Only B’Simcha Parshas Yisro

Henny Machlis taught that Yisro was זוכה to have Moshe Rabbeinu as a son-in-law because of his hachnasas orchim. He invited Moshe to eat with them. She pointed also to a teaching from the גמרא that גדולה היא לגימה שמקרבת את הרחוקים – “Eating is great because it brings the far ones near.” She exemplified this ideal by providing staggering amounts of constant hachnasas orchim. In fact, she didn’t even lock her door. One of her passions in life was kiruv rechokim. Her open door policy of hachnasas orchim was a venue for a lot of her kiruv. She would invite so many people whom she and her husband and family would be mekarev. Also may people came on their own that they would then be mekarev. They were mekarev to Yiddishkeit and they were mekarev to emotional health. They followed in the footsteps of Avraham Avinu in hachnasas orchim and kiruv rechokim.

There were guests who compared her to Sarah Imeinu and her apartment to Sarah’s tent. In fact, a particular common guest at their apartment would often quote the pasuk that Sarah was באהל – “in the tent”. He would apply it Henny Machlis in her kitchen.

May we learn from her example of Ahavas Yisrael and follow in her glorious footsteps.