Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Musar for Yevamot 127:8

אמר רבי יצחק יצחק אבינו עקור היה שנאמר (בראשית כה, כא) ויעתר יצחק לה' לנכח אשתו על אשתו לא נאמר אלא לנוכח מלמד ששניהם עקורים היו א"ה ויעתר לו ויעתר להם מיבעי ליה לפי שאינו דומה תפלת צדיק בן צדיק לתפלת צדיק בן רשע

— That text<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The age of Isaac, Gen, XXV, 20. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> is required For a deduction in accordance with the statement of R. Hiyya b. Abba. For R. Hiyya b. Abba stated in the name of R. Johanan: Why were the years of Ishmael counted? In order to determine thereby the years of Jacob.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And for the same reason was it necessary to give the age of Isaac. V. Meg. 17a. As the text is required for this purpose, no other deduction may be made from it. The text of the ten years of Abraham's waiting, however, as it is required for no other deduction, rightly serves the purpose of the allusion mentioned. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> R. Isaac stated: Our father Isaac was barren; for it is said, And Isaac entreated the Lord opposite<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So lit., E.V. 'for'. ');"><sup>22</sup></span>

Shenei Luchot HaBerit

This is the reason that G–d is perceived of as desiring the prayers of the righteous, since the service of G–d by means of prayer is a need that G–d feels, as we have mentioned on numerous occasions. The above is true only when the prayers are offered up in the Holy Land, a region from which the prayers ascend ever higher, something that cannot occur in the Diaspora in which the קליפות predominate and interfere. Prayers offered חוץ לארץ are as if dressed in the air of impurity, and it would be presumptuous to say that G–d longs for such prayers. Even in חוץ לארץ, however, the gates of tears subdue the forces of Lilith so that prayers offered in such circumstances are acceptable to G–d. The main difference between such prayers and identical prayers offered within the boundaries of ארץ ישראל is that the latter are something G–d has expressly desired. When the Torah speaks about וראית בשביה, the message is that while we are in exile, שביה, G–d does not desire that we worship Him in joy because we have not been found worthy to live in our homeland.
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