Lapidos, mechaber of the mussar classic, Divrei Emes. A masmid, the young talmid sat for hours on end in the Bais Medrash.
Rav Chanoch Henach went on to learn in Brisk, where he was close with Rav Yosef Dov, a relative. Later, Rav Chanoch Henach learned in Kovna. Once when the Rav of Kovna, Rav Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor, came into the Bais Medrash, he saw this bochur learning diligently. When Rav Shmuel Zibertenski (Lubatcher), a Dayan in Vilna, asked Rav Yitzchok Elchonon to suggest a fitting chosson for his granddaughter, Rav Yitzchok Elchonon chose Rav Chanoch Henich.
After the petira of Rav Shmuel Zibertenski in 5658/1898, Rav Chanoch Henich became a Rav and posek in Vilna, and he held the position for more than forty years.
Rav Chanoch Henich made his name in the Torah world with the printing of his grandfather’s sefer, Olas Shmuel, in 5661/1901, adding his own deroshos as an appendix to the sefer.
In 5666/1906, with the petira of Rav Shlomo HaKohen, the elderly Rav of Vilna, Rav Chanoch Henich and Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski became the acknowledged leaders of the Torah community of Vilna.
During World War I, Rav Chaim Ozer was forced to flee Vilna, but Rav Chanoch Henich remained. Many bochurim from neighboring Yeshivos found refuge in Vilna, and Rav Chanoch Henich delivered a weekly shiur for them.
Rav Chanoch Henich was close with many gedolei yisroel of his generation, especially the Chofetz Chaim.
In 5691/1931, Rav Chanoch Henich printed the first volume of his work, the Marcheshes. A two-part sefer of teshuvos in Halacha and chiddushim on the Shas. These seforim made him famous in the Yeshiva world; they became standard learning material in the Yeshivos. In 5695/1935 he published the second volume.
After the petira of Rav Chaim Ozer in Av 5700/1940, Rav Chanoch Henich was considered by many of the bnei Torah the senior Rav and Torah leader. He was martyred al Kiddush Hashem on the 15th of Elul 5701/1941.
