then Moses worthy to study the Torah from the Almighty?" "But art thou then Moses?" asked Abdan of him. "Is then thy teacher God?" Came the response. (Thereupon R. Joseph remarked: "Rabbi received his due"; i.e., it served him right, that R. Ishmael called him thy teacher, but not my teacher.) Meanwhile a Yebama came before Rabbi to perform the act of Chalitza. Rabbi said to Abdan: "Go and have her examined [if she is of age and eligible for that act] "When R. Ishmael the son of R. Jossi remarked: "Thus said father: 'A man is merely written in that section [which excludes a minor,) but as to the woman it does not matter whether she be large or small!" Thereupon Rabbi said unto Abdan: "Sit in your place. It is not necessary to investigate it, since it has already been decided by a senior Rabbi." Abdan was then walking backward [notwithstanding the fact that he stepped upon scholars who sat on the floor.] R. Ishmael the son of R. Jossi then said to him: "He of whom the Holy people are in need may step over the heads of the Holy people; but he of whom the Holy people are not in need, how can he step over the heads of the Holy people?" Thus Rabbi ordered Abdan to remain at his place [where he did remain.] We are taught in a Baraitha: In that hour Abdan became leprous, his two sons were drowned and his two daughters-in-law declared a Miun. Said R. Nachman b. Isaac: "Praised be the Merciful for having put Abdan to shame in this world."