By: Rabbi Ozer Pinchas Zeffren
The בית הלוי, Rav Yitzchok Dov Halevi Soleveitchik, was the Rav of Brisk. When he used to travel, he would
remove his rabbinic garb and put on regular clothing so he shouldn’t be recognized. (He didn’t want to receive
honor.)
One freezing night, the Bais Halevi departed from Brisk to go to the city of Baranovitch. The cold was extreme
and after some time it was apparent the Bais Halevi and his wagon driver would need to stop somewhere for the
night. They left the main road and came to a Jewish owned inn. They knocked on the door, but there was no
answer. The wagon driver banged again with his last bits of strength. The innkeeper, when he heard the strong
banging, got up and opened the door. With an unhappy face, he told them he doesn’t have any room. He said in a few hours he will be receiving honored guests. They pleaded with him to let them come in due to the extreme
temperature. The innkeeper finally let them come in and sit in the hallway. The Bais Halevi lit a candle so he can
learn Torah from his Sefer. Right away the innkeeper told him to extinguish the candle and stop disturbing others from sleeping. The Bais Halevi continued to learn by heart.
A few hours later, a commotion was heard outside, a few wagons approached the inn carrying the Chassidishe
Rebbe, Rav Aaron Koidenover, along with a group of his Chassidim. The innkeeper came out and greeted them
with a cheerful face, brought them inside, gave them tea, and made sure they were comfortable.
A few minutes later, as Rav Aaron got up to wash his hands to daven Maariv, he passed by the Bais Halevi
sitting in the hallway and he screamed out, “REB YOSHE BER! RAV YOSHE BER! Brisker Rav, what are you
doing on the floor?”
When the innkeeper heard this, he felt terribly embarrassed for having treated the Gadol Hador
improproperly and he came to ask forgiveness. The Bais Halevi said he will not forgive him until he comes to his
house in Brisk for two weeks to learn how to do Hachnasas Orchim (hospitality) correctly.
The Bais Halevi asked him: Why does the Torah single out the Hachnasas Orchim of Avraham Avinu and does
not give such importance to the Hachnasas Orchim of Lot when Lot risked his life to hosts the Malachim (angels)?The Bais Halevi answered, by Avrohom Avinu the angels appeared as common travelers and still he did his utmost to fulfill the mitzva properly with alacrity and dignity. Lot, however, knew from the first minute that they were Malachim. So of course, it is easier to risk one’s life if he knows he is hosting angels. So too, said the Bais Halevi, it’s not an excuse to say I didn’t realize who I was hosting. Rather, one must treat every guest with utmost honor.
The innkeeper traveled to Brisk for two weeks and learned from the Bais Halevi how to perform Hachnasas
Orchim. He became renowned for his hospitality. Let us try to do our utmost to make our guests comfortable and
perform the mitzva Of Hachnasas Orchim to its fullest.
