Strangers and hospitality

“Accept these gifts from them, that they may be used in the work of the Tent of Meeting. And give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.”

If one’s offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD.

“I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”

My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.

Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.

O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?

Show hospitality to one another without complaining.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

As you enter the home, greet its occupants.

We learned in the mishna: One may move baskets of produce due to the guests and in order to prevent the suspension of Torah study in the study hall. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Hospitality toward guests is as great as rising early to go to the study hall, as the mishna equates them and teaches: Due to the guests and due to suspension of Torah study in the study hall. And Rav Dimi from Neharde’a says: Hospitality toward guests is greater than rising early to the study hall, as it teaches: Due to the guests, and only afterward: And due to suspension of Torah study in the study hall. Rav Yehuda said that Rav said on a related note: Hospitality toward guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence, as when Abraham invited his guests it is written: “And he said: Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please pass not from Your servant” (Genesis 18:3). Abraham requested that God, the Divine Presence, wait for him while he tended to his guests appropriately. Rabbi Elazar said: Come and see that the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not like that of flesh and blood. The attribute of flesh and blood people is such that a less significant person is unable to say to a more significant person: Wait until I come to you, while with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, it is written: “And he said: Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please pass not from Your servant.” Abraham requested that God wait for him due to his guests.

The Gemara answers: These too, hospitality toward guests and visiting the sick, are in the category of acts of loving-kindness. A different version of that answer: These matters on the longer list are attributable to those, the matters on the shorter list.

And why is it so important that one should remain in the same lodging until he is forced to leave? It is as the Master says: A guest has the potential to degrade and to be degraded. If he moves from one place of lodging to another, people will assume that his host is unpleasant to him and that he is not a well-behaved guest, as the two of them cannot get along with one another, and the reputations of both of them will be tarnished.

A gift of welcome from One Forgiving, Merciful

And tell them of Abraham's guests

Or say they: We are a host victorious

Narrated Abu Shuraih Al-Kaʿbi: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously. The guest's reward is: To provide him with a superior type of food for a night and a day and a guest is to be entertained with food for three days, and whatever is offered beyond that, is regarded as something given in charity. And it is not lawful for a guest to stay with his host for such a long period so as to put him in a critical position." Narrated Malik: Similarly as above (156) adding, "Who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet." (i.e. abstain from dirty and evil talk, and should think before uttering)

Narrated Abu Shuraih Al-Adawi: My ears heard and my eyes saw the Prophet (ﷺ) when he spoke, "Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his neighbor generously, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should serve his guest generously by giving him his reward." It was asked. "What is his reward, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He said, "(To be entertained generously) for a day and a night with high quality of food and the guest has the right to be entertained for three days (with ordinary food) and if he stays longer, what he will be provided with will be regarded as Sadaqa (a charitable gift). And anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet (i.e. abstain from all kinds of dirty and evil talks)

Narrated ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr: Abu Bakr invited a group of people and told me, "Look after your guests." Abu Bakr added, I am going to visit the Prophet (ﷺ) and you should finish serving them before I return." ʿAbdur-Rahman said, So I went at once and served them with what was available at that time in the house and requested them to eat." They said, "Where is the owner of the house (i.e., Abu Bakr)?" ʿAbdur-Rahman said, "Take your meal." They said, "We will not eat till the owner of the house comes." ʿAbdur-Rahman said, "Accept your meal from us, for if my father comes and finds you not having taken your meal yet, we will be blamed severely by him, but they refused to take their meals . So I was sure that my father would be angry with me. When he came, I went away (to hide myself) from him. He asked, "What have you done (about the guests)?" They informed him the whole story. Abu Bakr called, "O ʿAbdur Rahman!" I kept quiet. He then called again. "O ʿAbdur-Rahman!" I kept quiet and he called again, "O ignorant (boy)! I beseech you by Allah, if you hear my voice, then come out!" I came out and said, "Please ask your guests (and do not be angry with me)." They said, "He has told the truth; he brought the meal to us." He said, "As you have been waiting for me, by Allah, I will not eat of it tonight." They said, "By Allah, we will not eat of it till you eat of it." He said, I have never seen a night like this night in evil. What is wrong with you? Why don't you accept your meals of hospitality from us?" (He said to me), "Bring your meal." I brought it to him, and he put his hand in it, saying, "In the name of Allah. The first (state of fury) was because of Satan." So Abu Bakr ate and so did his guests

The joys that spring from external associations bring pain; they have their beginnings and their endings. The wise person does not rejoice in them.

To one who has conquered their lower nature with its help, the Self is a friend; but to one who has not done so, it is an enemy.

For whatever a great man does, others imitate; people conform to the standard he has set.

