One of the most detailed accounts the Torah provides of incidents in Avraham Avinu’s life describes his remarkable dedication to provide hospitality to strangers. It seems that the Torah wishes to explain a central element of what made Avraham so worthy to be the father of the Jewish People, and the spiritual father of all mankind.
In the present article we will explore the mitzvah of hospitality—hachnasas orchim—by means of a close examination of Avraham’s conduct. Why is hospitality to guests and strangers so central to Torah? What is the source for the mitzvah of hospitality? What actions and attitudes are included within the mitzvah? And what reward is promised for its performance?
These questions, among others, are discussed below.
The Torah Source for the Mitzvah
The Torah does not explicitly obligate us to provide hospitality to guests. However, the mitzvah emerges from several general principles that the Torah instructs us concerning how to act with our fellows.
One such principle is the instruction of “you must love your fellow as yourself” (Vayikra 19:18), which obligates us generally to assist others with acts of kindness (see Rambam, Hilchot Aveil 14:1). Although acts of kindness include all the various ways in which we can help and act kindly towards one another, the Rambam mentions specifically hospitality towards guests, including escorting them upon their departure.
Another principle that hosting guests fulfills is the imperative (Devarim 13:5) of following [the ways of] Hashem. The Gemara (Sotah 14a) questions how it is possible to follow Hashem, and replies that we are charged to emulate His ways: if a person emulates the ways in which G-d cares for His creatures (as described in the Torah narratives), then that person is walking in His ways. This includes clothing the naked, visiting the sick, comforting mourners and burying the dead.
The Shela Hakadosh (Parshat Vayeira, Ner Mitzva) adds that when a person engages in hospitality he is especially emulating Hashem: Just as Hashem is a host, as it were, to the entire world, so too a person should host others.
Magnitude of the Mitzvah
The Gemara makes a number of statements that teach us the centrality and great significance of hospitality towards guests.
In Shabbos (127a) the Gemara notes, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, that, “Welcoming guests is as great as rising early to attend the beis midrash.” In the name of Rav Dimi of Naharda’a, the same Gemara writes that it is even greater than rising early to attend the beis midrash. Furthermore in the name of Rav Yehuda (citing Rav) we learn: “Welcoming guests is greater than greeting the Shechina.”
This latter statement is derived from the behavior of Avraham Avinu, who was standing before Hashem when he noticed guests approaching. The Gemara writes that upon seeing his guests Avraham said the words mentioned in the Pasuk (Bereishis 18:3) to Hashem: “If I have found favor in Your eyes, please do not leave me”—meaning, “Please wait while I go and greet the guests.”
Aside from the greatness of the mitzvah, we can derive from the Gemara (which states that hospitality to guests is greater than going to the beis midrash) that a person should tend to his guests even if the result is that he will be unable to attend his regular session in the beis midrash.
This halacha is ruled by the Chafetz Chaim in Ahavas Chesed (Section 3 Chapter 1). He limits this rule to a situation where other family members are not able to tend to the guest’s needs. This emerges from the general principle that only when a mitzvah cannot be done by others, should one interrupt his Torah study to perform the mitzvah. The Shulchan Aruch Harav (Laws of Torah Study 4:4), rules that if no one else is available, even one who gives a shiur to others must perform the mitzvoh.
In the book on the Chafetz Chaim written by his son (Sefer Hanhagos Hachafetz Chaim, p. 30), we are told that although the Chafetz Chaim was extremely careful not to be distracted from his Torah study, when there was a guest he always spent whatever time was necessary to take care of his guest, and sometimes several guests, even at the expense of his Torah study.
Another Gemara that mentions the great virtue of hosting guests is found in Chagiga (27a), where we find that a table around which guests are seated (see Rashi there) is akin to a mizbe’ach in the Mikdash, and the food is akin to the korbanos that are offered to Hashem.
Details of the Mitzvah
Hospitality for guests, as derived from the Torah story about Avraham Avinu, includes many details: greeting the guests, letting them wash, rest, making them feel comfortable, giving them food and drink and escorting them on their way when they leave.
The Chafetz Chaim (Ahavat Chessed 3:2) notes that a person should search for guests, and accept them into his home with joy and affection: “Although this elevated level of conduct [of Avraham Avinu] is beyond our reach, we should still learn from here to search for guests, and to accept them into our homes with great affection, much as we would act toward a wealthy man from whom we hope to gain a large sum of money!”
