Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm (1927-2020) was the third president of Yeshiva University. In a 2008 interview he described his contributions to Israel as it was becoming a state:
“I was here in Yeshiva University as a college student from 1945 through 1949, at the time of the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. We were very concerned because we knew the Haganah was vastly outnumbered, and we felt we had to do something. I went with many of my classmates at Yeshiva to a place in the West Village where they were sending blankets to Israel, and in between every blanket there was a rifle to be smuggled in. The kids were very empowered and excited to do it. Meanwhile, I thought – just packing things, anyone can do that. Maybe I could do something special. I thought that maybe science students could do something more to help. I picked up the phone and I called up the Jewish Agency….. I told him what I had in mind, but as I’m speaking, he stops me. He says, “Shut up and come over here immediately!” I’m not accustomed to that kind of talk and I was taken aback, but I just did that. I shut up and I went down to see him. When we met, he apologized. He said: “The reason I was so abrupt is because our wires are tapped, and what we’re doing is none of the FBI’s business.” I began to understand the nature of the project.
Israel had some guns, and they had the Davidka. But they needed to manufacture bullets. They didn’t have enough natural resources then, so our mission was to develop a bullet that could be produced from the material available to the Jews in Israel. Each of us had our jobs, and we did them well. Everyone in Yeshiva was involved in some way with the war effort. It was a great opportunity to express our Ahavat Yisrael (love of Israel) and Zionism in a very practical way. Again, no hora. No heveinu shalom aleichem, rather real serious stuff. Did we succeed? I think we did in the end. We got the formula and the Israelis were able to manufacture the bullets, which is something which made us very happy and pleased.”
In Parshat Vayeira we read how Avraham excelled in the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim, welcoming guests. On the third day post-circumcision, Hashem visited Avraham as an expression of Bikur Cholim. During that visit, Avraham sees three figures approaching his tent. He immediately leaves his conversation with Hashem and tends to these guests as an expression of Hachnasat Orchim. From the unfolding of this story the Talmud (Shabbat 127a) teaches: אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: גְּדוֹלָה הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִין מֵקְבָּלַת פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה,
This Talmudic phrase is normally translated as “Hospitality is greater than receiving the Divine Presence”. Rabbi Lamm suggests an alternate understanding of this Talmudic phrase. The prefix mem can mean “than” ie comparing the importance of two things. Or the prefix mem can mean “from”. Rabbi Lamm suggested in a sermon in 1968 that we understand the prefix mem in the Talmud as teaching us that “Hospitality is great(est) when it emerges from our religious identity and from our efforts to emulate Hashem.” We can be inspired to be more hospitable when we realize that we are all guests in God’s world. Rabbi Lamm adds that Hachnasat Orchim is more than social entertaining; it is a religious mandate. This means we should 1) Think beyond our social sphere when hosting. 2) Be ready to host those who might need it the most: ie those from out-of-town or those who may not be invited out as much as other people.3)Be willing to host even in less than perfect circumstances. Just as we feed our families even when the food, décor or setting is less than perfect, so too should we be willing to fulfill Hachnasat Orchim in less than ideal circumstances. May our appreciation for, and fulfillment of, Hachanasat Orchim help us benefit from Pnei HaShechina, from Hashem’s Presence in all facets of our lives.