Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 19:32

"Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah." — Leviticus 19:32 (ASV)

Rise up before the hoary head. —But though no regard is to be paid to these soothsayers and deceivers, the greatest reverence is to be shown to the aged, for “with the old is wisdom, and in length of days understanding” (Job 12:12; Job 32:7, and so on). If we, therefore, are to attain to the holiness which, as it is set forth in the beginning of this chapter, is to reflect the holiness of God, we must have reverence for the aged, since God himself is called “the Ancient of days” (Daniel 7:9; Daniel 7:13; Daniel 7:22).

This precept, which is so often taught in Holy Scripture, is beautifully reinforced in the maxims of the authorities during the Second Temple period. “He who receives and takes care of an old man is rewarded as if he received and sought God,” is one of their sayings. Again, “Prophets are only believed if they come armed with Divine miracles, but old men always.” To this day, when, among Orthodox Jews, an aged person enters a house where young people are, they all rise up and will not sit down until he asks them to do so. An exception, however, is made with regard to workers. When an aged person passes by artisans who are engaged in their work, they do not need to stand up and thus be interrupted in their labour.