Мидраш к Берешит 19:3

And the Lord appeared unto him in the grove of Mamre… . in the heat of the day (Gen. 18, 11). What does in the heat of the day, mean? R. Chama b. Chanina said: "This day was the third after Abraham's circumcision, and the Holy One, praised be He! came to inquire after Abraham's [health]; and to prevent Abraham from troubling himself with guests, the Lord caused the day to be intensely hot, so that no one should go out. Abraham, however, sent out his servant, Eliezer, to search for guests; and he went out but found none. Abraham said: 'I do not trust you.' That is what people say: 'There is no trust in slaves.' He then went out himself, when he met the Holy One, praised be He, standing by the door. Thus it is written. Pass not away, I pray thee, from Thy servant (Ib). For when He saw that, he tied up [his wound] and untied it, He said: 'It is not the proper custom to stop here' and was about to leave Abraham. For that reason it is written, And he lifted up his eyes and looked, etc. — i.e., in the beginning they stopped, but when they observed his suffering they said, 'It is not customary to stop here.' Then, he ran to meet them." Who were these three men? Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael came to give the message to Sarah, Raphael to cure Abraham, and Gabriel to destroy Sodom. But is it not written (Ib. 19, 1) And two angels came to Sodom? Michael accompanied Gabriel, in order to rescue Lot, and there is also evidence from the passage (Ib.) And he overthrew, etc. And it is not written "they have overthrown." What is the reason that concerning Abraham it is written: So do as thou hast spoken. And concerning Lot it is written (Fol. 87) And he pressed upon them? (Ib. 19, 3) R. Elazar said: "Infer from this that one may decline an offer from a person inferior to himself, but not from a superior one."

And the two angels came to Sodom … and he said: “Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet” (Gen. 19:1–2). There is a proverb which says: Associate with a greasy man and you too will become greasy. Because Lot associated with Abraham he learned to welcome travelers. And they said: “Nay” (ibid.): From this episode our sages taught that one may refuse the request of one’s inferior but not of one’s superior. It is written concerning Abraham that he said: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart … and they said: “So do as thou hast said” (ibid. 18:5), but in reference to Lot it is written: And he urged them greatly; and they turned into his house … and they ate (ibid. 19:3).¹³The angel initially rejected Lot’s invitation to enter his home, but accepted Abraham’s invitation immediately. See Pesahim 86b. Surely, ministering angels do not partake of food. This was done only in order to teach us that proper behavior requires that no man should deviate from the custom of the land. You learn this lesson from Moses as well. It is written that after he ascended the mountain: And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, and he did neither eat bread nor drink water (Exod. 34:28). If it was customary to eat and drink there, he would have done so. Therefore concerning the angels who came to visit Abraham, to destroy Sodom and to rescue Lot, it is written: He made them a feast and baked them unleavened bread, and they ate (Gen. 19:3).