The Torah is telling us about Abraham hospitality. He was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day, waiting for guests. Tents do not have bells, nor wooden doors. If tents would have bells or wooden doors, guests could ring the bell or knock the door. However that was not the case and Abraham, who felt compelled to have guests and to serve them, was sitting at the entrance of his tent, expecting that someone would honor him with his visit.

One chapter later, the Torah tells us about Lot’s hospitality:

Lot also was sitting waiting for guests. He was sitting at the gate of Sodom and he also had welcoming words for his visitors: "Behold now, my lords; turn about, please, to your servant's house; spend the night and wash your feet, then wake up early and go your way!".

Is there any difference between Abraham and Lot? Why does the Torah share with us two stories in a row about visitors and hosts?

To answer these questions, first of all, we need to know that the emissaries who came to Lot were two out of the three emissaries who had come to see Abraham. As the Rabbis point out: "One angel came to destroy Sodom and the other -- Raphael, who had healed Abraham -- came to save Lot. The third angel had departed after concluding his mission of announcing that Sarah would have a son"

Now, Rashi, the famous mediaeval Jewish commentator, focused on a difference in the text, which can help us to clarify the issue:

According to Rashi, Abraham who was of a higher spiritual stature than Lot, was accustomed to deal with angels, so the Torah calls them "men". Lot, on the other side, was overawed by their angelical presence, so the Torah calls them "angels".

Rashi’s explanation made sense to me. However, I was trying to find if there was a difference between Abraham and Lot, not only in their spiritual stature, in the way they dealt with angels, but also in their human perspective, in the way they dealt with men. And I found the difference in a story:

"In the course of a journey, the rabbi of Berditchev stopped in Lwow and went to the house of a rich and respected man. When he was introduced to the master of the house, he begged for a day’s lodging but was silent concerning his name and calling. The rich man answered him gruffly: ‘I have no use for wayfarers. Why don’t you go to an inn?’

‘I am not a man to stay at an inn.’ Said the rabbi. ‘Just give me a little space in one of your rooms and I shall not trouble you for anything else.’

‘Away with you!’ cried the other. ‘If –as you say- you are not a man to stay at an inn, go to the schoolteacher around the corner. He likes to welcome vagrants like you with honor and to give them food and drink.’

Rabbi Levi Yitzhak went to the schoolteacher, was received with honor, and given food and drink. But on his way there someone recognized him and soon the whole town buzzed with the news that the holy rabbi of Berditchev was there and had taking lodgings in the house of the schoolteacher. Hardly had he rested a little, when a great throng of people desiring to enter gathered at the door. When it was opened, they flooded in to be blessed by the zaddik. Among them was the rich man. He fought his way to the rabbi and said: ‘May the master forgive me and honor my house with his visit! All the zaddikim who ever came to Lwow were my guests.’

Rabbi Levy Yitzhak turned to those standing around him and said: ‘Do you know the difference between our Father Abraham, peace be with him, and Lot? Why does such a spirit of satisfaction pervade the story of how Abraham set before the angels curd and milk and tender calf? Did not Lot also bake for them and give them to eat? And why is the fact that Abraham received them in his tent regarded as so deserving an action? For Lot also asked them in and gave them shelter. Now this is the truth of the matter: In the case of Lot it is written, that angels came to Sodom. But concerning Abraham, the scriptures say: "...he lifted his eyes and saw - And behold! three men were standing over him".(Genesis 18:2). Lot saw angelic shapes; Abraham poor, dusty wayfarers in need of food and rest."

Everybody wants to host angels, but not everybody will receive tired men in need. Angles are very popular and everybody wants to welcome angels. The rabbi of Berditchev , like the angels in Lot’s story, also was very popular and everybody wanted to spend some time with him. However, nobody but the schoolteacher wanted to welcome the dusty, hungry and unpopular man.

Each congregation also has popular and unpopular members. Everybody will surround and honor the rich, the wise and the humble among us. However, my question is: Who will take care of the poor, the ignorant, the dumb and the arrogant? Who will spend time with these people that nobody else wants to spend time with? Who will visit the lonely among us, the one who even his wife and children don’t want to be with? Who will be the schoolteacher of our own story, of our congregation, of our Jewish community?

Across the street live the outsiders, the ones who are too shy, too lazy, too ignorant or too arrogant to approach us. So maybe, we need to approach them. Maybe we need to bring them inside our Jewish community home and feed them with care, with patience, with understanding. The Midrash tells us that Abraham went out to search for people to bring into his home and this was his great merit.

May we be worthy to do the same, trying to extend our love and care beyond the walls of our own congregation, and bring into it our brothers and sisters whose soul is thirsty for meaning and love.

Shabbat Shalom!