[Avodah] Hachnasat orchim v. Shmona Esrei

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 03:06:11PM +0000, Jonathan Dickson wrote:
: On the other hand, I'm not aware of any halacha that allows one to
: interrupt one's Amidah for hachnasat orchim.

I would think it your daughter's question would require orechim who
don't know what Shemoneh Esrei is or wouldn't wait for you to complete
to even get started.

...
: (especially when you consider that our davening is, presumably, a
: lower level of engaging with HKBH than Avraham's was. So kal vechomer,
: we should be able to interrupt it to carry out hachnasat orchim).

The qal vachomer fails, because his hachnasas orechim was also at a
higher level.

But in any case, I think the real difference is that Hashem was speaking
to Avraham; Avraham was not making baqashos. So, talmud Torah may be a
better comparison to his conversation with the Almighty than Shemoneh
Esrei -- and we do pause in talmud Torah to greet guests.

: My 9-year-old daughter's question, not mine - any thoughts?

Have nachas!

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

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Micha Berger             What we do for ourselves dies with us.
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