Standing is a sign of respect TB Kidushin 33

Because yesterday’s daf TB Kidushin 32 was discussing the honor, kavod-כָּבוֹד, due a parent, it segues into the honor due a scholar and an elderly person with a baraita.

“The Sages taught with regard to the verse: “Before the hoary head you shall stand and you shall revere the face of an elder, and you shall fear your God” (Leviticus 19:32): One might have thought that it is obligatory to stand before a simple [ashmai] elder. Therefore, the verse states: “elder,” and an “elder” means nothing other than a wise man, as it is stated: “Gather unto Me seventy men of the Elders of Israel, whom you know to be the Elders of the people” (Numbers 11:16). Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: An “elder [zaken]” means nothing other than one who has acquired wisdom. He interprets the word zaken as a contraction of the phrase zeh kanna, meaning: This one has acquired. Elsewhere the word kanna is used in reference to wisdom, as it is stated that wisdom says: “The Lord acquired me [kanani] at the beginning of His way” (Proverbs 8:22)…

“The baraita continues: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: From where is it derived that an elder should not trouble others to honor him? The verse states: “And you shall revere the face of an elder, and you shall fear your God.” The phrase “an elder, and you shall fear,” read by itself, without the rest of the verse, indicates that an elder is also commanded to fear God, and not purposefully act in a manner to cause others to have to honor him. In conclusion, the baraita cites another opinion. Isi ben Yehuda says that the verse: “Before the hoary head you shall stand,” indicates that even any person of hoary head is included in this mitzva, not only a Sage.”  (Sefaria.org translation)

Today’s daf TB Kidushin 33 analyzes in-depth each of the baraita’s paragraphs. There’s a disagreement who is the elder the verse in Leviticus 19:32. Some hold that the elder in this verse is talking about a scholar/Rabbi. Isi ben Yehuda disagrees and says one should stand for any elderly person and the  halakha follows him. “It was stated previously that Isi ben Yehuda says that as the verse states: “Before the hoary head you shall stand,” it indicates that even anyone of hoary head is included, not only a Torah scholar. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Isi ben Yehuda. The Gemara relates: Rabbi Yoḥanan himself would stand before Aramean, i.e., gentile, elders. He said: How many experiences [harpatkei] have occurred to these individuals. It is appropriate to honor them, due to the wisdom they have garnered from their long lives.” (sefaria.org translation)

Some people have gone to universities while others have gone to the school of hard knocks. Everybody through their life experiences have gained knowledge that we could benefit from. Even though they may not have earned a university degree, they still could be our teachers of compassion, of  tzedakah, of righteousness, and other values like hard work which contribute to society. Wouldn’t it be nice if we would show everybody respect if not by standing, but how we address and treat them!  I love it that buses in Israel remind passengers which seats in the front are reserved for the elderly (and disabled) with the sign above them quoting our verse “Before the hoary head you shall stand.”

When I was in rabbinical school, I studied with Dr. Shaul Lieberman, the greatest Talmud scholar of the 20^th century. When he entered the classroom, all the students would stand up for him. Dr. Moshe Zucker was one of the most influential, teachers I ever had. He taught me how I should study the Gemara. I had the honor in my senior year to walk him home to his apartment after ma’ariv services. He was the only other teacher at JTS I stood for when he entered my 4 amot.

Since we shall be spending a lot of time in the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, here’s the source of a practical halakha we all know and observe. “A dilemma was raised before them: What is the halakha as to whether one should stand before a Torah scroll? Rabbi Ḥilkiya and Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Elazar say that this dilemma can be resolved by an a fortiori inference: If one stands before those who study the Torah, is it not all the more so true that one should stand before the Torah itself?” (Sefaria.org translation)

I wish everybody a very happy, healthy, and meaningful New Year, 5784.