Thursday, January 04, 2007

With What Mitzvah Was Your Lil' Tzaddik Particularly Careful?


My Lil' Tzaddik used to enjoy getting his hands messy. Nothing made him happier than plunging his hands into paint or the food on his plate in front of him and letting the mess ooze through his fingers.

Recently, however, he has gotten very machmir about Netillas Yadayim. Sure he is only two and a half years-old, but whenever he gets even the slightest amount of shmutz on his hands he cries out "Dirteee!" and runs over to the sink in the midst of a meal, grabs his washing cup, and washes his hands again. Perhaps it is his exposure to another boy in his class who is extremely finicky about exposure to dirt or being messy, but my son has now also adopted this predilection for washing his hands.

Lil' Tzaddik plays with two washing cups in the tub each night and it is not uncommon for him to even sit on the couch while holding one in his lap.

5 Comments:

At January 4, 2007 at 10:57:00 AM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

:-)
I'm sure you've heard the story about the famous tzaddik (the Rizuner?) as a child who once questioned the need for any kind of Jewish prison, saying (something along the lines of):

"If you want to keep a person in one place you don't need guards, just don't give him negel vasser and he cant get out of bed."

 
At January 4, 2007 at 8:05:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cute lil' guy! Looks like you put Lil' Tzadik INTO THE NEGEL VASSER en toto! [ I'm glad he likes to get/keep clean! ]

Just another phase - Seems he likes to really 'get into the experience' for each new thing he investigates as he's growing into life. I think you may have to keep a close relationship (not a smothering one) with him to be available when he reaches those difficult 'pre' and 'teen' years to make them a bit smoother for him.

Raising children successfully in America in the days we are living through definitely warrants a ticket straight to Gan Eden for the parents (as Rabbi Avigdor Miller zt"l has been known to say).

P.S. Is the blonde hair from his mother? It's really something. Will it someday turn a dark red or stay a dark blonde? [hope i'm not being too nosy by asking. i feel like a great aunt!]

 
At January 5, 2007 at 4:33:00 AM EST, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

Thanks Neshama for your thoughts. I actually looked just like him when I was his age but over time my hair has receded and gotten darker.

 
At January 7, 2007 at 7:09:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

My seven year old loves to learn on Friday nights. She tells me we ought to learn till 1 AM because Torah is more important than sleep. When I protest, she tells me countless stories from Rabbi Juravel tapes, and from her Morah to prove her point! She teaches me a lot! (Though the desire to stay up late might have something to do with it as well...)

-Dixie Yid

 
At January 8, 2007 at 6:37:00 AM EST, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

Dixie Yid: Sounds like a holy seven year-old!

 

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