What is, “in all of our calling to Him”? The Rabbis said: There is prayer that is answered after forty days. From whom do you derive this? From Moses, as it is written: “I fell before the Lord, as at the first, forty days…” (Deuteronomy 9:18).33The following verse concludes: “And the Lord heeded me that time as well” (Deuteronomy 9:19).
There is prayer that is answered after twenty days. From whom do you derive this? From Daniel, as it is written: “I ate no tasty bread…until the completion of three weeks of days” (Daniel 10:3), and then he said: “Lord, hear; Lord, forgive…” (Daniel 9:19). There is prayer that is answered after three days.
From whom do you derive this? From Jonah, as it is written: “Jonah was in the innards of the fish [for three days and three nights]” (Jonah 2:1). And then: “Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the innards of the fish” (Jonah 2:2). There is prayer that is answered after one day.
From whom do you derive this? From Elijah, as it is written: “[It was at the time of offering up the afternoon offering] that Elijah the prophet approached, and he said…[Today it will be known that You are God in Israel]” (I Kings 18:36). There is prayer that is answered after one time period.34This is one twelve-hour period, either one day or one night. From whom do you derive this?
From David, as it is written: “But as for me, let my prayer come to You, Lord, at a time of favor” (Psalms 69:14). There is a prayer that even before it is expressed from his mouth, the Lord will answer, as it is stated: “It will be, before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24).