Positive Commandment 209 (Digest)
Respecting the Sages
"You shall stand up before an elderly person and give respect to a sage"—Leviticus 19:32.
We are commanded to accord respect to Torah scholars and respectfully rise for them. Although everyone is required to respect sages, even one Torah scholar must respect another of equal stature, this mitzvah is compounded with regard to the respect a student is expected to have for his teacher.
A student is required to respect and revere his teacher, he is forbidden to challenge his teachings, and always must give him the benefit of the doubt. Indeed, our Sages tell us, "Your reverence for your teacher must be akin to your reverence for G‑d."
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
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> The 209th mitzvah is that we are commanded to honor the Sages;) and to stand up before them as a sign of respect.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),;) "Stand up before the elderly, and give respect to the old."
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> The Sifra;) says, "The words, 'stand up' and 'give respect' [when taken together] teach you to stand up when it shows respect.";)
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> The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the first chapter of Kidushin.;)
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> You should be aware that although this is a general obligation on everyone to honor the Sages, and even one Sage to another equal to him in stature, as explained in the statement,;) "The Sages in Bavel stand up one before the other"; nevertheless there is a special additional requirement for a student, i.e. that the honor that a student must show his teacher is much greater than the honor he must show another Sage.
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> In addition to honoring your teacher you must revere;) him, since it is already explained that your obligation to your teacher is even greater than that to your father, whom Scripture obligates you to honor and revere.;) Our Sages said explicitly,;) "Between [honoring] his father and his teacher, his teacher comes first."
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> The Sages have already explained;) that it is forbidden for a student to dispute his teacher, i.e. to reject his authority, to give separate interpretations, and to teach or issue rulings without his permission. It is forbidden for him to argue with him, or speak angrily to him, or to judge him harshly, i.e. to give any kind of ;)] explanation to his action or speech, since it is possible that this was not his intention.
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> Our Sages said in the Talmudic chapter "HaChelek",;) "Anyone who goes against his teacher is as if he went against the Divine Presence., as it is written;) [regarding Korach], 'when they rebelled against G‑d,'"; "Anyone who makes a dispute against his teacher is as if he made a dispute against the Divine Presence, as it is written,;) 'These are the Waters of Dispute where the Israelites disputed with G‑d'"; "Anyone who speaks against his teacher is as if he speaks against the Divine Presence, as it is written,;) 'Your complaints are not against us but against G‑d'"; and "Anyone who has second thoughts about his teacher is as if he had second thoughts about the Divine Presence, as it is written,;) 'The people spoke out against G‑d and Moses.'" All this is clear, since the rebellion of Korach, and the dispute, complaints and wicked thoughts;) of the Jewish people were against Moses, leader of the entire Jewish people, yet Scripture considers each of them to have been committed against G‑d. Our Sages said explicitly,;) "You should fear your teacher as you fear G‑d."
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> All this;) is derived from the Scripture's command of honoring our Sages and our parents, rather than counting as a separate commandment,;) as explained in the Talmudic text.
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> Footnotes
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> 1.
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> Here, the Rambam explains the phrases, "elderly" and "old," as referring to those who are "elderly" in terms of their Torah knowledge (see Kidushin ibid.). In Mishneh Torah (Hilchos Talmud Torah 6:9), he rules that the elderly most also be honored, regardless of their Torah knowledge.
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> 2.
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> Lev.19:32.
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> 3.
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> Our versions of the Sifra do not contain this passage. Similar statements are found in Kidushin33aand Yerushalmi Bikurim 3:3.
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> 4.
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> This excludes standing up in a bathhouse, for example. See Kidushin ibid.
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> 5.
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> Kidushin 32band thereafter.
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> 6.
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> Bava Metzia 33a.
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> 7.
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> Literally "fear." The Bahag counts fear of the Sages as a distinct commandment. The Rambam here includes the obligations of honor and fear in one commandment. See the Second Introductory Principle quoted below.
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> 8.
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> Ex. 20:12. Deut. 5:16. Lev. 19:3.
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> 9.
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> Bava Metzia 2:11.
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> 10.
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> Sanhedrin 56.
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> 11.
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> See Kapach 5731, note 87.
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> 12.
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> Sanhedrin 110a.
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> 13.
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> Num.26:9.
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> 14.
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> Num.20:13.
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> 15.
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> Exodus 16:8.
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> 16.
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> Num.21:5.
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> 17.
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> E.g. that Moses had himself appointed his brother as priest, rather than at G‑d's command.
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> 18.
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> Avos 4:12.
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> 19.
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> I.e. all these statements from the Talmudic chapter HaChelek (Kapach 5731, note 97).
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> 20.
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> As is the opinion of the Bahag mentioned above.