ויקרא פרק יט, לב מִפְנֵּי שֵּׂיבָה תָקום וְהָדַרְ תָ פְנֵּי זָקן
מסכת קידושין דף לב/ב
ת"ר מפני שיבה תקום יכול אפילו מפני זקן אשמאי ת"ל זקן ואין זקן אלא חכם שנאמר אספה לי שבעים איש מזקני ישראל רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר אין זקן אלא מי שקנה חכמה
The word זקן is understood to mean זה קנה חכמה. And this wordplay is needed since one might think that any elder person has acquired wisdom by virtue of their life experiences.
Thus, we can explain the Gemara in Yevamos (101a) in the matter of Chalitza that requires the action to take place in front of the elders of the city. The Gemara says that this includes even common elder people, and not necessarily wise people. Why does that Gemara explain differently than the above Gemara? One can explain that the word זקן retains its simple meaning (to include any elder in years). However, since the verse already mentioned שיבה , the word זקן in the verse has an additional meaning.
We should also know that a young “wise” person is also included in the Mitzvah to be honored. Also, a person that engages in giving charity and does other good deeds, we are also bound to honor such a person (even if not a Talmid Chacham). An allusion to this concept is found in that the next verse in Torah refers to a righteous convert that the Gemara (Megilah 17b) includes with other Tzadikim in the blessing in Shmoneh Esreh (על הצדיקים). Thus, the word זקן can also mean Tzadik. And the Gemara (Shabbos 31b) also implies that before a true Yiras HaShamyim, one should also stand.
What is the age of a person for which a person needs to honor by standing up? Rosh says seventy years according Pirkei Avos that 70 years is for שיבה. However, in the siddur of the Ari z”l, before a person who is sixty years old, one must stand up. This is a wonder, since this seems to contradict the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos. Perhaps, one could say a connection to what is the prior part of the Mishnah that sixty years old is for a זקן , and since the verse mentions both, the law applies to the earlier age.
Perhaps, one might ask about the age limit of 60 for being a zaken, since Shmuel haNavi is called a zaken and he died at the age of 52. However, the reference to Shmuel being old was not due to age but due to the effects of weakness of his body prior to his death.