Like fire a Brahmana guest enters into houses. That fire is quenched by an offering. (Therefore) O Vaivaswata, bring water. The foolish man in whose house a Brahmana guest remains without food, all his hopes and expectations, all the merit gained by his association with the holy, by his good words and deeds, all his sons and cattle, are destroyed. Yama said: O Brahmana! Revered guest! My salutations to thee. As thou hast remained three nights in my house without food, therefore choose three boons, O Brahmana.

The Self is subtler than the subtle, greater than the great; It dwells in the heart of each living being. He who is free from desire and free from grief, with mind and senses tranquil, beholds the glory of the Atman.

Yama said: The good is one thing and the pleasant another. These two, having different ends, bind a man. It is well with him who chooses the good. He who chooses the pleasant misses the true end. The good and the pleasant approach man; the wise examines both and discriminates between them; the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the pleasant through love of bodily pleasure.

Going forth is hard, it’s hard to be happy; life at home is hard too, and painful, it’s painful to stay when you’ve nothing in common. A traveler is a prey to pain, so don’t be a traveler, don’t be prey to pain.

The people give according to their faith, according to their confidence. If you get upset over that, over others’ food and drink, you’ll not, by day or by night, become immersed in samādhi.

Live by principle, with good conduct, don’t conduct yourself badly. For one of good conduct sleeps at ease, in this world and the next.

Giving, you’re loved and befriended by many people. You get a good reputation, and your fame grows. A generous man enters an assembly bold and self-assured. So an astute person, seeking happiness, <j>would give gifts, having driven out the stain of stinginess. They live long in the Third Heaven, enjoying the company of the gods. Having taken the opportunity to do good, <j>when they pass from here they wander self-radiant in the Garden of Delight. There they delight, rejoice, and enjoy themselves, provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Having practiced the word of the unattached, <j>the unaffected, disciples of the Holy One rejoice in heaven.”

“Mendicants, suppose there was a guest house. Lodgers come from the east, west, north, and south. Aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials all stay there. In the same way, various feelings arise in this body: pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings. Also pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings of the flesh arise. Also pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings not of the flesh arise.”

Putting wisdom in the foremost place, <j>rejoicing in goodness, they would put an end to those adversities. They’d vanquish discontent in their remote lodging. And they’d vanquish the four lamentations: ‘What will I eat? Where will I eat? Oh, I slept badly! Where will I sleep?’ The trainee, the migrant without abode, would dispel these lamentable thoughts. Receiving food and clothes in due season, they would know moderation <j>for the sake of contentment. Guarded in these things, <j>walking restrained in the village, they wouldn’t speak harshly even when provoked.

Siree Raag, First Mehl, Second House: Wealth, the beauty of youth and flowers are guests for only a few days. Like the leaves of the water-lily, they wither and fade and finally die. ||1|| Be happy, dear beloved, as long as your youth is fresh and delightful. But your days are few-you have grown weary, and now your body has grown old. ||1||Pause|| My playful friends have gone to sleep in the graveyard. In my double-mindedness, I shall have to go as well. I cry in a feeble voice. ||2||

Salok, First Mehl: Those who do not obtain the sublime essence, the love and delight of their Husband Lord, are like guests in a deserted house; they leave just as they have come, empty-handed. ||1||

Gond: When someone's household has no glory, the guests who come there depart still hungry. Deep within, there is no contentment. Without his bride, the wealth of Maya, he suffers in pain. ||1|| So praise this bride, which can shake the consciousness Of even the most dedicated ascetics and sages. ||1||Pause|| This bride is the daughter of a wretched miser. Abandoning the Lord's servant, she sleeps with the world. Standing at the door of the holy man, she says, "I have come to your sanctuary; now save me!" ||2||

To him who holds in his hands the Great Image (of the invisible Tao), the whole world repairs. Men resort to him, and receive no hurt, but (find) rest, peace, and the feeling of ease. Music and dainties will make the passing guest stop (for a time). But though the Tao as it comes from the mouth, seems insipid and has no flavour, though it seems not worth being looked at or listened to, the use of it is inexhaustible.

A master of the art of war has said, “I do not dare to be the host (to commence the war); I prefer to be the guest (to act on the defensive). I do not dare to advance an inch; I prefer to retire a foot.” This is called marshalling the ranks where there are no ranks; baring the arms (to fight) where there are no arms to bare; grasping the weapon where there is no weapon to grasp; advancing against the enemy where there is no enemy. There is no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war. To do that is near losing (the gentleness) which is so precious. Thus it is that when opposing weapons are (actually) crossed, he who deplores (the situation) conquers.

The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind. To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good;—and thus (all) get to be good. To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere;—and thus (all) get to be sincere. The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.