Monday, October 24, 2005

Hospitality

The Gemara states (Shabbos 127a), "Offering hospitality to a wayfarer takes precedence over receiving the Shechinah [Divine Presence]." How are we to understand this? Our sages teach us an important lesson. Even though the practice of hospitality sometimes involves neglect of Torah study or having to listen to innocent gossip, nevertheless, hospitality takes priority

(Baal Shem Tov)