Old Age

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Moses' Exceptional Old Age
TANAKH
Moses, at the age of 120, exhibited extraordinary physical vitality and undiminished faculties, defying the typical signs of aging. The Torah describes Moses' physical condition at the time of his death, emphasizing his clear eyesight and robust health.
Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated.
Deuteronomy 34:7
Respecting the Elderly
TANAKH
The Torah commands us to show respect and deference to the elderly, linking this obligation directly to the fear of God. Leviticus, the third book of the Torah, includes this commandment as part of its broader theme of holiness in people, time, and space.
You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God: I am יהוה.
Leviticus 19:32
Blessings in Old Age
TANAKH
Abraham was blessed by God in all things as he advanced in years. The book of Genesis recounts the life of Abraham, highlighting his old age and the blessings he received from God.
Abraham was now old, advanced in years, and יהוה had blessed Abraham in all things.
Genesis 24:1
Flourishing in Old Age
JEWISH THOUGHT
The righteous achieve their true flourishing and perfection after 70 years of life, much like the date-palm which bears fruit after 70 years. Menasseh ben Israel, in his 17th-century work, draws a parallel between the longevity and ultimate flourishing of the righteous and the date-palm, while contrasting it with the fate of the wicked.
As if it were said, in the same way that the date-palm does not bear fruit until after 70 years of planting, according to some natives, so after 70 years of this life the righteous man flourishes and achieves his perfection; but the wicked man loses everything with death.
On Resurrection of the Dead 12:2:10
The Secret to Longevity
MUSAR
Regular synagogue attendance is linked to longevity, as observed by Rabbi Yochanan. In Shemirat HaLashon, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) emphasizes the importance of communal prayer and its impact on one's lifespan.
6) This [(synagogue attendance)] leads to length of days, as we find (Berachoth 8): "When R. Yochanan was told that there were old men in Bavel, he wondered, saying: 'It is written (Devarim 11:21): "so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied upon the land which the L-rd swore to your fathers" — but not outside of that land.' When it was told him, however, that they were morning and evening in the synagogue, he said: 'This is what stands in their favor'" (see there further.)
Shemirat HaLashon, Book II, Epilogue 1:10
The Divine Favor in Old Age
KABBALAH
The Zohar reveals the spiritual and divine dimensions of old age, particularly through the blessings and divine favor bestowed upon Abraham. This mystical text from the Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, explores the significance of the letter Hei in creation and its connection to Abraham's divine blessings.
"And Abraham was old, advanced in age (lit. 'coming with the days')." Rabbi Bo said that, according to Rabbi Yochanan, this refers to the world of days and not to that world which is night. Rabbi Ya'akov said those worlds are called days because of all the pleasures and the brightness that he inherits. "And Hashem had blessed Abraham in all" (Gen. 24:1) refers to the office that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him of His name, which is the letter Hei by which the world was created.
Zohar, Chayei Sara 19:154
From Judges to Kings
SECOND TEMPLE
The transition of leadership due to Samuel's old age led to a significant political shift in ancient Israel. Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, recounts the people's demand for a king as a response to the ineffective governance by Samuel's sons.
How Samuel When He Was So Infirm With Old Age That He Could Not Take Care Of The Public Affairs Intrusted Them To His Sons; And How Upon The Evil Administration Of The Government By Them The Multitude Were So Angry, That They Required To Have A King To Govern Them, Although Samuel Was Much Displeased Thereat.
1. But Samuel the prophet, when he had ordered the affairs of the people after a convenient manner, and had appointed a city for every district of them, he commanded them to come to such cities, to have the controversies that they had one with another determined in them…
The Antiquities of the Jews 6:3:1
Exemptions from Pilgrimage
TALMUD
The elderly and physically impaired are exempt from the mitzva of appearance during the pilgrimage festivals due to their inability to ascend on their own feet. The Talmudic tractate Chagigah, part of the Order of Festivals, discusses the commandment to make a pilgrimage to the Temple and the exemptions for those unable to ascend.
The mishna further taught: And the lame, and the blind, and the sick, and the old are all exempt from the mitzva of appearance. The Sages taught: “Times [regalim]” (Exodus 23:14) alludes to the use of one’s feet [raglayim], and therefore it excludes people with artificial legs. Although they are able to walk, they are exempt from traveling, as they do not have feet. Alternatively, the term “regalim” comes to exclude the lame, the sick, the blind, the old, and one who is unable to ascend on his own feet…
Chagigah 4a:13
The Miracle of Isaac's Birth
COMMENTARY
The miraculous birth of Isaac to Sarah and Abraham in their old age underscores the fulfillment of God's promise and the continuation of the Jewish lineage. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible provides a clear and engaging explanation of this pivotal moment in Jewish history.
Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the designated time that God had told him, one year after the angels had visited his tent.
