BEYOND METHUSELAH—WHO IS OLD? Walter Jacob
Id age has changed for us. One of those trans
formations has taken place in the Western world in
the twentieth century as the elderly have emerged as a class of their own with their own political and economic agenda and, when properly organized, possessed of considerable political power. This is largely the result of the economic prosperity of the West, which has led to retirement, a concept hardly known earlier. It is not altogether altruistic, since it serves to make room for the younger generation in the work place. We now face a series of social, spiritual, political, and economic issues connected with the elderly for which there is little precedent.
Twentieth-century America answers questions about who is old rather directly; contemporary documents are consistently clear on this. Our tax forms indicate that we may take a deduction if we are over 65—a small incentive to age. In many job interviews those above 55 are routinely, albeit illegally, rejected as too old. Medical research papers state that 65-75 is old; 75-85 is very old; and 85 and above is old, old. We accrue specific benefits and penalties by age.
Can the Halakhah and Jewish tradition help us? Do they provide definitions and a status for the elderly? We must remember that the traditional texts concern themselves principally with men; women were considered old after menopause. A number of references later in this paper and a responsum in the section presented in this volume discuss menopause. The aggadic literature provides some additional views of older women through its treatment of biblical figures, but that lies beyond the purview of this paper. Not a