Transforming Strangers into Family: Genuine Hospitality as Taught by Reb Avraham Grodzinski

Show Notes
Transcript

Can acts of kindness bring the same spiritual fulfillment as religious rituals? Join us as we explore this intriguing question with insights from Reb Avraham Grodzinski, the esteemed Mashkiach Ruchani of Slabodka. In this episode, we dissect the essence of chesed (kindness) through Rabavroham's profound teachings, who emphasizes that true hospitality goes beyond mere provision. By examining the Medrash Tanchuma, Rabavroham enlightens us on how transforming a stranger into a family member enhances the mitzvah of hospitality, turning it into a deeply meaningful spiritual experience.

Discover the thoughtful approach to serving guests and how it reflects their transition from strangers to cherished household members. From lavish meals to simple family dinners, Reb Avraham Grodzinski's teachings challenge us to reevaluate our acts of kindness, urging us to create a sense of belonging and ease for others. This episode offers a refreshing perspective on Chesed, making it a fulfilling spiritual journey rather than just an obligation. Don't miss this enlightening discussion that brings to life the timeless wisdom of Slabodka and reshapes our understanding of genuine hospitality.

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Transcript

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The same spiritual high that one gets from going to spend Shabbos with the Rebbe or all of the family around the table to begin the Pesach Seder.

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Or that spiritual high that one receives from a brilliant and insightful question that Teisvis has on Rashi and the Gemara.

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That same feeling in the belly, that pleasure that one gets from his ruchnias, that should also be had when one does an act of kindness, of chesed.

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And if one doesn't feel that pleasure when serving an honored guest in one's home, then in Slabotka they say that's because one doesn't understand what chesed is and they most definitely are doing it incorrectly.

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And the great Rabavroham Grodzinski, the Mashkiach Ruchani of Slabodka, the main disciple of Rabnosin Tzvi Finkel, the altar of Slabodka.

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He defined for us what it means to take care of somebody and really do proper chesed, proper kindness.

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He said, taking from the Medrash in Tanchuma that's brought by Rashi in last week's parasha, that Rashi says the way that you serve somebody food in your house when they are a stranger that's traveling through and now they need a place to stay and some food, the Medrash Tanchuma says you should follow the order of the sacrifices on Sukkot, that you slowly go down in the number and the quality of the sacrifices.

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The same way, following that order, when someone stays at your house, first you give them rib steaks.

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The second day you give them some poultry.

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The third day they're still there.

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They need your chesed, some herring, some salmon.

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The day after that, some pasta.

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Eventually just some vegetables.

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That's the way we should do chesed the kasha.

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The question is glaring.

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Rav Avrom asks this is how should do chesed the kasha?

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The question is glaring.

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Rav Avram asks this is how you do chesed.

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To go down in one's treatment of a fellow Jew.

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How is this chesed?

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And we're supposed to mimic this behavior?

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Says Rav Avram.

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Yes, because when somebody comes to your house to stay, they are a stranger, they are a czar.

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They are a czar, they are exactly that.

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But the first thing that you do is you serve them and wine them and dine them like a king Delicious rib steaks with the mitzvah of chesed, and slowly but surely, you bring them into the fold.

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You bring them into your family and they aren't sitting out in this aloof corner eating steak, all taken care of, but away from the fold.

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You bring them into your family and they aren't sitting out in this aloof corner eating steak, all taken care of, but away from the family.

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You work them into how normal family habits have it.

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We have pasta tonight In my house.

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Wednesday is pizza night, so you have that person be treated not like a stranger, but they slowly but surely become comfortable, one of yours, part of the family.

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That's what chesed's about.

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About putting your client the previous called stranger your guest.

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About bringing him into a place of ease and comfort.

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That's what chesed's about.

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And if the family has pasta tonight, then he's one of the family, because chesed is about putting your guests and fellow Jews at ease and increasing their comfort.

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That's how you do chesed.

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And what a beautiful understanding of this incredible Medrash Tanchuma.

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