A Child's Perception

At his wife's suggestion, a friend of mine recently brought his four year-old son along with him on a visit to go see a tzaddik. He had hoped that he would be able to give his son a better understanding for just who a tzaddik is with this first-hand experience.

During the car ride in route to the location where the meeting would take place, my friend tried to explain the importance of going to see a tzaddik in a way that his young son could understand. "It is going to be great. You are going to get to see a tzaddik!", he said.

When the time came and the two of them were ushered into the room where the tzaddik was meeting with people, my friend's son took one look at the tzaddik and then said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "Ok Tattie, I have seen the tzaddik, now we can go home!" My friend tried to speak with the tzaddik for a few minutes, but his son kept pressing to leave, "Nu, nu, Tattie. Let's go already", his son said as he pulled on his pant legs.

Realizing the predicament my friend was in, the tzaddik bent down with smile and gave the little boy a lollipop. The little boy was thrilled, but in his mind it was still time to go. He had accomplished what he had come to do. He had now seen a tzaddik and now it was time to go home to mama'le.