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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