In this week’s Parsha, we find Avraham traveling to Mitzrayim (Egypt) because of the famine that was in Eretz Yisrael. When describing his return trip from Mitzrayim, the Torah tells us, “VaYelech L’Masaav” - and he went on his journeys. (Bereishis 13:3)
Rashi commenting on these words, makes a fascinating observation. He notes (in his second explanation of these words) that on his return journey from Mitzrayim, Avraham stayed at the very same inns that he had stayed in on his way down to Mitzrayim. Rashi, citing the Mirdash, says that Avraham did this so he could repay the debts that he owed to the innkeepers. He owed these debts because on his way down to Mitzrayim, Avrohom was poor and did not have the funds to pay the innkeepers. However, he became rich in Mitzrayim, so on his way back he repaid the loans.
One may ask, why would an innkeeper extend to someone like Avrohom who did not have any money at the time, credit to begin with? The commentators who address this question explain that the innkeepers were duly impressed by Avrohom’s very countenance and understood that they were standing in the presence of a man of great honesty and integrity. Accordingly, they trusted Avrohom whole-heartedly to pay back his debts.
It is noted in the name of Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv ZT”L, the Saba of Kelm, that on his return trip from Mitzrayim, the now wealthy Avraham could have easily taken a more comfortable room in another inn and have merely sent the money through a messenger to the original innkeepers. However, that was not sufficient for Avrohom. Instead, he deliberately retraced his steps and stayed in the same inns to pay the innkeepers back personally, rather than relegate his responsibility to a messenger, to demonstrate to the world his personal commitment to, and to highlight the importance of, absolute integrity in financial dealings.
