You Are Not a Stranger Here

You Are Not a Stranger Here is author Adam Haslett’s debut short story collection, published in 2002. The title is a thought I’ve pondered and reflected upon for several years — because of the estrangement I have endured throughout my life. Because of my own personal exile, I have had to suppress the urge to approach people of color and members of other marginal communities reciting that phrase with heart-wielding sincerity.

Readily I admit it risks inflicting insult or implying they don’t belong. In spite of my misunderstood intentions, I’m writing this very moment to assert that indeed, you are not a stranger here.

As far as ethical consensus is concerned, I stand not alone. Possibly very few know or appreciate how much the Hebrew scriptures have to say about strangers, and how humanity should relate to them. No less than 36 times the Torah cautions readers about how strangers should be treated, often appended with a reminder for the descendants of Abraham: “…for you were once strangers in the land of Egypt.” The inner stitching of the Golden Rule can be found as a precedent within Jewish history.

The Hebrews, once enslaved to Egyptians, endured harrowing treatment as outsiders. As a consequence, the Torah compels readers: do better. As much as I would enjoy the effort of accounting or explaining why the West has left this particular ethic by the wayside, there’s no doubt that this principle has been crushed by the heel of neglect.

As an example, consider how the state of Texas regards the arrival of asylum seekers from south of the Rio grande River instead of channelng said groups into communities that could welcome them the Texas governor has seen fit to load the undocumented immigrants into charter buses and send them off to “blue states.” It remains to be seen what the pr stunt accomplishes. They haven’t stemmed the tide of asylum seekers. So it begs the question: how do the actions of policy makers in the state of Texas stand under the lens of the Hebrew scriptures? (Keep in mind, Texas is part of the “Bible belt” — a region known for strict adherence to a southern protestant interpretation of the Bible.)

The Torah doesn’t only ascribe a code of conduct; it also illustrates expectations of human behavior as far as the Jewish community is concerned. There’s no greater exemplar of how to treat strangers than the patriarch Abraham. The rabbinic sages teach that he opened his home on four sides for any passers by to wander in for a bite to eat and time to rest.

One occasion worth recalling is when three strangers who strolled by Abraham’s home at a distance, prompted him to run out to meet them. It was in the heat of the day, so he urged them to stop by for a morsel of nourishment and a chance to wash their feet. The purpose of the episode contrasts with a following scene at the notorious cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Two of the very same visitors that ventured into Abraham’s domicile also approached the wicked towns.

Contrary to popular belief, like those held by Texas policy makers, the cities were not destroyed because of homosexuality. Rather, they endured cataclysmic destruction for the way they treated strangers. Readers should observe the the way Abraham welcomed the visitors and how the citizens of Sodom sought out visitors for sexual gratification.

To delve a bit further into the Sodom and Gomorrah backstory, consider a passage from Genesis Rabbah, a collection of biblical commentaries from the third century CE. It tells of a woman named Palatine, a citizen of Sodom, who fed a starving man. What the reader should understand from the story is that poor, starving people were left to die in the city of Sodom. Their values were so utterly contrary to what we consider humane treatment. When the municipal authorities realized that Palatine was feeding a starving man, they executed her by fire.

While we may shudder at such a cruel punishment for kindness, let us not overlook how many municipalities in the United States have criminalized performing such an act. This is not to question the scourge of poverty and homelessness afflicting our homeland. However, it is a defial of our highest ideals when American cities willingly conform with the cliche of making sure that no good deed goes unpunished.

If anyone should remain unconvinced why Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, the prophetic book of Ezekiel makes it plain. “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom; she and her daughters were arrogant overfed and unconcerned. They did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things. Therefore, I did away with him as you have seen.”

Who knows whether or not this nation will recover from this era of callous conduct toward strangers? There’s no doubt we have strayed far from the source of an ethical legacy that once stood tall against unfathomable evil. We need the values that inform the kind treatment of strangers — now more than ever. In a world tilted by war, natural disaster and climate change, enormous populations have had to take leave of their homelands in search of physical- and food security. This has meant disrupton and inconvenience to communities still blessed with stability. As these turbulent conditions show no signs of easing up, most of us will find ourselves face-to-face with an outsider — or be ourselves forced into the role of one who needs an act of kindness.

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This post was previously published on Jude Folly’s blog.

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