Kabbalah Library

131. It is written, “Arise before the gray head, and honor the face of an old man.” “Arise before the gray head,” for a person must rise before a book of Torah. likewise, a person must rise to a full stand before a wise disciple, since he is in the upper, holy form, implying the upper, high priest, upper Abba, who is called “old.” It is written, “Honor the face of an old man,” who is in the world, the wise disciple who is with you in the world, implying the upper old man, upper Abba. This implies the written Torah and the oral Torah, for we must rise before a book of Torah, which is the written Torah, and we must rise before a wise disciple, who is regarded as the oral Torah.

132. “Arise before the gray head.” The Torah warns a person that before he reaches old age, he should rise in doing good in the world, to repent, since this adorns him. However, if he repents at the end of his days, it is not such a merit for a person because he is old and cannot be bad. Rather, his merit is when he is in power and is good. King Solomon cried out and said, “Even a child makes himself known by his actions.” Similarly, it is written, “And remember your Creator in the days of your youth.”