The Binyan Tzion also refutes what the Noda B’Yehudah says about the Aron being made with a stipulation whereas an Aron Hakodesh is not, and he says, it could be there was no stipulation, but from the fact that Hashem commanded to place the broken Luchos in the Aron, we see they had kedusha like the complete Luchos. Therefore, perhaps the same is with a disqualified Sefer Torah. Additionally, the minhag is that we keep disqualified Sifrei Torah in an Aron HaKodesh with kosher one’s, therefore, it is like we made a stipulation when making the Aron Hakodesh that it is for both kosher and non-kosher Sifrei Torah. (Madanay Asher)
3) The Kehillos Yaakov (cited in Sefer Imros Moshe, siman 42, Igros V’rimos HaKehillos Yaakov) writes it’s not clear how much one should respect him, and if one should respect him like at the beginning, or if perhaps just general kavod [honor] is enough.
The Gemara in Menachos (99a) teaches: Rav Yosef taught: The Luchos and broken Luchos are kept in the Aron, from here we see that a talmud chocham who unwillingly forgets his learning, one shouldn’t treat him in a disgraceful manner.” Obviously, one can’t literally disgrace him, as why would one think he could? Rather, the Gemara means one must respect him. However, it’s still not clear how much, as perhaps if we don’t respect him on the level he was used to, that itself is a disgrace.
The Yerushalmi (Mo’ed Kotan 3:1) writes: An elderly person who forgot his learning, we treat him like the kedusha of the Aron”. The Korban Eidah explains: “We give him honor like the kedusha of the Aron, which Moshe made, which had the broken Luchos stored inside.”
The Meiri (Berachos 8b) writes: “An elderly person who forgot his learning due to circumstances beyond his control, we are commanded not to treat him disgracefully, rather, he should be respected as if he never forgot, like Chazal say - the Luchos and broken Luchos were kept in the Aron”.
The Shu”t Imrei Yosher (Vol. 3, Haga’s al HaShas, Pesochim 68b) answers based on the above, a difficult Gemara in Pesochim. The Gemara says: Rav Yosef on Shavuos would say, “Make for me a third born calf (a special delicacy), for if it was not for this day, there would be many Yosef’s in the marketplace. However, now that we have a day of the giving of the Torah, there are not many Yosef’s”. The Be’er Heitev (Orach Chaim 494) asks:
Surely Rav Yosef was very humble, like we find in Sotah (49b), “There is still humility in the world, as there is me”, so why on Shavuos was he showing off about his Torah?
The Imrei Yosher explains: The Gemara in Nedorim says that Rav Yosef became ill and forgot his learning. Therefore, logically speaking there would no longer be any obligation to respect him as now he wasn’t worth anything. However, Chazal learnt from the fact that the broken Luchos were kept in the Aron that there is still an obligation to respect a talmid chocham even if he forgets his learning. It comes out, that if not for the day of the giving of the Torah from which we learn that one must respect an elderly talmud chocham who forgets his learning, he would have no importance as he forgot his learning and was like any other Joe in the marketplace. However, because of this special day, he still had importance, even though he forgot his learning. (Madanay Asher)