Steinsaltz on Genesis 21:2
The Sanctity of Life in Medical Triage
HALAKHAH
Age should not be a factor in medical triage decisions, as survival is ultimately determined by God. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, a leading 20th-century Orthodox Jewish legal authority, emphasizes the equal value of all lives regardless of age in his responsa on medical ethics.
Special note concerning geriatric patients, especially those who are very old: Age is no factor in triage considerations. Preference must not be given to a younger patient over an older patient. The only acceptable criterion is medical suitability, not length of survival, for survival is in the hands of Hashem and has to do with the individual's [ordained] lifespan. Although it is obvious that a twenty-year-old patient can live longer than a ninety-year-old patient, both must be treated exactly the same when they are presented for treatment…
Care of the Critically Ill, Responsa of Rav Moshe Feinstein, Iggeros Moshe, Choshen Mishpat II 75 13
Wisdom's Shield
CHASIDUT
Honoring an elderly sage can protect one from the dangers of war. In Sefer HaMiddot, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, in his collection of ethical teachings, emphasizes the profound merit and protective power of respecting Torah scholars.
Whoever honors an elderly sage is saved from war.
Sefer HaMiddot, Conflict and Strife, Part I 25
A Vision of Peace for the Elderly in Jerusalem
LITURGY
The prophecy envisions a future where elderly people will once again reside peacefully in the streets of Jerusalem, symbolizing the city's restoration and peace. This Selichot prayer, recited during the High Holy Days, reflects themes of repentance and hope for redemption, particularly focusing on the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, let those who love you live in peace and let your ruins be rebuilt, for which formerly you were praised by people from afar and from near. Let the prophecy be fulfilled, for good deliverance: that elderly people will again reside in the streets of Jerusalem.
Selichot Nusach Ashkenaz Lita, Third Day of the Ten Days of Penitence 7:12
The Lifelong Value of Torah Study
TOSEFTA
Torah study is a lifelong pursuit that provides both immediate and eternal benefits, ensuring sustenance and protection in youth and blessings and hope in old age. The Tosefta, an ancient collection of rabbinic laws and teachings from the land of Israel, emphasizes the value of Torah study over other trades, reflecting a core Jewish belief in its enduring spiritual and practical benefits.
(Translated from the Ehrfurt manuscript:) Rabbi Nehorai says: I abandoned every trade in the world and taught my children only Torah, for they eat the reward of its labour in this world but the principal remains for them in the world to come, because every trade in the world only stands for a man in his youth when his strength is upon him, but if he becomes sick, old or has troubles, he will not be able to do work and in the end will die in famine. But Torah keeps him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age…
Tosefta Kiddushin 5:14
The Stages of Life
MISHNAH
Pirkei Avot outlines the stages of life, offering wisdom and guidance for each phase from childhood to old age. This tractate of the Mishnah, a codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, provides a roadmap for living a life of moral integrity and purpose.
He used to say: At five years of age the study of Scripture; At ten the study of Mishnah; At thirteen subject to the commandments; At fifteen the study of Talmud; At eighteen the bridal canopy; At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood]; At thirty the peak of strength; At forty wisdom; At fifty able to give counsel; At sixty old age; At seventy fullness of years; At eighty the age of “strength”; At ninety a bent body; At one hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world.
Pirkei Avot 5:21
Obligations and Exemptions in Mitzvot
TALMUD
Understanding the specific obligations and exemptions of men and women in performing mitzvot is crucial for comprehending Jewish law and practice. The Talmudic tractate Kiddushin, from the early medieval period, delineates the distinctions between positive, time-bound mitzvot and those that are not time-bound, and how these apply differently to men and women.
MISHNA: With regard to all mitzvot of a son with regard to his father, men are obligated to perform them and women are exempt. And with regard to all mitzvot of a father with regard to his son, both men and women are obligated to perform them. The mishna notes an additional difference between the obligations of men and women in the performance of mitzvot: With regard to all positive, time-bound mitzvot, i.e., those which must be performed at specific times, men are obligated to perform them and women are exempt…
Kiddushin 29a:6
A Peaceful Conclusion
COMMENTARY
Abraham's life concludes with a sense of peace and fulfillment, marked by his death at a good old age and his burial alongside his wife Sarah. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explores the significance of Abraham's death and burial, emphasizing the shared heritage of Isaac and Ishmael and the importance of the Cave of Makhpelah.
And Abraham expired, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the Cave of Makhpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre, the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Het. There was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. (25:8–10)
Covenant and Conversation; Genesis; The Book of the Beginnings, Chayei Sara, On Judaism and Islam 7
The Transition of Leadership in Old Age
TANAKH
The transition of leadership during old age is a pivotal moment in any society, and King David's appointment of Solomon as his successor is a prime example. The first book of Chronicles recounts the history of Israel, with a significant focus on the reign of King David and the establishment of Solomon as the new king.
When David reached a ripe old age, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
I Chronicles 23:1
Old Jewish Woman (1880) by Meijer Isaäc de Haan. CC0 License
Old Jewish Woman (1880) by Meijer Isaäc de Haan. CC0 License

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