King Solomon in Kohelet lists the infirmities of advancing age in brutal and vivid detail. Yet all of us pray for long life and years of great age. As the saying goes, it certainly beats the alternative. But all of this being said, I feel that there are certain unique privileges that come with the accumulation of decades. There are certain valuable privileges that inhere to one becoming elderly. An older person, though one may now be more restricted physically and functionally, one is freed of certain social and external inhibitions. 

 

One no longer places the importance on fashionable style and clothing that one did in one's younger years. Most of the elderly are able to make peace with their social and monetary situation and the drive to accumulate more and more diminishes, though it never really disappears completely from us as long as we are alive. 

 

Time plays a greater role than before and there often is a problem of how to fill it. The years of retirement are often years of boredom and are emotionally unrewarding. The challenge is to be able to exploit the advantages of age and disregard, to the extent possible, the problems and disadvantages that come with advancing years.

 

One of the privileges that I feel age bestows is the ability to be more honest and explicit with one's own self and opinions. The fact that one no longer really aspires to greater position and/or fame (certainly one wishes no more notoriety) frees one’s mind from always having to be influenced by current political correctness and the oppressive hand of conformity. 

 

I have often thought that the Lord delayed the challenge to Abraham of sacrificing Isaac until Abraham was of very advanced age. Even then according to many commentators and Midrash, Abraham was troubled by what the world would think of him and his message of monotheism if he committed this seemingly inexplicable act of murder. 

 

Yet since this challenge occurred as the almost final challenge of his long career, the opinions of others and the public relations angle played less of a role in Abraham's decision to follow God's commandment no matter what. Age confers upon one the courage of conviction. And therefore opinions that one would keep to one’s self in one's younger years for fear of unwanted controversy are more easily expressed publicly by those who have achieved substantial years. 

 

It is not that one does not completely care what others think when one achieves the status of being elderly. It is rather that it means that it should be possible to gain  a recognition of one's true self and a truthful expression of the experience of years lived and hopefully of the wisdom of life itself.

 

The Talmud recognizes the privileges of age in many respects. The Talmud itself says regarding the questioning of a certain opinion of one of the sages: “If wisdom is perhaps lacking, at least age and experience is present.” There are many so-called retired people that I know who now serve as consultants and guides for companies and younger entrepreneurs. Their experience and know-how are of enormous value and importance. 

 

One of the great privileges of age is the knowledge of failure. No one passes through this world without experiencing moments, if not even years, of small reward and even of dismal failure. Unless one knows how to deal with failure, financial reverses, personal disappointments and family problems one is unlikely to record eventual success in these areas later in life. 

 

It is ironic that younger generations are reticent to accept the advice and guidance that the elderly are willing to give them. Most people somehow resent being told what and how to do things. Yet the elderly are an enormous resource for wisdom and the avoidance of error and often have a clearer perspective on life. 

 

That is why Judaism emphasizes respect if not even homage to the elderly. It is no accident that most of the great leaders of the Jewish people and especially of the Torah world, in recent as well as past times, were people of age and experience. 

 

Moshe begins his career at the age of eighty, hardly an age where any congregation in the world today would engage his services as a spiritual leader. Nevertheless the privileges of age are present, vital and important. They should certainly be exploited to the extent they can be, by society generally and families particularly.

 

Shabat shalom

 

Berel Wein