*Greater is Hachnasat Orchim Then Receiving the Honor of
Hashem
Hashem came to visit Avraham after Avraham had a surgery
This was one of the only mitzvas in the Torah that Hashem did
beside putting on tefillin etc…
While Hashem was visiting, Avraham noticed three men passing
by. He told Hashem, “Please forgive me, please wait don’t go, I
will be right back.” He went out to greet the 3 men and invited
them in for a meal.
This sounds very disrespectful to Hashem. Hashem is there
visiting you and you ask to be excused to say hello to some
passerby!
Imagine the King is coming to town and he stops by your house to
visit you. The king is at your home visiting you and you see some
passerby and you tell the king, “Excuse me I will be right back!”
What was Avraham thinking leaving the presence of the King?!
From here we learn that inviting guest is greater than visiting with
G-d. (Mesilas Yesharim Perek 1)
Why is that?
Imagine, you have a great friend his name is Yossi and you really
love him and he loves you.You always learn and travel together.
One day someone knocks on your door and there is a young man
standing there. You say, “Hello. Can I help you?” The young man
tells you, “I am Yossi son of your best friend.” You immediately
invite him in, and give him food and water.
What would be a greater honor for your best friend? When you
honor him or when you have honored his son that you have never
met before?
Of course, you honor your friend more when you invite in his son.
This is exactly what Avraham was doing, he was honering
Hashem’s children by inviting them in.

*When Avarham is serving food
בראשית י”ח-ה
ואקחה פת לחם וסעדו לבכם אחר תעברו כי על כן עברתם על עבדכם ויאמרו כן
תעשה כאשר דברת
“And I will bring you bread and you shall eat as your heart desires,
Please don’t refuse. And they said to Avraham, “Yes, please do as you
have spoken.”
Normally when one visits a friend; the host asks the guest, “Are you
hungry, would you like to eat or drink?”
Normally the guest will say, “no thank you” and “I am fine, thank you”, just
to be polite.
You and the guest sit down and start to talk, and then the host will tell his
wife, “Honey, bring our guest something to drink”, and the wife will bring a
drink, and appetizers and then more food, salads & dips and before you
know it, the table is filled with delicious food!
The angels knew how great Avraham was with Hachnasas Orchim and that
he serves a lot of food with all heart, so when Avraham told then I will bring
you some bread and water they immediately responded please do as you
have spoken, and don’t bring us a 7-course meal please!

* The Story Of Sodom! 20:18 Chapter Genesis – בְּ רֵ אשִׁ ית
כ וַי ֹאמֶ ר ה’, זַעֲקַ ת סְ דֹם וַעֲמֹרָ ה כִּ י-רָ בָ ה; וְ חַ טָ אתָ ם–כִּ י כָבְ דָ ה,
.מְ אֹד
20 And the LORD said: “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, their sin
is exceeding grievous.
In Parashat Vayera, verse 20, tells us that Hashem had enough of the cruelty of Anshei
Sedom; the people of Sodom were extremely wicked and cruel people.
There is a Mishna in Perki Avot 10:5
ארבע מדות באדם האומר שלי שלי ושלך שלך זו מדה בינונית ויש אומרים זו מדת סדום
שלי שלך ושלך שלי עם הארץ שלי שלך ושלך שלך חסיד שלי שלי ושלך שלי רשע:
Pirkei_Avot.10:5
There are four types of character in people: 1) One that says, “Mine is mine, and yours is yours.”
This is a neutral type; some say this is a Sodom-type of character. 2) One that says, “Mine is
yours and yours is mine,” is an unlearned person. 3) One that says, “Mine is yours and yours is
yours,” is a pious person. 4) One that says, “Mine is mine, and yours is mine,” is a wicked
person.
Why is it that if I say what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours there are
two opinions?
When a person says, “Listen what’s yours is yours and mine is mine”, that is not cruel.
The person does not want to get involved. You keep yours and I will keep mine. No
stealing. No sharing. No borrowing etc.…..
So, some say it’s not so bad but some say its Midas Sodom and that it’s the character
trait of the people of Sodom! Why is that?
Case#1
You are driving with your brand-new fancy expensive car and a homeless person stops
you and asks for a donation! You respond, “You know how hard I work for my money! Go
get a job.” You continue on your way without helping the poor homeless man. This is
Midas Sodom, the character trait of the people of Sodom!
Case#2
A Rabbi of a community looks at his notes to see how to get donations to help the poor
people in town and he notices that he missed one very wealthy guy.
He knocks on his door and he ask him for the community Tzedakah that will help many
families, and this guy tells the Rabbi, “You know I have a brother that is very poor and he
has a very large family and I need to help him. Family comes first, so I am very sorry. I
can’t help you.
The Rabbi says I understand and goes back to his office.
That very same day in the evening the guy’s brother stops at the Rabbi office and begs
for help. The Rabbi tells him, “I am sorry but I can’t help you since your brother is taking
care of you.” The brother tells the Rabbi, “Rabbi, that is not true. Every time I ask him, he
always has an excuse that he is short, he has all kind of excuses and he has no extra
money to give me”. This is Midas Sodom, the character trait of the people of Sodom!
There is a saying that the three angels were Yemenites! Why is that?
When Avraham said I will bring you
פת לחם
Pat Lachem לחם פת the acromion of Pot Lachem is:
Pita Tamanit – Lafoff Chilba Malaohach
ראשי תבות
פת לחם
פיתה תמנית
לפוף חילבה מלואה

Translated By Rabbi