He lists the various details of hospitality to guests—allowing them to wash and to rest, serving them personally, providing food and drink with cheer and with sensitivity and supplying a place to sleep.
Of the final point, the Chafetz Chaim elaborates: “If the guests are spending the night in his home, he should give them the best of his bedding. Rest for the weary is of higher quality when they sleep comfortably. At times a good rest can be even more important than a good meal! To motivate oneself, one should say to oneself: ‘If I were the guest I would certainly want to be treated with respect and concern. I should therefore treat my guest accordingly. One never knows where he might end up eventually!’ (See Shabbos 152b).”
Escorting Guests
Aside from the details of hospitality, there is a special mitzvah of escorting a guest on his way out. This also emerges from the story of Avraham, whom the Torah describes as escorting his guests as they left (Bereishis 18:19). Rashi explains: “He escorted them, thinking that they were guests.” Rashi on Sotah (10a, s.v. pundak) also notes that Avraham’s hospitality included escorting his guests as they left.
The Rambam writes, “The reward of escorting [guests] is greater than all other” (Avel 14:2) and cites Chazal who said, “Whoever does not escort his guests, it is as though he spills [their] blood.”
While the Rambam clearly understands that escorting one’s guests is an integral part of his hospitality, the Gemara (Sotah 46b) notes that the obligation to escort guests is also a duty to save them from danger. The mitzvah of escorting guests will therefore apply not only to the host, but even to others—as the Rambam mentions too (14:3).
In principle, the obligation to escort a guest applies to the degree that a person is obligated to honor him. Thus, the Rambam rules, “A Torah teacher accompanying his disciple should walk him until just outside the city,” and “For a friend one should walk to the Shabbos limits outside the city,” and “For one’s Torah teacher one should accompany him for one parsah [approximately 4.5 kilometers],” or three parsa’os for one’s rebbi muvhak.
Clearly, this is not the custom today, and the Sema (Choshen Mishpat 427:11) writes that the reason students do not accompany their Rebbi for the amount mentioned is that “it is assumed that people forgo their honor.” He adds, “Nevertheless, one should escort his guest to the gate, or at least four amos [approximately 2 meters].”
Other Poskim note that the general custom today is not to be particular about the mitzvah of escorting one’s guests. The Be’er Sheva (commentary to Sotah 46b) writes that this is because of the great danger of our ways, which exempts a person from the mitzvah of providing an escort. However, the Aruch Hashulchan (427:2) writes exactly the opposite: Since today’s roads are not dangerous, it follows that there is less of a mitzvah to escort a guest.
Ahavas Chesed expresses his amazement that people are lax with the obligation to accompany guests. He suggests that perhaps the full mitzvah does not apply where there are marked roads which prevent danger to the guests. However, he adds, there is also a non-physical component to the protection that a person receives by means of the escort and therefore, even if one can justify not accompanying the entire distance mentioned in the Gemara, one must accompany a bit. He adds, “It is only through escorting guests that one thoroughly completes the mitzvah of hospitality to guests.”. He attributes a fire that broke out in the home of a person who was scrupulous in hosting guests to the fact that he was not careful to accompany his guests.
Hospitality to the Needy
The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 333:1) rules that some rabbinic Shabbos prohibitions are deferred when there is a mitzvah and writes that this is true for the mitzvah of hospitality to guests. However, the Rema notes that this is limited to those who are invited because of their need, and not to a person who invited a friend so that they can eat together. The Rema states that under these circumstances, the meal is not a se’udas mitzvah (see also Pischei Teshuva, Yoreh De’ah 69:13).
Having said this, the Avahas Chesed notes that the mitzvah of extending hospitality applies even to a wealthy guest: “Even if the person whom one is welcoming into his home is wealthy and not in need of any material kindness, nevertheless the warmth and respect which one shows him is a fulfillment of this mitzvah.”
Citing the Maharil, Ahavas Chesed states that extending hospitality to the poor is more important, since it includes the mitzvah of tzedakah too, and according to the Rema this is the full mitzvah of hospitality. However, hosting a friend (or a family), certainly when he is in need of a place to stay, is a mitzvah.
May we all strive to emulate the ways of our forefathers as it says, “one must say, ‘When will my actions reach the level of the actions of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaacov'”.
