D’Var Torah – On Pesach
?????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???
The Torah points out that Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim in the springtime, when the weather was beautiful, so that we could fully enjoy this great event. Surely we would have been happy to leave the horrible Mitzrayim in any weather, but, Hashem added this special touch for our benefit. We learn from here that it is a mitzvah to take the emotional and psychological needs of the recipient into account, not just the physical needs, when we do a chesed.
There were two Jewish soldiers in the Czar’s army in Russia, who were stuck with no place to go for Pesach. They finally located a Jewish merchant who lived in a town not too far from their base. They managed to contact the merchant who told them that he was able to=2 0offer Pesach hospitality for the two of them. He added that he routinely had guests for Pesach and due to the expenses involved he charged a fee, as any Inn would.
The fee was a hefty sum, but the poor soldiers had no choice. When they got there, they found that the accommodations were lavish. The food was scrumptious, gourmet quality,and plentiful. Their room, the beds, the baths, the linens were exquisite. The two soldiers made sure to get their money’s worth and they did – it was beyond what they ever could have imagined or hoped for.
The day after Pesach ended, as the two soldiers were taking their leave of the mansion, the host handed each of them an envelope and wished them well. Each opened his envelope and found the money that he had given the host for their Pesach stay-completely untouched. Now they were baffled. Why was he giving back the money? What was going on?
The host explained, “I never had any intention of keeping the money or charging you anything. Hachnosas orchim is a mitzvah which I20am proud to do. I was simply afraid that if you thought all of this was free, you would be hesitant and refrain from imposing on my hospitality. By making you think you were paying for it, I was assured that you would take full advantage with joy, of all that was being offered, without holding back. Now that Pesach is over and that goal was accomplished, there is no longer a need to hold your money so I handed it back.”
Have a Good Yom Tov!