It is written (Ps. cii. 17), "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and it is not written, " He will hear.* What else can the term " regard mean than that there is a distinction between the prayer of an individual and the prayer of a community? For when a community prays, their prayer enters before the Holy One — blessed be He! — and He is not particular to regard and criticise their works and their intentions and thoughts, but receives their prayers immediately.
But when an individual prays, the Holy One — blessed be He! — regards and scrutinizes his heart, whether it be devout and whether he be a righteous man. Therefore, one should always pray with the community, and this is why the text (Ps. cvii. 17) ends with the words, "And not despise their prayer.* Although there are some of the community whose prayers, on account of their evil deeds, deserve to be despised, He, nevertheless, does not despise their prayer