The Importance of Respect Five hundred years ago, there was a member of a community who had unusually long hair. Since he seemed to be eccentric, the community did not treat him with the proper respect. Eliyahu HaNavi appeared to the gabbai of the Shul and told him that this man is an incredibly great Talmid Chacham, the very pillar of the world. The next morning the gabbai gathered the leaders of the community and told them of the man's greatness. He urged them to give the man the highest level of honor and respect. In addition, the gabbai said, "If what I have said is true, let me die today." He expired as soon as he said those words. The Torah scholar of the story was the holy MaHarshah, one of the greatest commentators of theTalmud. Lesson: Every person is deserving of respect. Even if he appears to be "different," he deserves our respect. He might be a hidden tzadik. Even if he is not, he is still an "Image of HaShem," and the descendent of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaacov! Visualization: Envision the shame and horror of the gabbai when he learned that the man he and the community had treated so poorly was the honorable MaHarshah. Never treat any human being disrespectfully. Honor and respect every person as if he were a king.
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