Hachnasat Orchim – Segulot

Hachnasat Orchim - Segulot

The first person to fulfill this mitzvah—the mitzvah of hospitality—was the first Jew, Avraham Avinu. Moreover, he was so devoted to fulfilling it that he even interrupted his conversation with the Almighty when he saw people passing by his tent. From this, our Sages teach that the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim is more important than speaking with the Creator. The importance of the mitzvah of hospitality is evident from the words of our Sages: “If a person knew what reward awaits him in the World to Come, he would stand at the crossroads day and night, inviting everyone walking along the road into his home.” Our Sages say that of the 613 mitzvot, there are only six for which a person receives reward both in Olam Hazeh (this world) and in Olam Ha-Ba (the World to Come), and one of them is Hachnasat Orchim (the mitzvah of hospitality). Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (may his merit protect us), who was not received very warmly at a permanent lodging house because its residents did not know whom they were hosting, once said: “Our Sages learn the laws of hospitality from Avraham, who welcomed three guests, rather than from his nephew Lot. Why? It would seem that Lot displayed greater courage: the residents of Sodom threatened him, yet he did not hand his guests over to the mob, whereas no one threatened Avraham. The reason is that Lot knew that angels had come to visit him. It is difficult not to make the greatest effort for angels. Avraham, however, thought that ordinary Arabs stood before him. Nevertheless, he ran to give orders that the very best be prepared… There is no particular valor in giving up one’s room for someone whom one regards with extraordinary respect. But the mitzvah tells us: receive an ordinary person as the most honored of guests. Receive him as one would receive angels.” The Cause of the Fire Once, Rabbi Moshe-Chaim-Ephraim of Sudilkov (Degel Machaneh Ephraim) was returning home from Mezhbizh. Along the way, he decided to stop in a small town where a wealthy man had established respectable lodging for Jews and welcomed everyone with great hospitality. The host saw that the visitor was an important guest, a tzadik, and decided to ask him a question: “For many years,” he said, “I have welcomed guests into my home, feeding and giving them drink, like Avraham Avinu. Yet fires constantly break out in my home; my property is destroyed. The causes are always different, but there are always fires, and I suffer damage and loss. There seems to be some pattern, but I cannot understand what it is. Why does this mitzvah not protect me?” The Rebbe did not answer him. Before dawn, he told his gabbai that they were setting out on their journey so that they could pray Shacharit at sunrise in another town, at another inn. When they arrived, they discovered that the inn was full of drunkards; there was filth, shouting, and commotion everywhere. Rabbi Moshe decided to return, thinking that although there might not have been a minyan at the first place, it was clean and quiet. After returning and praying Shacharit, he summoned the innkeeper. Rabbi Moshe Ephraim said to the host: “I think I have an answer to your question. The Torah tells us in the portion of ‘Va'era’ (21:33): ‘Vayeita Avraham eshel Be'er Sheva’—(and Avraham planted a tree in Be'er Sheva), that Avraham planted an ‘eshel’ (אש׳׳ל)—a tree for travelers. But our Sages say that ‘eshel’ (a tree) is an acronym formed from the first letters of three words: achilah - ‘א’, shetiyah - ‘ש’ and leוויah - ‘ל’. Achilah means food, shetiyah means drink, and levayah means accompanying someone on the road. Avraham not only fed and gave drink to his guests; he also cared for them and accompanied them on their journey. You too built something like an ‘eshel’: you welcomed guests, fed them, and gave them drink. But apparently you did not accompany them on their way and lost the final letter, ‘ל’—lamed. If we remove the letter lamed, ‘ל’, from the word ‘eshel’, the letters alef ‘א’ and shin ‘ש’ remain. Alef and shin spell ‘אש’, fire—the conflagration that keeps occurring in your home. Yesterday, if you had accompanied us, we would not have set out on the road needlessly; we would already have known for certain where we could pray. This is a very important detail—accompanying a guest—which makes the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim complete.” (Based on a lecture by Rabbi Yaakov Doktor) Our Sages say that accompanying a guest is a very important element of hospitality. According to Jewish law, one should accompany a guest at least four steps beyond the house. It is written: “All roads are fraught with danger.” If a guest is not accompanied, he is deprived of protection. It also matters who accompanies him, because the person accompanying a guest gives, as it were, a part of his soul to him. Our Sages said that Yaakov accompanied Yosef as far as the valley, where they discussed the laws of the eglah arufah—the decapitated heifer—and from there he sent him onward. This saved Yosef from death. Guests should be received warmly—Ha-Shem wants us to perform the mitzvah wholeheartedly. The Zohar says: “The Holy One, blessed be He, desires the heart”—“Rachmana liba ba'i.” A mitzvah performed without heart is like a body without a soul—lifeless. Guests should be fed joyfully. King Shlomo says that one should not eat in the home of someone with an evil eye. The Kabbalists teach that even birds sense a person's stinginess—if a miserly person feeds birds, they will not come near him. Segulot of Hachnasat Orchim - A segula for having children—an example from the Torah is Avraham and Sarah; - A segula for having sons—an example from the Torah is Yitro, who had seven daughters. On the very day that he welcomed Moshe, his wife conceived a son, as Chazal teach. Likewise, Lavan, who had only daughters, was hospitable to Yaakov during his first days with him and merited having sons. And these were not Jews—how much more so for Jews. - A segula for a good home—when a home is devoted to mitzvot, guests are welcomed there, and the Almighty agrees to provide better housing. - A segula of welcoming guests on the Chagim (holidays). Those who welcome guests on the holidays merit having Ha-Shem visit their home. Of all the holidays, Sukkot stands out, as we see from the example of the Ushpizin (Heavenly guests) who visit the sukkah. But the Ushpizin do not come to the sukkah if earthly guests are not invited. If it is not possible to host guests, one should give tzedakah to provide food for those in need. How to Double One’s Parnassah We know that on Rosh Hashanah, the Almighty determines a person’s parnassah for the entire year. The Mekubalim say that there is a segula connected with the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim on Rosh Hashanah. If one invites needy people into one’s home, feeds them, gives them drink, and does all this joyfully and generously, then “koflim le-parnasato”—(his parnassah is doubled). P.S. From personal observation: when you invite people who recite “Birkat Ha-Mazon” after the meal, they also recite the insertion “The Guest’s Prayer”, which contains words of blessing for the hosts and brings an additional berachah: The Guest’s Prayer May the Merciful One bless this table at which we have eaten, and set upon it all the delicacies of the world, and may it be like the table of Avraham, our forefather: whoever is hungry will eat his fill from it, and whoever is thirsty will drink from it. May nothing good ever be lacking from it, forever and ever. May the Merciful One bless the master of this house and the host of this meal—him, his children, and his wife. May his children live, and may his possessions increase. May the L-rd grant him strength, and may the work of his hands find favor before You. May all his (and our) acquisitions prosper and be situated near the city. May no sin or sinful thought befall him (or us). May he rejoice and exult all his days, in wealth and honor, from now and forever. May he not be shamed in this world or embarrassed in the World to Come. Amen; may it be Your will. (Based on a lecture by Rabbi Yisrael Yakobov and the book The Letters of Our Lives by Rabbi A. Davidov)