Kiddushin

But here, is then the Torah his [the Rabbi's]?1 Subsequently Raba said: Indeed, the Torah is his [the scholar's], for it is written, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.2 But that is not so. For Raba was serving drink at his son's wedding, and when he offered a cup to R. Papa and R. Huna son of R. Joshua, they stood up before him; but [when he offered] R. Mari and R. Phineas son3 of R. Hisda, they did not stand up before him. Thereupon he was offended and exclaimed: ‘Are these Rabbis and the others not!’4 It also happened that R. Papa was serving drink at the wedding of Abba Mar, his son; when he offered a cup to R. Isaac son of Rab Judah, he did not rise before him, whereupon he was offended!5 — Even so, they should have shewn him respect. R. Ashi said: Even on the view that if a Rabbi renounces his honour it is renounced, yet if a Nasi6 renounces his honour, his renunciation is invalid. An objection is raised: It once happened that R. Eliezar, R. Joshua and R. Zadok were reclining7 at a banquet of Rabban Gamaliel's son,8 while Rabban Gamaliel was standing over them and serving drink. On his offering a cup to R. Eliezer, he did not accept it; but when he offered it to R. Joshua, he did. Said R. Eliezer to him, ‘What is this, Joshua: we are sitting, while Rabban Gamaliel is standing over us and serving drink!’ ‘We find that even a greater than he acted as servitor’, he replied: ‘Abraham was the greatest man of his age,9 yet it is written of him, and he stood over them.10 And should you say that they appeared to him as Ministering Angels — they appeared to him only as Arabs.11 Then shall not R. Gamaliel Berabbi12 stand over us and offer drink! Said R. Zadok unto them: ‘How long will you disregard the honour of the Omnipresent and occupy yourselves with the honour of men! The Holy One, blessed be He, causeth the winds to blow,13 the vapours to ascend, the rain to fall, the earth to yield, and sets a table before every one; and we — shall not R. Gamaliel Berabbi stand over us and offer drink’! — But if stated, it was thus stated: R. Ashi said: Even on the view that if a Nasi renounces his honour it is valid, yet if a king renounces his honour it is not, for it is said, thou shalt surely set a king over thee,14 teaching that his authority15 shall be over thee.16 Our Rabbis taught: Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head;17 I might think, even before an aged sinner; therefore it is said, and honour the face of a zaken,18 and ‘zaken’ can only refer to a Sage,19 for it is said: Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel.20 R. Jose the Galilean said: ‘Zaken’ [means] only he who has acquired wisdom,21 for it is said: The Lord possessed me [sc. wisdom personified] as the beginning of his way.22 I might think that one might stand up before him [even] at a great distance: therefore it is written, . . . thou shalt rise up, and thou shalt honour,23 [implying], I ordered one to rise up only where it confers honour.24 I might think that one must honour him with money,25 therefore it is written: ‘thou shalt rise up and thou shalt honour’: just as rising up involves no monetary loss, so does honouring also mean without monetary loss. I might think that one must rise up before him out of a privy or a bathhouse, therefore it is written ‘thou shalt rise up and thou shalt honour’, [implying] I ordered to rise up only in a place where it confers honour. I might think that one may shut his eyes as though he has not seen him: therefore it is taught, . . . thou shalt rise up, and thou shalt fear thy God:26 of what is known to the heart only it is said, and thou shalt fear thy God.27 R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: How do we know that the Sage must not trouble [the people]?28 From the verse, . . . old man and thou shalt fear.29 Issi b. Judah said: Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head implies even any hoary head,30 But is not R. Jose the Galilean identical with the first Tanna? — They differ in respect to a young sage: the first Tanna holds that a young sage is not [included in the precept], whereas R. Jose the Galilean holds that he is. What is R. Jose the Galilean's reason? — He can tell you: should you think as the first Tanna asserts, if so, the All-Merciful should have written: ‘Thou shalt rise up before the hoary headed zaken and honour [him]’; why did the All-Merciful divide them? To teach that the one [hoary head] is not identical with the other [zaken], and vice versa. This proves that even a young sage [is included]. And the first Tanna?31 — That is because it is desired to place ‘old man’ in proximity to ‘and thou shalt fear’.32 Now, what is the first Tanna's reason? — Should you think as R. Jose the Galilean maintains, if so, the All-Merciful should have written, renounce his honour. having studied it, he acquires it for himself and it becomes his law. resent it that honour was not shewn them? being Arabs, who worship the dust of their feet. of wisdom).