Dear TBZ community:
I have been very moved and touched by receiving your emails back in response to my weekly
Shabbat N’kabla
message. I am glad that these messages are inspiring you and helping you prepare for Shabbat. Thank you for reaching out and letting me know. For me, this is an opportunity to connect with you weekly through text and Torah and has been of great delight to hear back when something speaks to you in meaningful ways.
וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
Adonai appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.
Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent, and Adonai appeared to him., in the middle of a hot day.
The verse that follows (
18:2
) describes then the visitation of three men, three
anashim
, that come and visit Abraham.
וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃
Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground.
Later in the story, Abraham will learn that these men are angels, messengers of God, but he does not yet know who they are or that they come to inform him that Sarah will soon have a baby as well as to warn him of the upcoming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Often these two first verses are read as one -- as if God appeared to Abaraham at the entrance of his tent and the visitation of the three men are the same.. But this text can also be read as an extraordinary act of
hutzpah
, perhaps
holy hutzpah
. Abraham has the audacity to ask God to wait because first he has to attend to visiting strangers.
This is how
Midrash Hagadol
, a medieval midrash imagines this moment: Abraham sees the men approaching, he turns to God and
“says, with purity of heart, ‘Master of the world, let the
Shekhinah
(the divine presence) wait for me until I welcome these guests.’ And that is what happened”
(Midrash HaGadol to Genesis 18:2
as quoted by Rabbi Shai Held
). The Midrash suggests that Abraham excused himself to God so he can turn to the guests and welcome them.
Our tradition gives to the mitzvah of
Hachnasat Orchim
, welcoming guests much importance. In Talmud Bavli,
Tractate of Shabbat 127a
, we found a series of saying that begin with the words:
…גדולה הכנסת אורחין מ
...גדולה הכנסת אורחין כ
Hospitality toward guests is as great or is greater than
And quoting our
parsha
it states:
"גדולה הכנסת אורחין מהקבלת פני שכינה"
“Hospitality toward guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence, as when Abraham invited his guest”
Hospitality is so important that it is considered even greater than welcoming the very presence of God!
We could say that it is by welcoming the guest that we actually have an opportunity to meet and welcome the Divine Presence, and although Abraham asks God to “wait” while he takes care of the needs of his guests, God, doesn't really “wait” but rather God is present in the interaction between Abraham and the three men. As Abraham walks FROM God to welcome the guests, he actually walks TO God, to receive his guests.
The values of individualism and privacy run deep in our society and welcoming guests, works often if it is guests we choose, guests we like, friends with whom we feel comfortable. But it is harder and understandably so, to open our homes to guests that are not close, that might be different than us, guests from whom we don’t know what to expect.
Hachnasat Orchim
, welcoming the guests, is not just about having great dinner parties with friends but about stretching our boundaries and welcoming guests that we might not naturally invite. The
Holy Hutzpah
of Abraham led him to recognize and find God in his passing-guests and that is a true possibility for each of us.
I want to encourage all of us to open up to
Hachnasat Orchim,
if you are able, in a greater way. Perhaps in the next few months, during the winter, reach out to someone at TBZ, and invite them for Shabbat Dinner. Someone you don’t know so much, someone who is new in our community, someone who you have not thought about hosting until now. I would also encourage us to deepen our
Hachnasat orchim
even when at TBZ, by welcoming people in our community, connecting with new people you don’t know, during kiddush and services and other programs. If you receive an invitation and your tendency is to say no, then maybe this is an opportunity for you to say yes and discover a new friend a new connection in our community.
We have planned for March 13-14, our annual
Host at Homes Shabbat
, a weekend where we match TBZ host to TBZ members to host shabbat meals. Marilyn Glazer-Weisner organizes it (contact her if you want to host, or want to help her organize), so save the date!
BUT you don't have to wait for our official Host at Homes to host a guest at your tent! As Abraham taught us, in that interaction with the men, you might be actually interacting with angels and being in the presence of the Divine.
May this shabbat bring renewal and blessings to all of you and your loved ones.
May we deepen our commitment to
Hachnasat Orchim
, welcoming the guest, finding God in our interactions with our fellow humans.
May we have a joyful Shabbat!
Shabbat Shalom,
