Daf 102a (דַּף ק״ב ע״א)

In this manner, at the time that the destroyer is present in the world (כְּגַוְונָא דָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּמְחַבְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא), a person must conceal himself in his house and not appear in the marketplace (בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְכַּסְיָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ וְלָא יִתְחֲזֵי בְּשׁוּקָא), so that he not be harmed (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְחַבֵּל), as it is said: “And none of you shall go out from the entrance of his house until morning” (Exodus 12) (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְאַתֶּם לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ עַד בֹּקֶר). From them, if he can hide, yes-but before Kudsha Berikh Hu, this is not so (מִנַּיְיהוּ דִּיכִיל לְאִסְתַּתְּרָא אִין, אֲבָל מִקַּמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא). What is written? “Can a man hide in secret places and I not see him?” (Jeremiah 23) (מַה כְּתִיב אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם יְיָ).

Where is Sarah your wife? (אַיֵּה שָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּךָ), they did not need to ask her whereabouts (דְּלָא בָעוּ לוֹמַר קַמָּהּ), for once he said “Behold, in the tent,” immediately he said: “I shall return to you at the time of life, and behold-a son for Sarah your wife” (כֵיוָן דְּאָמַר הִנֵּה בָאֹהֶל מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כְּעֵת חַיָּה וְהִנֵּה בֵן לְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּךָ וְגו׳). Come and see-the way of the earth: until Avraham invited them to eat, they said nothing (תָּא חֲזֵי אוֹרַח אַרְעָא דְּעַד לָא אַזְמִין אַבְרָהָם קַמַּיְיהוּ לְמֵיכַל לָא אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מִידֵּי), so that it not appear that on account of the good news he was inviting them to eat (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְחֲזֵי דִּבְגִין הַהִיא בְּשׂוֹרָה קָא אַזְמִין לְהוּ לְמֵיכַל); after it is written “and they ate,” then they told him the good news (בָּתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיּאכֵלוּ כְּדֵין אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ הַהִיא בְּשׂוֹרָה). And they ate (וַיֹּאכֵלוּ)-can it arise in your mind that supernal angels eat? (סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ וְכִי מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי אָכְלֵי) Rather, for the honor of Avraham it appeared so (אֶלָּא בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְּאַבְרָהָם אִתְחֲזֵי הָכִי). Rabbi El'azar said: And they ate-truly, for they are fire consuming fire and are not seen (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וַיֹּאכֵלוּ וַדַּאי, בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן אֶשָׁא דְּאָכִיל אֶשָׁא וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי), and all that Avraham gave them-they ate (וְכָל מַה דְּיָהַב לוֹן אַבְרָהָם אָכְלֵי), for they ate from that Side of Avraham above (בְּגִין דְּמִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבְרָהָם אָכְלֵי לְעֵילָא).

Come and see: all that Avraham fed in purity, he was himself consuming (תָּא חֲזֵי כָּל מַה דְּאָכִיל אַבְרָהָם בְּטָהֳרָה אִיהוּ קָא אָכִיל), and therefore he offered before them and they ate (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַקְרִיב קַמַּיְיהוּ וְאָכְלֵי), and Avraham guarded in his house between purity and impurity (וְנָטִיר אַבְרָהָם בְּבֵיתֵיהּ דַּכְיָא וּמְסָאֲבוּתָא), that even a person who was impure (דְּאֲפִילּוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ מְסָאַב) Some say: he would not serve in his house until he had immersed (נ״א לֹא הֲוָה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּבֵיתֵיהּ עַד דְּעָבִיד לֵיהּ טְבִילָה), or he made him guard himself for seven days as is proper before he appeared in his house (אוֹ עֲבִיד לֵיהּ לְנַטְרָא שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), and so it truly was (וְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי).