ירמיהו, פרק ל״ה, פסוק ב׳

God directs the prophet to approach a specific family, lead them into the holy Temple complex, and offer them wine. This unusual command to host a drinking gathering in a sacred space is deliberately designed to spark public curiosity and draw widespread attention. The target of this mission is the family of the Rechabites. The primary approach among commentators is that this group descends from Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, who is also known as Hobab. They take their name from Rechab, the patriarch of the family and the father of Jonadab, a man who dedicated his life to serving God [רד״ק, שטיינזלץ].

The prophet is instructed to speak with the family, which requires a careful, indirect approach. He is to strike up a natural conversation and gently guide them toward the room where the wine is waiting, without revealing the true purpose of their visit. This subtle tactic ensures that the family does not put their guard up in advance and refuse the invitation [מלבי״ם].

They are led into one of the chambers adjacent to the Temple [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. The choice of this specific location is highly intentional. A prophet hosting a wine banquet inside the Temple grounds is a startling event, carefully planned to provoke public wonder and ensure the gathering becomes widely known [מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, the prophet's own status as a priest likely makes it easier for him to grant the family access to these inner rooms [שטיינזלץ].

Once inside, the prophet is told to give the family wine. This does not mean he is to force them to drink. Instead, he is simply meant to serve it, set the cups before them, and make a genuine effort to offer the drink, even though it is well known that this family has a strict tradition of not drinking wine [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].