DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 604 KB)
If a Host Tells a Guest to Leave

The Gemara says, "Do anything a host tell you to do, except leave." A guest is obliged to obey his host, unless his host tells him to leave the home.

The commentators raise the question of why a guest is entitled to remain in someone’s home against the host’s will. Seemingly, a host reserves the right to tell his guest to leave. How can we explain the Gemara’s comment?

The Sefat Emet (Rav Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter of Ger, 1847-1905) explains that this provision was made in response to the tragic incident of Kamsa and Bar Kamsa, which the Gemara relates in Masechet Gittin. An invitation intended for Kamsa was mistakenly delivered to Bar Kamsa, and when Bar Kamsa arrived at the party, the host forced him to leave. Bar Kamsa was very embarrassed, and decided to avenge his disgrace by going to the Roman emperor and telling him that the Jews rebelled against him, ultimately causing the destruction of Jerusalem. In response, the Sages enacted this provision that if somebody comes to a function to which he was not invited, he should not be told to leave. And if the host tells him to leave, he does not have to listen.

Thus, if a person, for whatever reason, attends a function uninvited, the host should not embarrass him by telling him to leave. We should learn the lesson taught by the tragedy of Kamsa and Bar Kamsa, and ensure not to embarrass a fellow Jew, even in a case of an uninvited guest.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Reciting Birkat Kohanim More Than Once a Day; If a Kohen Arrives in the Synagogue at the Time of Birkat Kohanim
Standing While Reading the Torah or When Called for an Aliyah
The Role of the Mesader
The Berachot Before and After an Aliya
Under Which Circumstances May a Sefer Torah be Transported?
Which Direction Should the Hazan Face When Carrying the Sefer Torah To and From the Ark?
The Recitation of “Ve’hu Rahum” at the Beginning of Arbit
May Birkat Kohanim be Recited After Sunset?
Reciting Birkat Kohanim at Minha on Fast Days
Until What Point in the Day Can a Person Make Up a Missed Arbit Prayer?
If One Missed a Musaf Prayer
When is the Last Time for Praying Minha?
Does One Answer to Kaddish Heard Over the Telephone or a Simulcast?
Must One Face Toward Eretz Yisrael When Reciting Kaddish?
If One Forgot Ya’ale Ve’yabo in the Amida on Rosh Hodesh
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found