CANADA (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman) True it is a Mitzvah of Chessed – but is there also a Mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim?
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Example #1: (True Story) A passenger on a plane has terricardia and receives a beta blocker from a fellow passenger [with his doctor’s permission] aside from fulfilling the chessed – did he also fulfill hachnasas orchim?
Example #2: (True Story) A young couple offered their business class seats to an elderly couple and sat in the couple’s coach seats. Did they fulfill the Mitzvah?
Example #3: (True Story) The elderly man in example #2 came back and offered them chocolate. Did he fulfill the Mitzvah? What if they said, “No thank you”? [Which they did].
Example #4 (True Story but out of order) Two different young married couples offered to wheel two elderly men in the airport wheelchair to their flight – losing their priority boarding time. Did they fulfill hachnasas orchim?
The Belzer Rebbe zt”l held that one does fulfill Hachnasas Orchim, as did the Steipler (Mishnas Yoseph Vol. 8 #39). Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l is quited as ruling that Hachnasas Orchim cannot be fulfilled in a car because it is neither a place for sleeping or eating. (Birchas Orayach p. 41). It would seem that on a plane it would be a place for hachnasas orchim.
What activities would constitute hachnasas orchim? Rabbi Dvorkes in his Alibah d’Hilchasa infers from the words of the Chofetz Chaim in his Ahavas Chessed that doing whatever one can to make him comfortable would fulfill the Mirzvah.
What about a stewardess who is serving others? Does she fulfill the Mitzvah? It would seem it depends on the airline. If they charge for the food or drink – they do not fulfill the Mitzvah. If there is no charge – then the Mitzvah is fulfilled. (See Maharsham (Daas Torah Siman 333).
Many Poskim hold that since Hachnasas Orchim can be fulfilled in a car – it is a Mitzvah to pass areas where people gather in order to offer them rides.
The above stories are true because this author saw it transpire in the seats directly in front of him.
And now to the four examples: Case #1 yes, he took out the medicine from his reshus. Case #2, yes, Case #3 yes, Case #4 is just chessed and ahavas yisroel – but not the specific sub-category of Hachnasas Orchim.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
Tachycardia not Terricardia
One of the easiest & common ways to chessed today is offering someone a lift.
it may not be “hacnasset orchim” but it certainly is a chessid. and doing a chessid is a BIG mitzvah
Well I want to share some ideas and experiences I had on el al. I was flying home from israel on taanis esther. I was browsing a magazine where you can buy gifts on the plane with your credit card. I saw a key chains with a small tiny tehillim attached. I asked the stewardess how many people work in this plane. She said 16. I bought 16 tehillim key chains and gave it out to all the staff. The staff was overwhelmed. They started asking me questions about Yiddishkeit. Some were so far removed they didn’t know what taanis Esther was. Purim they knew but not taanis Esther. I encouraged them to go to Aish HaTorah so they can learn about their heritage. It was an interesting experience.
I used to travel a lot for Bussiness in the 80s and 90s and would always take along sandwitches i am not going to list everythingle time i was able to share my food with other yidden But one story is stands out
January 1993 my colleague and me were booked on an early Morning to Toronto even though there was plenty of strictly Kosher places to eat in Toronto but i still bough a bunch of Tuna and cold cut sandwitches knowing that we might be delayed due to weather plus we had a tight schudle for the next two days problay not having time to buy food
The flight was delayed because of a severe snow sttorm in Canda there a few yidden and a Yishvish young couple at around 11:00 i went around offering sandwitches to the yidden at the same time. Explaining to the Gentiles that i would love to offer them as well but we could not eat any of the Airport food so i have to share with ouers only.
The couple were very shy (Looked like a typical newly wed) and declined to eat at about 4 pm the husband came over and said they are Chosen Kallah and had Sheva bruchas in New York last Night tonight they have a sheva Bruchos schudled in Toronto but now they are already Hungrey and they need to eat they shared sandwich he then says we are Seven Men could we make a Sheva Bruchos after Benching in the lounge every one was very excited one guy bought beer from the bar and it became a simcha
My colleague did not to travel any more but i left the sandvitches with them I think this qualifyes as chesed