A רב once chided a member of his קהילה for failing to be מקיים the מצוה of הכנסת אורחים. The embarassed man responded that it wasn’t really up to him. His wife didn’t want guests and he didn’t invite them so as to maintain שלום בית. He then said that this was in keeping with the expression איש ואשה ששלום בניהם, שכינה שרויה בניהם. The רב responded: “I need to thank you. I now understand why חז״ל said גדולה הכנסת אורחים יותר מקבלת פני השכינה. They were teaching us that even if it means that there not be שלום between a husband and wife and the שכינה will not reside between them, they are required to be מקיים the מצוה of הכנסת אורחים, which is greater that קבלת פני השכינה.”
06/10/2021