Today, the Talmud gives us six examples of the proper conduct and respect a student owes their master, their rabbi. The first is that one should not stand right next to their master during prayer. That refers to the silent Amidah, because it looks like you’re equating yourself with your master. The second is that one should not pray directly behind their master. There are three different reasons given by our commentaries. Rashi says that it is similar to the previous idea: when you’re right behind your master, it’s a sign of arrogance, and you’re trying to equate yourself with him. Tosafot learns that when a student bows during their prayer, it is as if they’re bowing toward their master, which is not correct. Obviously, we should never bow toward our rabbi. We only bow toward HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Hashem. Rabbeinu Yonah says something different. He says that if you’re praying directly behind your master and he finishes his prayer before you finish yours, he’ll have to wait before taking his three steps back. Now you’re causing him an inconvenience, again a sign of disrespect toward your master.
The third example of proper conduct that we owe out of respect for our master, our rabbi, is that one should not greet their rabbi as they would greet someone else. Rather, you should greet them with greater respect. That is in the tone of voice and in the words chosen. The slang or slack that a person allows themselves with their other friends and acquaintances should be replaced by a higher level of respect toward their rabbi. The fourth is that one should not return a greeting to their rabbi or master as they would to anyone else. The fifth is that no student should open a new academy without the consent of their own master. The sixth is that one is not to say something in the name of their rabbi or master if their rabbi never taught them that. Meaning, you can’t say that your rabbi taught you something when he really never did.
The Talmud is telling us that these are disrespectful acts, and they cause God to distance Himself from the Jewish people. And we can ask: Why is the Talmud so harsh when it comes to someone displaying a lack of respect toward their master or rabbi? The answer is a very, very important concept: we can never forget who taught you what you know. Meaning, don’t forget who taught you how to learn and who taught you how to think for yourself. Because that’s what we’re talking about. That is a tremendous amount of respect. It’s like the same person fed you, and then you go and bite or hit their hand. That’s on a basic level. But I want to say there is a deeper, more important reason. Your master is your direct connection to the line of transmission from Hashem to Moses, and to every single teacher and student who follows, all the way down to you. Hashem takes it very seriously. The Talmud is telling us how seriously Hashem takes it when one disrespects that system: the system of transmission, the very mechanism that connects every single student back to Sinai and Moses and directly to Hashem. So let us take this lesson, which is also learned from honoring one’s parents. Let us always display the proper and due respect to our teachers, our rabbis, and our masters.