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VAYEIRA 5760-1999
"The Preciousness of Hospitality"
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald
As
this week's parasha, parashat Vayeira, opens, aged Abraham,
99 years old, is sitting at the entrance of his tent in
the heat of the day, recovering from his recent circumcision.
According to Rashi, the foremost Bible commentator, G-d
has taken the sun out of its cloud-cover in order to discourage
guests from annoying Abraham, so that he may recuperate.
Abraham is much distressed by the lack of visitors, so
the A-lmighty sends three people, really three angels,
to Abraham's home. According to tradition, each of the
angels has been assigned an important mission. The first
angel is to heal Abraham, the second is to inform Sarah
that within the year she will bear a child, and the third
is to destroy Sodom.
Despite
his pain, when Abraham sees potential guests in the distance,
he quickly runs toward them, and bowing before them, begs
them not to pass by his tent without accepting his hospitality.
"Wash your feet, rest against the tree, and I will
bring you a little bread," says Abraham to his guests,
"Then you will continue on your journey." (Gen
18:4-5)
Instead of delivering meager refreshments as he had promised,
Abraham runs to the tent, tells Sarah to whip up a multi-course
meal with special breads and cakes. He himself hurries
to slaughter a calf, and together with his boy, probably
his son Ishmael, prepares a sumptuous repast for the guests.
The rabbis of the Talmud ask how Abraham had the temerity
to suddenly bolt and run to the arriving guests, after
all he was standing before the Divine Presence. An amazing
principle is learned from Abraham's actions say the rabbis
in Talmud Tractate Shavuot, 35b: The mitzvah of welcoming
guests is even greater than receiving the Divine Presence!
According to tradition, Abraham had multiple reasons for
his avid pursuit of welcoming guests. Not only was he
eager to provide wayfarers with lodging, (since there
were no hotels in those days), but he also hoped to influence
them religiously, to abandon their idolatrous practices
and embrace a Monotheistic Diety. The Midrash Raba says
that Abraham would urge his guest to recite a blessing
on the food he would give them. They would say, "What
blessing shall we make?" and Abraham would respond:
"Blessed be the G-d of the Universe, of whose food
we have eaten."
Despite having many servants, both Abraham and Sarah were
directly involved in serving the guests. Genesis 18:7
& 8 relate: "V'el habakar ratz Avraham...Va'yiteyn
lifneihem, v'hoo o'med a'leihem." And Abraham
runs to the flock... and places the food before them,
and stood over them. Abraham has his entire family involved
in the mitzvah. His boys serve alongside him, because,
over the years, Abraham has made a special effort to provide
them with a meaningful personal example of hospitality.
The
contrast between Abraham's manner of welcoming guests
and Lot's welcoming of guests in Sodom, is quite stark,
even though Lot had learned the Mitzvah of hospitality
in Abraham's home. As we have already stated, scripture
tells us that Abraham personally performed many of the
preparations, scurrying around the house, and running
to the flocks. Yet there is no mention of Lot hurrying
or exerting himself on behalf of his guests. And, of course,
Lot serves alone, there is no one to help him, because
no one has been nurtured to appreciate the importance
of the mitzvah of hospitality.
The story is told of the famous Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev
(c.1740-1810), who, in his travels, came to the city of
L'vov. Seeking a lodging place, he approached one of the
wealthy townsmen, and, without identifying himself, asked
for a place to stay. The wealthy man yelled at him angrily,
"We don't need wayfarers here. Go to a hotel."
Reb Levi Yitzchak then approached a poor Melamed (teacher),
who welcomed him graciously, offering him food to eat
and a place to sleep.
On the way to the poor man's house, someone recognized
Reb Levi Yitzchak as the famed Rabbi of Berditchev. Soon
all the townsfolk came out to greet and see the face of
the venerable Rabbi. Among them of course was the wealthy
man, who proceeded to ask for forgiveness, and beseeched
the rabbi to stay with him at his home.
In response, Reb Levi Yitzchak turned to the gathered
people and said, "Do you know the difference between
Abraham, our Father of blessed memory, and Lot? Why does
scripture go into such detail about the full meal Abraham
served the angels? After all, Lot also baked matzos and
prepared a feast for his guests? Why is Abraham's hospitality
considered special and not Lot's?" Reb Levi Yitzchak
of Berditchev answered his own question by pointing out
that when the guests came to Lot, scripture states (Genesis
19:1), "Va'ya'vo'uh sh'nay ha'mal'achim S'doma,"
the two angels came to Sodom. Whereas with
Abraham is says, "Anashim," "And
behold he saw three people standing upon him."
Lot saw angels! Who wouldn't accept angels into
his home? Whereas, Abraham saw poor wanderers, ragged,
fatigued and covered with dust, in need of a placed to
rest and a little food. The message to the people of L'vov
was stingingly clear.
It may very well be, that the message of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak
of Berdichev is intended for us as well. It is ironic,
would you not say, that in the wealthiest land in all
of history, and in the wealthiest Jewish community in
all of history, hospitality has become a forlorn and neglected
mitzvah. Even when close friends and relatives come to
our homes, they are often housed at local hotels, despite
the fact that many homes have full-time maids and housekeepers
who take care of everything. Before the war, in Europe,
in the most impoverished shtetls, even the poorest people,
would go to the synagogue on Friday night, and vie for
the privilege of taking home an "Orach for Shabbos,"
a guest for the Sabbath, whom they would welcome into
their homes with kindness, love and thoughtfulness, despite
having only meager black bread and herring to serve.
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, of blessed memory, in a
eulogy for the Talne Rebbitzen, Rebecca Twersky, talks
of her zeal for hospitality. The Rav posits that in our
day and age, what we consider hospitality-- welcoming
guests into our homes for Shabbat-- prominent lawyers,
doctors, investment bankers, the best and the brightest-–is
really not hospitality. Rav Soloveitchik maintains that
welcoming such guests, the so-called "beautiful people,"
is more an honor for the host, than a service for the
guests. Hachnassat Orchim –-hospitality, says
Rav Soloveitchik, is when a poor person begs for a place
to sleep, just overnight, and remains for a week, or two,
or three, or for a month or longer. Hospitality is when
it hurts, not when it's an honor and a pleasure.
It seems as if we need our agenda corrected and our values
set straight. We can learn much from Father Abraham and
Mother Sarah. "Hachnasat Orchim," welcoming
guests, is a precious mitzvah, whose preciousness we often
forget.
May you be blessed.
