Friday, July 19, 2019

To make people welcome (Rabbi K. Olitzky)


Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree… 
Let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward, you may go on your way.  

  The welcoming that Abraham and Sarah provided these strangers [in Genesis 18] should be our model for what it takes to make people welcome in our community.  What we practice in our homes should be mimicked in our synagogues and community institutions.  Abraham didn’t wait.  He rushed to greet his visitors.  He made sure that they were comfortable and satiated.  And then he walked them out, away from his tent, to make sure that they found their way.

  The Torah doesn’t waste words.  It provides all these details because they matter.  Creating a welcoming environment is about attention to details, with the most important detail being how comfortable your guest feels. 

  Some will argue that creating a welcoming community is not enough.  And we would agree. This is only one example of the hospitality of Abraham and Sarah, but it is certainly the right place to start.  If people don’t feel comfortable inside the community, then they won’t be there long enough to enjoy the riches that it has to offer. 

--Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky, A Lesson in Hospitality

Image source:  Abraham & the Three Angels, Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, http://www.jesuswalk.com/abraham/images/sanvitale_3angels679x497.jpg

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