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Blessing in Disguise (continued from page 1) Yehsayahu Leff; 12th Grade
nevertheless, they did not identify themselves as such. So what exactly did ה expect from הרש?
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The reason ה was troubled, is because he expected הרש to believe the Arab’s words. Although they appeared
as simple nomads, one never knows the true vehicle that carries blessings of salvation and redemption. ה
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has many conduits and messengers. Some of those messengers’ divinity is unlike their appearance.
Our job is to wait, listen, and pray that even a lowly messenger can be the harbinger of true blessing. The
next step is to believe and internalize it.
Hospitality for its Own Sake (Continued from page 1) Shmuel Jacobs; 11th Grade
receiving even the holy הניכש.
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However, there’s a question on this זח that must be addressed.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe, “ צז, asks as follows: We know that the “men” םהרבא encountered were actually
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angels, who have no ability to eat or drink. If the essence of the mitzva of םיחרוא תסנכה is to show hospitality to
your guests, then by giving the angels food and drink (which they were unable to consume), םהרבא didn’t
fulfill the הוצמ of םיחרוא תסנכה! It would follow that the rule of prioritizing hospitality over divine presence is
inapplicable to our situation. How, then, can we justify םהרבא’s exit from the הניכש!?
Resolving our conundrum, the Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches a valuable lesson. He explains that whether the
accommodations do or don’t suit your guests is irrelevant. The main idea of םיחרוא תסנכה is the heartfelt
concern you show for your guest.
Even though םהרבא didn’t provide the angels with suitable accommodations, it was his heartfelt concern for
them that mattered. As the visitors’ arrival presented םהרבא the opportunity to display his genuine
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hospitality, he promptly left the presence of ה, eager to provide his guests with undivided warmth and
attention.
In the zechus of treating one another like םהרבא treated his guests, may we merit to see the epitome of םדא ןיב
וריבחל with the coming of חישמ, ונימיב הרהמב!
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