I Dislike Old People

What does it truly mean to "grow old" in Judaism? This question leads us to a profound insight that might just transform your spiritual practice forever.

Delving into Moshe Rabbeinu's prophecy about the destruction of Zion, we uncover a fascinating distinction between two Hebrew concepts of aging. "V'noshantem" – spiritual retirement marked by apathy and complacency – stands in stark contrast to "zikna" – the respected wisdom that comes with experience. This linguistic nuance reveals that our spiritual destruction isn't triggered by accumulating years but by allowing our hearts to grow old and disconnected.

The true danger lies in approaching Judaism mechanically, "like somebody that should already be in the grave." When we forget our gratitude to God, lose sight of the beauty in mitzvot, and serve from a place of obligation rather than passion, we fulfill the warning that leads to exile. Yet Judaism itself provides the antidote – constant renewal through Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Shemitah cycles, and more. These institutions restart our spiritual clocks, giving us fresh perspectives and new beginnings.

The ideal spiritual journey combines the wisdom of experience with the enthusiasm of youth – maintaining what's beautifully described as a "teen love story with the Creator." Even when we stumble, this youthful energy keeps us searching for connection rather than settling into complacency. We can respect and aspire to be elders (zekenim) in wisdom while refusing to let our hearts retire from passionate engagement with the divine.

Want to revitalize your spiritual practice? Approach your learning each day with childlike openness, asking how these teachings can become practical in your mitzvah observance. Remember that remaining young at heart might be our most powerful protection against spiritual decline.

Chapters

• 0:00 Provocative Introduction

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

I hate old people and I hope I never grow old, but I do love senior citizens. And before you swipe off and unsubscribe from TMC, allow me a moment to explain myself. It is last week that Moshe Rabbeinu foretold the ultimate crumbling of Judaism, or of Zion and the Chorban Bias that we just read on Tisha B'Av. Moshe Rabbeinu says when you will have children and children's children and you will have grown old in the land and you will degrade yourself and you will anger God and do what's evil in the eyes of Hashem, that's when you're going to be booted from the land and that's when the Churban Bias will happen. It all stems and begins from a vino shantem, and you grew old in the land. Vino shantem when you will have grown old. While it is the ultimate catalyst for destruction, we must ask ourselves how do we then refrain from what seems like is the inevitable, that we're all going to grow old, but Rav Hirsch saves the day. You can also see the safer Asheroshim L'Radak says something similar to us, but there's a very stark difference between the two Hebrew words for elderliness, senior citizen-ness and old people-ness. There is a word called Vino Shantem, which means to grow old, and then there's a word Zikna, zikena, a zaken, which also means to grow old. But to be a zaken means to be wise and experienced and to have to become a seasoned vet. But v'noshantem, that comes from the word yeshena, the same word of sleep, a heart that is apathetic, that is retired. It has a negative connotation and it is v'noshantem, a heart that's asleep, a heart that's grown old, a heart that's retired. It serves Hashem like somebody that is already should be in the grave. That's what causes the destruction.

Speaker 1: 1:58

When the churban bias becomes inevitable is when the Jewish people grow old in their hearts and they forget how much they owe God and they forget that God took them out and they forget the beauty of Hashem and his mitzvos. It is our obligation to become more wise and more experienced, to be a zuckin, but to always remain young at heart, a child at heart. New Judaism needs to be new and God helps us with this. He gives us things that restart the clock A new month every Rosh Chodesh, a new renewal of creation on Shabbos, new seven-year cycles of business and 50-year cycles of Shemitah for business. To restart things, to give you a fresh start, a new perspective.

Speaker 1: 2:44

We cannot become apathetic. We cannot let our Yiddishkeit become. Every day of your learning should be with an open mind of a newness, of what do I see in the learning. And now? How can I make that practical and how can that become a part of my Asiyas HaMitzvos? God loves us because we're the child lover. And how can that become a part of my Asiyah HaMitzvos? Nari Yisrael Ve'oavehu? God loves us because we're the child lover.

Speaker 1: 3:09

We have a teen love story with the Bayre'i and even if we make a mistake or two, I wonder if we remain a child at heart and we still crave Hashem and sometimes we make mistakes, but we're still youthfully searching down Hashem and not just growing old at heart. Maybe that'll be a better look for us. But as soon as Judaism becomes like you're an old person, old at heart, old at heart, retired at heart, that is something we can decide not to become, but to grow old in years, to be more mature, to be a seasoned vet, to be a zucking. Those people, of course, we love, we respect and we all want to be like them. Take heed Do not grow old in the land, because Vinay Shantem Baaretz is the very end of it all. Thank you.