There is a puzzling Tosfos Shantz in Maseches Sotah. The Torah says that Avraham planted an ‘Eishel’ in Be’er Sheva (Bereishis 21:33). Chazal explain that this was a type of hotel. Eishel (spelled Aleph-Shin-Lamed) is an acronym for Eating (Achilah), Drinking (Shtiyah), and Lodging (Linah). Avraham always wanted guests. The Tosfos Shantz quotes a Medrash: Avraham Avinu (in lieu of giving his guests a bill) would ask them to bless Hashem as an expression of recognition and gratitude for all they were given. The Medrash says that there were guests who refused to offer Thanksgiving to Hashem. It was against their ‘religious beliefs’. In these cases, Avraham Avinu did write them a bill, and charged them a hefty price.
Avraham was not gouging. He charged the going rates. It was not inexpensive to get water and all the delicacies that Avraham provided at his Eishel in the middle of the desert! After presenting them with this very large bill he gave them a second chance: Either pay the bill or bentch — which will it be?
Invariably, the response at this point was “we’ll bentch”. What is the meaning of the Medrash? Was Avraham acting like a highway robber? Was he a con man?
The Shemen HaTov explains
that this Medrash illustrates that Avraham was not interested in the travelers’ money. However, there are two types of people in this world — people who appreciate and people who do not appreciate. People who appreciate life and appreciate favors do not need to be banged over the head to realize that they have been done a favor. But there are other people who do not realize the kindness and favors that have been done for them unless it is banged over their heads. Until Avraham showed them the ‘itemized bill’ of what was involved in providing food, drink, and lodging for them in the middle of the desert, they took it for granted. They took the Ribbono Shel Olam, who ultimately provided them with all their needs, for granted.
Avraham was the ultimate Ba’al Chessed. But the biggest kindness that anyone can do for another person is not necessarily feeding them. Rather, the biggest kindness is bringing them closer to Hashem. This was the type of chessed in which Avraham was constantly engaged. If what it required to communicate to certain types of people that there is a Creator in the world was to stick them with a big bill, that was what Avraham would do. He was not interested in the money. He did whatever it would take to perform the ultimate chessed — drawing people closer to Hashem. The biggest chessed in the world is not filling a person’s stomach — it is doing something for a person’s soul.
Avraham was known for two primary attributes — he was the archetype Ba’al Chessed and he was the first person in the world to be involved in kiruv [spiritual outreach]. However, these are not two distinct professions. His kiruv profession was part of his chessed profession. The Ba’al Chessed that is concerned about a person’s stomach, is the same Ba’al Chessed that is concerned about a person’s soul. (R’ Frand)
