LEV764 "You shall fear my sacred place". We are obligated to act with reference when we enter a shul or Bais Medrash since they are considered a mikdosh m'at -- a minor scale Bais Hamikdosh (Yeraim 344; Mishnah Brurah 151:1). Anyone who speaks loshon hora in a shul or Bais Medrash violates this commandment.

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LEV765 "You shall fear my sacred place". We are obligated to act with reference when we enter a shul or Bais Medrash since they are considered a mikdosh m'at -- a minor scale Bais Hamikdosh (Yeraim 344; Mishnah Brurah 151:1). Anyone who speaks loshon hora in a shul or Bais Medrash violates this commandment.

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LEV766 See [[GEN721]] Genesis 9:6 shed OXFORD 475-6

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LEV767 Do not do as the soothsayers of Ob. “Oboth” burn a certain incense and perform certain acts that make one imagine that one hears a voice emitting from one's armpit, and it seems that the voice answers questions that are posed to it. The Torah forbids to do such acts or consult these “Oboth.” As explained earlier [See [[LEV751]] Leviticus 19:26 superstition CHINUCH 158-9] practices such as these can undermine a person's belief in Hashem and make him forget basic principles of the true faith. One can come to believe that the things that happened to him are all just by chance, and one can profit and be saved from harm by means of these questions and divination. Really, practices of the sort are of no use at all, for everything that happens to us is from the Holy One, according to our deeds. Such is the Jewish way of thinking. It guides us at all times, and all believing Jews think this way. In addition, “Oboth” and “Yidoni” are very reminiscent of idol-worship.

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LEV768 This teaches us that they do not come upon one unless he turns his mind to them and defiles himself through them (Torath Cohanim).

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LEV769 The fulfillment of a positive commandment is referred to as fear of Heaven, in the same way as is vigilance over a negative commandment, as the pasuk says [this verse], "You shall stand up before the venerable and give respect to a sage, and you shall be afraid of your God (I.e., fear of Hashem leads to the fulfillment of the positive commandment); I am Hashem." The pasuk also says (Tehillim 34:12), "Fear of Hashem I will teach you," after which it says (ibid.; 15), "Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it." We derive from here that anyone who is not engaged in doing good and pursuing peace has contravened the fear of Heaven, He is considered to be among the wicked, for he is not a God-fearing individual, as the pasuk says (Koheles 8:13), "But for the wicked it will not be well, and he will not live long – – like a [fleeting] shadow – – since he is not afraid God."

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LEV773 See [[LEV694]] Leviticus 19:18 love OXFORD 37

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LEV771 He [Hillel] used to say: …. And if not now, when? Pirkei Avot, Perek I, mishnah 14. The Torah commands, "Before an aged one, rise" [this verse] as a sign of respect. Some commentators give a striking interpretation: "Before you become an aged one, rise." In other words, do not wait until you are well advanced in years before returning to religion. Elevate yourself, rise in spirituality before old age sets in by degrees. Do not say, I will start observing the Sabbath when I retire from business; or, I will start visiting the synagogue when I have children. "If not now, when?" How can you be sure that you will reach that period in life? Or that if you do, you will be able to accomplish these things which you are neglecting now? Rise, elevate yourself now, before the years slip away into old age, leaving you fixed in your habits.

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LEV772 R. Me'ir said: Do not look at the jug but at what is in it: There can be a new jug filled with old wine, and an old one without even new wine in it. Pirkei Avot, Perek IV, mishnah 27. It is true that the Torah commands us to respect the aged [this verse] But, R. Me'ir indicates, this imposes no hard and fast rule on us to turn only to the old for wisdom, as though they possessed it exclusively. There is no monopoly on sound counsel, and we would do well to be receptive to it from whatever quarter it comes. As one Sage passionately exclaimed, "Happy, fortunate is the generation in which the elders listen to the younger ones." (T.B. Rosh Hashanah 25b).

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LEV774 Seven things are [typical] in a clod, and seven in a wise man: [1] he does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom; Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 9. There is yet another version, in the standard additions of Talmud that Rashi and Mahzor Vitry follow, reading בחכמה ובמנין: "A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom or in number." Rashi explains: in number of years; in other words, it is seemly to show the same courteous difference to someone merely older, even if not particularly wiser--in keeping with Scripture's dictum, "Before an aged man shall you rise" [this verse]. With the passing of years a person is likely to have acquired wisdom out of his experiences, and he deserves respect on that score. This word ובמנין is also found in Avoth d’R. Nathan (A37), and clearly with the very same meaning, for it then gives Moses as an illustrative example of the wise man: “... it is stated: And Aaron spoke all these words which the Lord had spoken to Moses, and he did the signs in the sight of the people. (Exodus 4:30). Now, who was really the proper person to speak, Moses or Aaron?-- surely Moses, for he heard the instruction directly from the Almighty, while Aaron heard it from Moses. Nevertheless, Moses reasoned: Can I then speak where my older brother is present? He therefore bade Aaron speak.” Another meeting for ובמנין, says Rashi, is “greater in number of disciples.” Mahzor Vitry elaborates: In Talmudic times, after a thorough discussion and debate in the academy of Torah over an uncertain point of law, a vote would be taken, and the majority decision accepted. Then if a wise scholar finds that he differs with one who has more disciples than he, he will prudently remain silent. In any case a majority will side with the other.

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