6. At the beginning of a meal, the host is given the honor of reciting the blessing and cutting the bread.
When the host portions out the food and serves it to the guests himself, the portions are likely to be larger.
You should not invite more people to a meal than you are truly prepared to host.
7. During the meal, you should not look at a guest's plate, so that the guest does not feel self-conscious. You should also remain calm and at ease during the meal and create a pleasant atmosphere.
If guests say something unpleasant to the host, he should pay no attention to it, because in any case he will receive a great reward from Above for welcoming guests.
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik once visited the Jewish town of Baranovichi. He went to look for an inn that the local residents had told him about. When he entered the house, the host did not recognize him. At that moment, the host was busy preparing to welcome a distinguished guest—the Rebbe of Koidanov—so the conversation was very brief: “Find yourself a place wherever you can,” the host said, continuing to tidy up. Suddenly, the Rebbe of Koidanov appeared in the doorway and, seeing Rabbi Yosef, immediately went over to him. His face reflected admiration and awe, and he showed Rabbi Soloveitchik particular respect. The host realized who his guest was and became very embarrassed. He decided to smooth things over: he approached Rabbi Soloveitchik, began speaking to him in a very respectful tone, and offered him a nice, spacious room. “Now I understand why we learn the mitzvah of welcoming guests specifically from our forefather Avraham,” said Rabbi Yosef Dov, “even though Lot also welcomed guests at the risk of his life. The point is that our forefather Avraham gladly welcomed even guests who looked like idolaters or people of low social standing. Lot, however, knew from the outset that his visitors were angels, and if we held him up as an example, one might assume that a special welcome should be extended only to angels and great righteous people, rather than to ordinary people.”
There is a special mitzvah to hold a festive meal on the holidays.
The Rambam writes that if a person closes his door and enjoys a holiday meal only with his household (without allowing the poor to enter and ask for food), he is considered to be merely filling his belly rather than fulfilling the mitzvah. Therefore, on the holidays, one must invite poor people to the meal, or at least make sure they have everything they need to celebrate the holiday.