Hospitality to wayfarers is greater than welcoming the Shechina (Shabbos 127a)

The road was long and the night winds blew strong and cold, but the traveler trudged on. It was late night when the traveler entered the town small town and everywhere he looked it was dark. It seemed that everyone was fast asleep, their doors and shutters closed tightly against the freezing night wind. For the traveler arriving to the town, this was a most unwelcoming sight. Tired, weak and hungry, he had nowhere to turn, no place to rest his weary head.

Suddenly, he saw in the distance a light shining in one of the windows. Sighing with relief, he hurried in that direction and knocked on the door, hoping to be allowed to stay for the night. It was the home of the holy rabbi of the town.

A smile lit up the face of the rabbi as he opened the door. “Shalom aleichem, Reb Yid! Welcome!” he called out as he ushered the stranger inside.

Filled with joy, the host rushed about to serve his guest. The little cottage was very quiet; all the rabbi’s family had had long since gone to bed for the night. Filled with joy, the host rushed about to serve his guest a glass of warm tea and cake. However, when the visitor had downed the last of his drink and not a crumb left on the plate, the holy rabbi, seeing that his guest was still hungry, searched about the house for some more food. To his delight, he found some raw oats and a pot of cooking fat. Never having played his hand at cooking before, the host placed it inside the oven and then, with his face wreathed in smiles, served the dish to his guest. While the visitor polished off the food, the host stood by, beaming with pleasure.

When the meal was over, the holy rabbi prepared a warm bed for his guest, his own, for there was not a spare bed in the little house. While the traveler slept soundly, the holy rabbi studied Torah all through the night.

In the morning, the traveler awoke from his restful sleep and went to the old wooden shul (synagogue) to pray shacharis (the morning service). After prayers, in the course of conversation with some of the men there, he discovered that his host was no other than the holy rabbi of the town. completely ashamed and distressed that he had inconveniently bothered the holy rabbi and disrupted his study of Torah , he approached the the holy rabbi, to offer his apologies.

“I refuse to accept an apology from you,” came the reply.

“But,” the traveler protested, “I had no idea whose house it was, or whose bed I’d slept in. Had I known, I would never have put the holy rabbi through such troubles.”

The holy rabbi remained unmoved, but the traveler, eager to be forgiven, persisted in his explanations.

For a brief moment, the traveler stopped and thought. Perhaps the holy rabbi had looked into his soul and saw some sort of terrible sin that needed to be forgiven? Would he be able to carry out a strict regimen of teshuvah (repentance) that the holy rabbi might require of him?

“Anything the holy rabbi will ask of me, I am ready to fulfill” No matter, he decided, with a shake of his head. If amends needed to be made, he was ready, come what may. As long as the holy rabbi would accept his sincere apology, it was worth everything.

“Anything the tzaddik will ask of me, I am ready to fulfill,” he solemnly promised.

The rabbi smiled. “Well,” he said. “This is my request to you. Every time you pass by this town, you will come to my home and be my guest. For when do I ever get a chance to fulfill the mitzvah of hospitality, hachnasas orchim, as I was able to this time? The people here alaways spoil it for me!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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