Hospitality Stories
The holy sefarim say that when a tzaddik excels in a mitzvah during his lifetime, he continues to perform this mitzvah after his petirah. For example, Avraham Avinu excelled in his hachnasas orchim, and until today, when a Yid performs hachnasas orchim, Avraham comes to help him perform the mitzvah. The story of Avraham Avinu’s hachnasas orchim and the three malachim is written in the past tense: “He took... He went... He hurried...,” etc. The exception is the words (18:8) “[Avraham] is standing above them...” These words are written in the present tense. This implies that until today, when Yidden do hachnasas orchim, Avraham stands there. He is present, for he wants to partake in the mitzvah.
Reb Chaim of Brisk zt’l was extremely ill as a child, and the doctors lost hope. Rebbe Moshe Kobriner was visiting Brisk at the time and stayed at the home of Reb Chaim’s grandfather. The grandfather asked the Rebbe, “What will be with my Chaimke?” Rebbe Moshe Kobriner told him the vort that ‘Avraham is standing’ indicates that Avraham is present at every hachnasas orchim. He added, “Chazal (Bava Basra 16:) say, ‘A precious stone hung from Avraham Avinu’s neck. Whoever saw it was healed.’ Since you are hosting me and are performing hachnasas orchim, Avraham Avinu is right here, in this home. Avraham has the gem that brings refuah. Your Chaimke will surely have a refuah sheleimah.” And indeed, he did.
Once, Rebbe Moshe Kobriner was a guest in the home of Rebbe Aharon Karliner zt’l. Reb Aharon told him that his daughter was ill. Rebbe Moshe Kobriner told the sick girl, “Your father is performing hachnasas orchim. This means the stone of healing is hanging from his neck. Look at your father, and you will be healed.”
Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt’l was once talking with his chassidim about a certain Yemenite tzaddik who fed hundreds of refugees who lost their homes during World War I. One of the chassidim added, “I heard that this tzaddik was a chavrusah with one of the Kabbalah giants...” He was implying that, in addition to his chessed, this tzaddik was well-versed in the hidden parts of the Torah. The Rebbe replied, “Why do you mention that? Right now, we’re discussing that he fed hundreds of homeless Yidden...,” as if to say that the merit of feeding Yidden is so great that it is unnecessary to add anything else.
The Sar Shalom of Belz zt’l built a majestic shul in Belz. Two generations later, his grandson, Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz zt’l, added the Groise Shtub, a large room where the tischen were conducted. When the Groise Shtub was completed, Rebbe Yissachar Dov said, “A thousand years ago, on this spot, there lived a Yid who excelled in the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim like Avraham Avinu. When my grandfather built the shul, this Yid thought it was time for techiyas hameisim. He got out of his grave and came to my grandfather. The Sar Shalom told him it wasn’t time yet, and the niftar returned to his grave. In the merit of his hachnasas orchim, which he kept with all his might right here, he merited that the Groise Shtub be built on this location. Yidden will eat at the same place where he had fed hungry people.”
