While one should be respectful of people in general, and certainly of older people, the mitzva regarding older people pertains specifically to standing for them. The Torah commands: “Stand up before seiva, and honor the presence of a zaken.”[1] The gemara[2] cites different opinions as to what is referred to by the term “seiva.” The first opinion is that it refers to a Torah scholar. Another opinion is that of Isi ben Yehuda, who maintains that seiva refers to an elderly person, even if he is devoid of other special qualities. The gemara[3] concludes that we accept Isi ben Yehuda’s opinion, and the Shulchan Aruch rules accordingly, noting that we stand to honor Torah scholars as well.[4]
Who is considered old enough to deserve the expression of respect of others rising in his or her presence? The Rambam[5] writes that one stands for a person who is “extreme in oldness,” without giving a specific age. The Rosh[6] writes that one stands for a 70-year-old. Many point out that the Rosh’s ruling is in line with the mishna in Avot[7] that lists characteristics of different ages and states that 70 is the age of seiva – the word the Torah uses for one for whom we should stand. The Shulchan Aruch[8] likewise rules that one should stand for people over the age of 70.
However, there are also sources that refer to the age of 60. The Birkei Yosef[9] cites the Arizal as saying that one should stand for people over 60; the Birkei Yosef writes that this is based on Kabbalistic secrets. Others provide “revealed”[10] sources for the significance of 60. Onkelos[11] translates the above pasuk such that “seiva” refers to a Torah scholar and “zaken” refers to an older person. The Rashbetz[12] explains that according to Onkelos, who maintains that “zaken” refers to the elderly, the age is 60, as the mishna states that 60 is the age of zikna.
As we have seen, the Shulchan Aruch accepts the age of 70. This makes sense, because we prefer the gemara to Onkelos as a source of practical Halacha and because it is possible that even Onkelos agrees that the word for an older person is indeed “seiva,” which the mishna tells us is at least 70.[13]
Despite the preponderance of standard halachic sources maintaining that the age to be stood up for is 70, there are a few reasons that it might be worthwhile to do so from 60. There are early sources, such as Tikkunei HaZohar,[14] that maintain that seiva begins at age 60, and the Gra[15] writes that those sources argue with the mishna in Avot. In any case, it may be laudable to follow the Arizal, whatever his reason is,[16] or to simply be more generous in showing respect than is required. There is also an interesting compromise that includes some 60-year-olds. Some Acharonim understood the classical sources as teaching that in order to deserve honor based on age alone, one must be 70, and to deserve it based on scholarship alone, one must be a notable talmid chacham, but if one is a minor talmid chacham and is also 60, he too deserves honor.[17]
These halachot are difficult to implement in a society in which it is not standard, even for observant Jews, to stand up to honor older people. Indeed, poskim have bemoaned this for centuries.[18] One justification is that elderly people are permitted to waive their honor, and perhaps we can assume that many of them do so, as waiving the honor may be a prudent practice so as to save the many good people who do not stand from abrogating their mitzva. (We can consider also that many of those who are presently elderly did not stand regularly for older individuals when they were younger.) It is also difficult to know in which situation it is desirable to stand. After all, it is not always clear if someone is 70[19] or even 60. Many 70-year-olds these days are in excellent physical shape and resent being treated as old. One could even claim that 70 years old no longer meets the Rambam’s description of extreme age, but I did not find this thesis among the poskim. Certainly, we do not want to insult someone whom we are trying to honor by making him feel older than he wants to feel.
If one really wants to do this mitzva well, we suggest developing a style of standing up and approaching older people (or, for that matter, anyone) to greet them. If this is practiced in a natural manner, the action will not scream, “I am rising in your honor, because you are elderly, and it is a mitzva,” but simply express, “I value you and am happy to be your presence.”