<b>And Abraham was old, well stricken in age (Gen. 24:1).</b> May it please our master to teach us: What should a man do if he is riding upon an ass when the time for prayer arrives? Thus do our masters teach us: If one is riding upon an ass when the time for prayer arrives, he should dismount. However, if he is unable to dismount because of his concern for the merchandise loaded upon the ass, or because he fears that there may be non-Jews or bandits roaming about in the vicinity, he should pray while mounted. R. Yohanan declared: This statement indicates that a man’s mind must be completely at ease while praying to God. Abba Saul maintained: If a man directs his thought in his prayers, he can be confident that they will be heard, as it is said: <i>Thou wilt direct their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to attend</i> (Ps. 10:17).
No man ever concentrated his mind and his heart upon his prayers as intensely as Abraham, our father, when he said to the Holy One, blessed be He: <i>Far be it from Thee to do after this manner</i> (Gen. 18:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, upon observing that Abraham pleaded for the sinners of Sodom, so that the world might not be destroyed, began to praise him, saying: <i>Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured on thy lips; therefore, God hath blessed thee forever</i> (Ps. 45:3). Then Abraham asked, “Where am I fairer than the children of man? When I and my son enter a city, no one is capable of distinguishing between us.” (In those days) a man would live to be a hundred or two hundred years old without acquiring the distinguishing features of old age. “It is imperative, Master of the Universe, that You should distinguish between father and son, between old and young, so that the young may pay homage to the old.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: “Be assured I will begin to distinguish between young and old with you.” Abraham went to sleep, and when he arose in the morning he found that the hair of his head and beard had turned white. “Master of the Universe,” he exclaimed, “You have made me a public spectacle.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: <i>Thy hoary head is a crown of glory</i> (Prov. 16:31), and it says elsewhere: <i>And the beauty of men is the hoary head</i> (ibid. 20:29). Hence, it is said: <i>Abraham was old</i>.