"Before
an old man you shall rise" - refers to a sage of any age, or to any man
or woman older than 70, but not to a wicked and ignorant person. The
Torah continues, "Fear your God," - meaning that one should not avert
his eyes pretending that he did not see the sage.
One is not
obligated to suffer monetary loss by standing up in front of a sage;
even so, one was obligated to stand up in front of a person who was
bringing first fruit to Jerusalem. Why is this? Because a mitzvah in
its proper time is especially beloved.
