והיה לכם לציצית וראיתם אותם…(שלח טו:לט)

A Russian minister once convened the Heads of Yeshivas and community leaders to discuss modernizing yeshiva education.  Among the assembled was Dr. Leilenthal, who served as the government’s rabbinical representative.

During the assembly, the minister turned to the Gaon Reb Itzil’e Petroburger zt’’l, and asked: Why are you wearing an oversized tzitzis while Dr. Leilenthal, who is also religious, is wearing a small pair of tzitzis that isn’t visible from the outside?

The Gaon replied: “The mission of the tzitzis is for one to remember to obey the mitzvahs – Hashem’s commandments, as it says: ‘וראותם אותם וזכרתם” – you shall see them and remember…, hence, Dr. Leilenthal, who is an esteemed professor with a keen memory, for him it’s enough to wear a small pair of tzitzis to remember to obey Hashem’s commandments.  However, myself, an elderly Yid, whose brain capacity doesn’t serve me well these days, needs to wear a large size tzitzis to remind me to obey Hashem’s commandments…”