Explained simply
What Is a Tzaddik? Explaining Tzaddikim to Children
“Tzaddik” is a word children hear often — but what does it really mean, and how do you explain it in a way a young child can hold on to? Here’s a simple guide for parents and teachers.
The simple meaning
A tzaddik (plural: tzaddikim) is a truly righteous person — someone whose whole life is devoted to doing what is good and right, to serving Hashem, and to helping others. The word comes from tzedek, meaning justice or righteousness.
For a child, the clearest way to say it: a tzaddik is a person who is so good, so kind, and so close to Hashem that people learn from the way they live. They keep the mitzvos with love, they care deeply about every person, and they bring blessing into the world.
Why tzaddik stories matter for kids
Children learn who they want to become from the people they admire. Stories of tzaddikim give them real heroes — not made-up characters, but people who actually lived and showed what kindness, faith, and courage look like. A single story about a tzaddik’s bracha, or the way they treated a stranger, can teach a lesson that a hundred reminders never could.
How to talk about it with your child
Start with a story, not a definition. Tell them what a tzaddik did — how the Baal Shem Tov welcomed a lonely traveler, how a tzaddik gave away their last coin — and let the meaning arrive on its own.
Then connect it to them: “You can be like that too, in small ways, today.” Tzaddikim can feel far away; the goal is to help a child see that the same good middos are within their own reach.
Stories of tzaddikim for children
The best way to teach children about tzaddikim is to let them meet them — in stories told at their level. The Amazing Miracle Stories for Kids series is full of true stories of tzaddikim and miracles, retold for young readers with full-color illustrations — including stories of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.