He quoted to them the verse: “But as for me, in the multitude of thy lovingkindness I will come into thy house”, etc. (Ps. 5, 8). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been expounded to mean that before entering a house of prayer a man should consult Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who instituted prayers to the Holy One, blessed be He: Abraham as it is said, “I will come into thy house”; Isaac as it is said, “I will bow down toward thy holy temple”; Jacob as it says, “In thy fear”. Of such a one it is written, “And he said to me, thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I shall be glorified” (Isa. 49, 3).’
פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא (הקדמה י"א) וְאָמַר, (תהילים ה׳:ח׳) וַאֲנִי בְּרוֹב חַסְדֶּךָ אָבֹא בֵיתֶךָ, הָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּלָא לִבְעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵיעַל לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, אֶלָּא אִי אִימְלָךְ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, בְּאַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב. בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן תַּקִּינוּ צְלוֹתָא לְקַמֵּי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַאֲנִי בְּרוֹב חַסְדֶּךָ אָבֹא בֵיתֶךָ. אָבֹא בֵיתֶךָ: דָּא אַבְרָהָם. אֶשְׁתַּחֲוְה אֶל הֵיכָל קָדְשְׁךָ: דָּא יִצְחָק. בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ: דָּא יַעֲקֹב, (ס"א ואני ברוב חסדך דא אברהם. אבא ביתך דא יעקב, אשתחוה אל היכל קדשך ביראתך, דא יצחק.) וּבָעָא לְאַכְלְלָא לוֹן בְּרֵישָׁא, וְיֵעוּל לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וִיצַלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר.
He quoted to them the verse: “But as for me, in the multitude of thy lovingkindness I will come into thy house”, etc. (Ps. 5, 8). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been expounded to mean that before entering a house of prayer a man should consult Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who instituted prayers to the Holy One, blessed be He: Abraham as it is said, “I will come into thy house”; Isaac as it is said, “I will bow down toward thy holy temple”; Jacob as it says, “In thy fear”. Of such a one it is written, “And he said to me, thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I shall be glorified” (Isa. 49, 3).’