The honor and respect afforded to a Torah scholar and teacher is expressed in the following statement: “The fear of your teacher shall be similar to your fear of Heaven” (Avos 4:15). Chazal in various places have described in clear terms the severe punishments for those who do not show proper respect to their Torah teachers. Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz Zt”l explains that the rationale for this is because improper respect for teachers and elders weakens their leadership and diminishes their overall influence on us. Lack of respect for elders means, in effect, the elimination of Torah leadership over Klal Yisroel….
