The Crown of Gray Hair Found on the Path of Righteousness

"The crown of glory is gray hair; it is found on the path of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31). If you see a person who occupies himself with Torah and good deeds and acts of lovingkindness, he is destined to merit the crown of gray hair; therefore it is said, "it is found on the path of righteousness." Come and learn from Abraham: because he apportioned honor to the ministering angels, he merited the crown of gray hair, as it is said, "And Abraham was old, advanced in days" (Genesis 24:1). And why all this? "It is found on the path of righteousness." And where do we find that he performed righteousness? As it is written, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Come and learn from Joseph the Righteous, who, because he stood firm and strengthened the honor of his father in Egypt, merited the crown of gray hair, as it is said, "And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees" (Genesis 50:23). And where do we find that he performed righteousness? As it is said, "And Joseph sustained his father and his brothers" (Genesis 47:12). And likewise in David: "And David executed justice and righteousness for all his people" (2 Samuel 8:15), and it is written, "And king David was old, advanced in days" (1 Kings 1:1). We have learned that old age is found only on the path of righteousness, as it is said, "it is found on the path of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31).