Joodse traditie als permanent leren

187.

rise till he has approached within four cubits; and as soon as he has passed, one resumes one's seat.

When a Chacham enters, each person stands up as he approaches him within four cubits, and then resumes his seat, and so does the next one till the Chacham has reached his place and is seated, A pupil* in regular attendance, may only rise before his teacher in the morning and in the evening, so that the honour paid to the teacher shall not be more than that shown to God.

One rises up before an old man, advanced in years, even if he is not a sage. Even a learned man who is young rises up before an old man of advanced age. He is not obliged, however, to rise to his full height but need only rise himself sufficiently to indicate courtesy. Even a gentile who is aged should be shown courtesy in speech; and one should extend a hand to support him, as it is said, "Thou s halt rise up before the hoary head", without qualification. Scholars do not go out to take part with the rest of the community in building, digging or similar work for the state, so as not to lose the respect of the common people. Nor are they assessed for the cost of building the walls, repairing the gates, paying the watchman's wages, etc. , or making a gift to the king. Nor are they obliged to pay a tax, jointly or severally levied upon the inhabitants of a city, as it is said, "Yea, though they hire (Joseph Caro in his Keseph Mishnah, explains this verse thus 'If they all study Torah ((play upon Yitnu, which means in Aramaic, they study)), God will gather them; if only a few do so, they will be diminished') among the nations, now will I gather them up, and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of kings and princes" (Hos. 8:10). So too, if a scholar has goods for sale, he is to be given the opportunity of disposing of them first; and no one else in the market is to be permitted to sell, till the scholar has first sold his stock. Similarly, if he has a cause pending and he is standing among a large nurnber of suitors, his cause is taken first, and (during the hearing) he is seated. It is exceedingly iniquitous to contemn sages or hate them. Jerusalem was only destroyed when its scholars were treated with contumely, as it is said, "But they mocked the messengers of God and despised His words., and scoffed at His prophets" (II Chron. 36:16); this means that they "despised those who taught His words", So top, the text "And if ye shall abhor My statutes" (Lev, 26:15) means "if