LEV783 R. Yose said: Whoever honors the Torah will himself be honored by people; but whoever dishonors the Torah will himself be dishonored by people. Pirkei Avot, Perek IV, mishnah 8. At the start, let us note that the word gufo, which we translate as "himself," literally means "his body." With this rendering, our text appears to make a striking observation: He who honors the Torah, who studies and observes it in decency and reverence, will achieve the reciprocal award that his entire person will be honored by those about him. The human being is indeed a unity, a single, indivisible entity of body and soul; the two are integrally, inseparably interrelated. For this reason our Judaic tradition requires us to rise in respect at the entrance of a great rabbi or scholar [this verse, as interpreted in T.B. Kiddushin 32b and Midrash Sifra (Torath Cohanim) ad loc.] In essence, the study of the Torah is an intellectual pursuit, an activity of the mind. If we have a high regard for the scholar, it is because his mind is engaged in study, and in his thinking he has come to know the wisdom of Divinity and the verities of the Eternal. When a scholar walks into the room, however, we see only his physical presence; his mind does not make itself apparent. Why should we rise in respect? Perhaps we should wait until he speaks, until he manifests his brilliant knowledge, and then we will rise in respect! R. Yose's words indicate otherwise: Any kind of Torah activity, be it study with the mind, worship with the heart, or action with the limbs--if it is done right, it must engage the entire person and pervade his total entity, the whole organism, with sanctity. Hence, "whoever honors the Torah, his body will be honored by people." Not only the mind but the physical person will be regarded with reverence. To us this may appear obvious: a person is a person, and he cannot really be subdivided or considered in separate parts. Yet it is interesting that he Talmud notes a certain blindness in some of this: "How foolish are these other people: they rise (in respect) before a Torah scroll, but not before a great sage" (T. B. Makkoth 22b). In the synagogue, when the Holy Ark was opened, or when a scroll was carried by, they would stand in reverence for the Torah. But when a saintly scholar passed by, the same people felt no obligation to show reverence. Yet wherein does the sanctity or holiness of a scroll actually lie? It is only a great length of parchment on wooden rollers! Obviously its holiness lies in the words of Divinity that are written on it; before them we rise in respect. But surely, the scholar or rabbi who has studied this sacred Heritage has the words of God etched on his mind and memory. He is no less a bearer of Scripture, a living Torah scroll as it were. If he has honored the Torah by devoting to it years of study and observance, his body (gufo) has become sanctified through it, and no less than the Torah itself it deserves reverent honor.