Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l — rosh yeshiva of Torah Vodaas — was an exceptional Torah personality and one of the great poskim of our generation. A gadol with multifaceted expertise, he was a shochet, a sofer, a musician and a mohel, and had vast knowledge and interests ranging from physics and chemistry, to engineering, astronomy and botany. Most importantly, perhaps, Rav Belsky’s intellectual bandwidth, abilities and greatness in Torah was matched by his love of life and concern for people.

While in the hospital during his final illness, the rav suffered deeply and slipped in and out of consciousness. In order to assuage his discomfort, the attending nurse suggested that the rav be given some protein to eat to provide him with strength and sustenance. Rav Belsky’s daughter placed a plate of homemade scrambled eggs before him, and pressed her father to taste something. With his eyes still closed, slightly disoriented, he whispered, “What about the poor people? Do they have what to eat?”

His daughter assured him that everything was fine, the poor were being fed as well.

“But, is it the same quality as what I am being served? It has to be the same quality.”

Only after his daughter was able to convince the rav that the poor were being served the same quality food, did Rav Belsky partake of his lunch.

Rav Belsky’s son, Rabbi Elimelech Belsky, offered his perspective. When we recite a berachah on food or drink, we may not speak before partaking of it. However, we may speak if it is relevant to the eating or drinking. For example, one may request salt in which to dip their bread — even after having recited Hamotzi. The Rambam rules that one may also speak to ensure that someone in need is given food, for how dare we begin to eat if someone else’s needs have not been met?

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Our sedra introduces us to the original Jewish home: the open tent of Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu. Torah describes with great detail, the way our grandparents modeled service of others:

“Then Avraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant who hastened to prepare it … He took cream and milk and the calf that had been prepared and placed these before them; and he was standing over them under the tree, and they ate.” (18:7-8)

We ought to study carefully the extent to which Avraham and Sarah exerted themselves to provide for the needs of weary travelers, feeding them the finest delicacies and doting over their every need. From fresh cream to the most choice cut of meat, they showered their guests with extreme honor, generosity and alacrity. This episode of visiting angels who appeared as vagabond travelers is particularly instructive, as it began to unfold as Avraham was deeply immersed in meditative prayer. The Gemara (Shabbos, 137a) explains: גדולה הכנסת אורחין מהקבלת פני שכינה — “Hachnasas orchim, receiving guests, is greater than receiving a revelation of the Shechinah!”

Rebbe Moshe Chaim Ephraim, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov and author of the “Degel Machaneh Ephraim,” zt”l, expands on the holy service of hachnasas orchim even further. והוא עומד עליהם, “And he, Avraham, stood ‘above them’” — this means being in service of others propels us to a spiritual level that is “above” that of the angels.

Sefer Hayom Yom is a collection of daily aphorisms and sources compiled by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1944, helping us to follow the Alter Rebbe’s instruction to “live with (the spiritual qualities of) each day.” In the selection for the 28th of the month of Sivan, the following story is recounted:

“The Tzemach Tzedek — the third rebbe of Chabad — was on the way to shul on market day, when someone asked him for a loan. The Rebbe asked him to come back after the davening, and continued on to shul. In shul, he suddenly realized that the poor fellow needed this loan now, so he quickly returned home, got some money, sought out the fellow with great difficulty, gave him the money and then went on to daven.

That night — the rebbe’s grandfather — the Ba’al haTanya, appeared in a vision to the Tzemach Tzedek, beaming and lauded him for his thoughtfulness. The Alter Rebbe had not appeared to him for quite some time before this incident; it was clear that the favor he had performed merited the dream appearance of his holy grandfather, the Alter Rebbe.”

Following this episode, the Tzemach Tzedek related:

“By helping someone in his livelihood, even to earn just a few kopeks …

All the gates to the heavenly chambers are open for him.

(In general,) one should know the route to the heavenly chambers, but it is actually not that crucial, since …

The main thing is to help another wholeheartedly, with feeling & sensitivity,

and to take pleasure in the sweetness of doing a kindness to another.”

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Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say that he had often heard people in a synagogue calling out to strangers passing by, “Kedusha! Kedusha! Come join the minyan!” But he had never heard people sitting down to a meal call out to a stranger passing by, “A seuda! A meal! Come and join us!”

May the example of Avraham and Sarah inspire us in the service of others, and may this holy avodah propel us to the highest levels of the heavenly chambers … together!

Rav Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the mashpiah of OU-NCSY, founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of “Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva.” Rav Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.