Abraham's Eshel at Beer-sheba and the Inn That Taught Blessing

"And he planted an eshel in Beer-sheba" (Genesis 21:33). Eshel ( ") is an acronym for "eating" (akhilah), "drinking" (shtiyah), "escorting" (levayah). And some say it was an actual tree, and from it was made the middle bar, and our father Jacob brought it down to Egypt when he went down there. "And he called there in the name of the LORD" (Genesis 21:33). He made an inn, and all who passed and came would enter there, and our father Abraham would give them bread and meat and wine to eat and to drink. After they had eaten and drunk, Abraham would say to them: "Bless the God of the world, for you have eaten from what is His." They would say: "We will bless none but you." Abraham would say: "If so, give me the money for what you have eaten." Once each one saw his distress, he would bless the Holy One, blessed be He, the One who is God of the world.