This week’s Torah portion of Vayera features Abraham’s recuperation after the ordeal of his circumcision. On the third day of his recovery, G-d paid Abraham a special visit to inquire after his health. In the middle of the conversation, Abraham spied three guests from afar, and without batting an eyelid, ran off to welcome them into his home. It is from this scene that the Talmud derives that the mitzvah of hospitality surpasses the mitzvah of greeting the Divine Presence.
Recently I was honored to experience my own hospitality.
Two years ago when visiting Israel I was informed that although I was not born there, I am required to have an Israeli passport since my parents are Israeli citizens. Furthermore, lack of Israeli citizenship will prevent me from exiting the country. So, immediately preceding my recent trip, I turned to the Israeli consulate and arranged for a brand new Israeli passport. Thus geared, I travelled to Israel on a Friday morning to perform a wedding. Being that it was so close to Rosh Hashana I booked a ticket back on Motsei Shabbat. I was neurotic that I would be detained at the airport over matters pertaining to army conscription, so I requested that the Israeli consulate verify if this would be the case. I was not worried about being drafted, but rather about going through mounds of paperwork releasing me from enlistment. I was assured dozens of times that I would have no problems whatsoever.
I landed in Israel at 5:30am and confidently strode to passport control. The woman at the desk must’ve had a really long shift because she literally fell asleep at the job. I jokingly cajoled her, “Long night?” to which she shook her head to wake herself up and very alertly declared that I had no ptur (army exit permission). My worst nightmare come true. I told her that back home I was assured I would not need one, to which she shot back that she did not care, I would not be exiting Israel without a ptur. She explained that on Sunday morning I shouldn’t have any problem presenting my case at the local army office, since they are closed on Friday and Saturday. Which meant that in the best case scenario I would be able to catch a flight back late Sunday, but the chances of getting on a plane then were rare since they were full due to the close proximity to Rosh Hashanah. As I left her desk, I commented, “You Israelis suffer from an overdose of hospitality. You love your guests so much that you refuse to allow them to leave!”
Anyway, I saw there was nobody to talk to, so I left the airport to spend the morning on the phone talking to any connection I had instead of doing the things I wanted to do. Turns out that our chairman in shul, Gal and my brother Motti who is the chief of hand surgery in a hospital in Petach Tikva, are very well connected in the Israeli army. Within two hours they had arranged all my necessary documents. Thank G-d I was able to leave Israel and spend the holiday of Rosh Hashana in Manhattan with my community.
Each morning we recite in our prayers, “Rabot machshavot belev ish, ve’atzat Hashem hi takum” – “Many are the thoughts in the heart of man, but it is the direction of Hashem that will prevail.” Nothing happens without G-d’s intervention, every business venture we embark on, every personal matter we work on, will only come to fruition if it is the will of G-d. A man can prepare tirelessly for a project, yet he needs always to bear in mind that it is G-d’s divine assistance alone that determines success and blessing in life. My experience with this G-dly method of intervention saw me work tirelessly for days on end preparing the necessary documents. My very goal of smoothing things out with the Israeli officials was thwarted despite me doing everything I needed to. Because at the end of the day, G-d decides what's best. Just my luck that in my case, G-d just relished the idea of me experiencing first class Israeli hospitality!
XRumerTest wrote...