Genesis Rabbah 96
Another interpretation of, And Jacob called unto his sons. Scripture says, I will cry unto God most High; unto God that accomplished it for me (Psalm 58:3). R. Joshua b. Levi said: Three things did the earthly court decree, and the Holy One, blessed be He, approved their decrees from above. And these are they: One in the days of Ezra. when they returned from Babylon the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to free them of tithes. What did the Israelites do? They went and decreed that they should tithe, for so it says, And that we should bring the first of our dough, and our heave offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, and the wine and the oil (Neh. 10:38) What did they do? They recorded it in a document, sealed it, and deposited it in the Temple, and on the morrow they entered and found it sealed. And how do we know that God approved their action? And yet for all this we make a sure covenant and subscribe what is already sealed. (ibd .1)
Another was in the days of Mordecai and Esther as it says, The Jews ordained, and took upon them, (Esther 9:27). And how do we know that God approved their action? Because the Jews...took upon them is written in the plural not the singular.
The Third was in the days of Joshua. When Israel entered the Land Joshua said to them, And the city shall be devoted (Josh 6:17), and you do not find that God had bidden him this, but he had acted of his own accord. And how do we know that God agreed with him? Because it says, Israel has sinned; yea, they have even transgressed My covenant...yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing (ib 7:11), from which we learn that God agreed with them. This corroborates with the text, "I will cry unto God Most High".
חתכו חוליות ונתן חול בין חוליא לחוליא ר"א מטהר וחכמים מטמאין
If he cut it into sections (lit. vertebrae), and placed sand between every section, Rabbi Eliezer rules it pure and the Sages rule it impure.
וזה הוא תנור של עכנאי מאי עכנאי אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל שהקיפו דברים כעכנא זו וטמאוהו תנא באותו היום השיב רבי אליעזר כל תשובות שבעולם ולא קיבלו הימנו אמר להם אם הלכה כמותי חרוב זה יוכיח נעקר חרוב ממקומו מאה אמה ואמרי לה ארבע מאות אמה אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מן החרוב חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי אמת המים יוכיחו חזרו אמת המים לאחוריהם אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מאמת המים חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי כותלי בית המדרש יוכיחו הטו כותלי בית המדרש ליפול גער בהם רבי יהושע אמר להם אם תלמידי חכמים מנצחים זה את זה בהלכה אתם מה טיבכם לא נפלו מפני כבודו של רבי יהושע ולא זקפו מפני כבודו של ר"א ועדיין מטין ועומדין חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי מן השמים יוכיחו יצאתה בת קול ואמרה מה לכם אצל ר"א שהלכה כמותו בכ"מ עמד רבי יהושע על רגליו ואמר (דברים ל, יב) לא בשמים היא מאי לא בשמים היא אמר רבי ירמיה שכבר נתנה תורה מהר סיני אין אנו משגיחין בבת קול שכבר כתבת בהר סיני בתורה (שמות כג, ב) אחרי רבים להטות אשכחיה רבי נתן לאליהו א"ל מאי עביד קוב"ה בההיא שעתא א"ל קא חייך ואמר נצחוני בני נצחוני בני
This is the “oven of Achnai.” What is Achnai? Said Rabbi Yehudah in the name of Shmuel: That they surrounded it with words [of debate] like an Achnai snake, and declared it impure. It was taught: On that day R. Eliezer answered all the answers on earth and they did not accept it from him. He said, “If the law is like me, the carob tree will prove it”; the carob tree was uprooted from its place one hundred Amah, some say four hundred Amah. They said: “We do not bring proof from a carob tree.”... He went and said “If the law is like me the water channel will prove it”; the water channel flowed in reverse direction. They said: “We do not bring proof from a water channel.” He went and said “If the law is as I say the walls of the House of Study will prove it”; the walls of the House of Study inclined to fall. R. Yehoshua protested at them, saying to them “If scholars defeat each other in the law, how does it better you?” They did not fall because of the honor of R.Yehoshua and they did not straighten, because of the honor of R. Eliezer, and they still incline and stand.... [R. Eliezer] went and said, “If the law is like me, from Heaven they will prove it”; a heavenly voice came out and said, “What have you with R. Eliezer, who the law is like him in every place?” R. Yehoshua stood on his feet and said “[The Torah] is not in heaven,” (Deuteronomy 30:12). What does "[The Torah] is not in heaven" mean? R. Yirmiyah said: “That the Torah was already given at Sinai, we do not pay attention to a heavenly voice, since You already wrote at Sinai in the Torah, “After the majority to incline,” (Exodus 23:2). R. Natan met the prophet Elijah and said to him, “What did the Holy One Blessed be He do in that hour?” He said to him: “He smiled and said, “My sons have defeated Me, My sons have defeated Me.”