Spiritual Hachnassas Orchim
Just as there is the physical aspect of the mitzvah of hachnassas orchim — accomplished by providing one’s guests with material nurture and sustenance — so too is there the spiritual aspect of the mitzvah of hachnassas orchim — providing our brethren with the sustenance of Torah and mitzvos, which is termed “bread”1 and “water.”2
In particular, this spiritual aspect of hachnassas orchim is fulfilled when sustenance is provided to those Jews who find themselves “in a parched and thirsty land without water,”3 without the spiritual nurture of Torah and mitzvos. It is truly a great mitzvah to provide these individuals with a spiritual repast — to teach them Judaism, informing them about, and instructing them in, Torah and mitzvos.
“Avraham Converted the Men; Sarah Converted the Women”
We find that Avraham occupied himself in the spiritual aspect of hachnassas orchim as well.
Throughout his lifetime, Avraham occupied himself with spreading the belief in the one G‑d. Thus Rashi comments on the verse4 “And the souls that they had made in Charan,” saying, “They brought them under the wings of the Divine Presence, [i.e.,] Avraham converted the men [to the belief in the one G‑d] and Sarah converted the women.”
Moreover, Avraham utilized his trait of material hospitality to provide his guests with spiritual nurture — belief in G‑d — as well.
In the words of Rashi:5 “After they ate and drank, he would say to them, ‘Bless Him of whose food you have eaten. Do you think you ate my food? Not so. You have eaten the food of He who brought the world into being.’”
Emphasis on Spiritual Hospitality During Present Times
During present times, there is an extraordinary need to perform spiritual hachnassas orchim and provide our fellow Jews with spiritual sustenance.
Currently, there are Jews whose very spiritual lives are in danger, Jews who never merited to receive a proper Jewish education and never even tasted a single morsel of Judaism, Torah and its mitzvos. These Jews are in dire need of spiritual nourishment, lacking as they are even a minimal amount of spirituality, not even possessing “meager bread and scant water.”6
It is both a tremendous merit as well as a tremendous obligation that each and every individual occupy himself in spiritual hachnassas orchim, drawing Jews closer to their Father in Heaven and saving them from the spiritual dangers they may be presently facing.
May G‑d will it that by spiritually performing hachnassas orchim with our brethren, G‑d will perform the same hachnassas orchim with us and lead us to the full and complete Redemption with the speedy arrival of our righteous Mashiach.
