The Spiritual Benefit of Giving

Avraham asked Sarah to prepare קמח סאים שלש, which is an awful lot of flour just for three guests. The Ben Ish Chai zt’l explains that Avraham wanted there to be sherayim, leftovers, because Avraham wanted to feed his household holy food.

Avraham told the guests (18:5), פת ואקחה לחם, "I will take bread..." It seems that he should have said, לחם פת ואתנה, "And I will give you bread." The Ahavas Yisrael zt'l replied that when one gives bread to the hungry, he is the one who "takes." As Chazal say, "More than the wealthy do for the poor, the poor do for the wealthy," as he provides the opportunity to do the mitzvah, which has many segulos and brings many blessings. So, the one who gives is the one who receives.