When a parent appears visibly older, wiser, and more experienced, his words make an impression on the younger generation
The Yalkut Shimoni relates that Avraham asked Hashem to create visible signs of aging. He said, “When my son and I enter a place together, nobody knows who is older!”
Hashem answered, “This is a good thing you’re asking for. Signs of old age will begin with you.” (Adapted from the Lekach Tov)
My boys love the zoo, so we spend a lot of time there. A few years ago, we were lucky enough to visit the day a baby giraffe was born. We headed immediately to the giraffe enclosure to watch the newborn animal — just hours old — as it learned to stand. Onlookers thronged the fence as the zoo staff circulated, explaining pertinent details about giraffes and their offspring.
The human observers were much more interested in Baby Giraffe’s progress than his family was. There was no Daddy Giraffe passing out cigars, no Mommy Giraffe videoing Baby’s first few steps. In fact, besides the relatively small height of this newborn, (although he was already six feet tall!), he looked like a full-grown giraffe, albeit the next generation.
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