The compound CeRhAl is neither magnetically ordered nor superconducting down to 2 K and LaRhAl is superconducting at 2.4 K. We report X-ray absorption spectra at the L3(2p→5d) and M5,4(3d→4f) edges of Ce and La in the above ternary intermetallic compounds. Based on this spectroscopic investigation, it is found that Ce shows mixed valent nature and La is in trivalent state. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.