פירוש על בראשית 19:3

ויסרו אליו AND THEY TURNED ASIDE UNTO HIM — They took a circuitous route towards his house (Genesis Rabbah 50:4).

AND HE URGED THEM GREATLY. His urging them was meritorious on the part of Lot, and he indeed had a sincere desire to welcome wayfarers. They, however, at first refused in order to increase his merit, and therefore they finally listened to him; but originally they did not want to come into his house as he was not a perfectly righteous man. But our Rabbis have said [in order to explain their original refusal]:¹⁷²Baba Metzia 87a. “One may decline an offer from an inferior person, but not from a superior person.”¹⁷³Hence, to Abraham the angels immediately said, So do, as thou hast said, (above, 18:5), but with Lot, they at first declined. If so, their declining his offer at first was merely an act of ethical conduct.

A feast. Literally, “a drinking feast.” Lot offered them wine because he was fond of it himself.