Mile Chai Books

Translated from Otzar Sichot Tzadikim
(Treasury of Discussions of the Righteous)
Techelet

The sage Rav Gershon Henoch, may the memory of the righteous be a blessing, from Radzin, met with the sage Yisrael Yehoshua, the head of the Rabbinical court of Koutnow, and discussed with him regarding the Techelet he had rediscovered, and desired that he would 
See:  Tallis Katan

agree with him to wear his Techelet. The Rav of Koutnow did not want to agree with the Ba'al HaTechelet Rav Gershon Henoch quoting him a well known piece from the Talmud which says "Go out and see what the world is doing." He continued, "The whole world is not wearing Techelet, why must we invent new things that our forefathers have not imagined?" After they concluded their discussion they went outside and Rebbe Rav Gershon Henoch called over a person who was passing by in the marketplace carrying a bundle. Rav Gershon said to him, "Tell me; what was the difference of opinion between Rav Meir and Rav Yehudah regarding Chametz (leavened bread) and in what regard did they agree with each other?" The man stood there dumbfounded unable to open his mouth. Rebbe Rav Gershon Henoch said to the holy Rav of Koutnow; "In the tractate of Pesachim on page four, on the second side, our sages of blessed memory said that according to the whole world we agree that Chametz is forbidden from the sixth hour of the day." He continued; "And where is the whole world? You will find that the majority of the world to be like this shlepper of bundles who has no idea what the sages of the Talmud are saying. But the whole world is me and you and those like us, the sages and the students of the Torah. They are the world at large (the world that is the real world) and how can his honor say 'Look at the world and see what they are doing!' Who is the world if not your honor the venerable sage and the rest of the students of the Torah in the generation?"

Put simply, Rabbi Gershon Henoch was saying; We have the obligation to care because we understand the depth of the issue, and just because the masses are not doing it, that does not excuse our not doing it. [Editor]