Honoring Others Part 2
In addition the obligations to honor various family members, there are
commandments that instruct us to give extra respect to certain people:
The Torah says: “Rise before an elderly person and stand before a wise
man. ” 1 We learn from here two
commandments:
1. To stand up before an elderly person: The Torah teaches us that
people that have reached a certain stage in life are deserving of a
certain level of honor. The reason for this is that they have accrued a
large amount of life experience and this in and of itself is worthy of
respect. A person is halachically defined as elderly at seventy, however
there are opinions that even a 60 year old should be put in this category
and should be honored. The main law in this regard is to stand up when an
elderly person passes by within a distance of four amos (about two
metres). One need only stand up when the elderly person first enters the
room and leaves for the day, but there is no need to stand up every time
he or she passes by. If the elderly person prefer that people do not
stand for them then one is exempt from this commandment.
2. To stand up before a Torah scholar (talmid chacham). A person who has
learnt a significant amount of Torah is deserving of a higher level of
respect. The main law with regard to the Torah scholar is also that one
must stand up when they enter and leave the room if they pass within a
distance of four amos. There are a select number of people who are
described as gedolim (great men) who are extremely learned and guide the
generation. For such people one must stand as soon as he enters a room
even from a distance greater than four amos. If the Torah scholar says
that people need not stand for him then one is exempt from doing so.
In each society, different values are emphasized - in some societies
wealth may be the indication of success. In the Judaism’s eyes the value
of knowing and living Torah greater than anything else. For this reason
we are commanded to give extra respect for a person who has devoted his
life to learning and fulfilling the Torah. It should also help instill in
each of us a desire to emulate such a person.
1Parshas Kedoshim, 19:32.
Text Copyright © 2008 by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen and Torah.org
