November 3rd, 2017 14 Cheshvan, 5778 The scene is set The day is hot, and Avraham is sitting at the opening of his tent. He looks up and sees three men approaching him, and he runs to greet them, despite not knowing who they are. Our tradition has
November 3rd, 2017 14 Cheshvan, 5778
The scene is set: The day is hot, and Avraham is sitting at the opening of his tent. He looks up and sees three men approaching him, and he runs to greet them, despite not knowing who they are. Our tradition has often taught that these men were angels, but the Torah only describes them as men, and that’s certainly how Avraham receives them. He offers them water, cleans their feet, offers them shade, gets them bread, and even slaughters an animal to feed them. Three times throughout these verses the Torah makes the point of telling us how quickly Avraham worked to go above and beyond for these guests. In fact, this is often the example cited for the importance of welcoming guests, hachnasat orchim. Not only should we welcome people in our homes and our communities, but we should hasten to do so like Avraham did.
Rashi’s commentary adds a beautiful perspective on what it means to welcome guests. He teaches that each of these men had a different purpose in coming to Avraham. One of them was to announce that Sarah would have a child, one would bring destruction to S’dom, and one would help Avraham heal from his recent circumcision. Despite their very clear missions, Avraham didn’t know what their purpose was. While we all know that welcoming guests is important to make others feel included, Rashi’s teaching implies that it also affects the hosts in ways that we won’t be able to anticipate. It pushes us to ask the question of how might we be changed when we welcome people, when we go out of our way, like Avraham, to not just wave at those whose paths we cross, but care for them and bring them into our homes.
While our own synagogue community is largely based on what happens in the physical synagogue space, I’m imagining what our synagogue community could look like when we continue the great work we do here in people’s homes. How might we be affected if we welcome someone for Shabbat dinner that we don’t really know? What fascinating things might we learn when we hasten, like Avraham, to put ourselves in conversation with people who we might typically just wave at, and invite them to pull up a chair.
I’m looking forward to seeing so many of you on Shabbat morning for services with guest speaker Rabbi Bob Alper, and Saturday night for a fantastic evening of laughter and supporting our community. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Sarit
