The Rebbe Reb Moshe Yehuda Leib Erblich of Sassov - l''wevf aeq`qn ail dyn 'x iax w"dxd - was born in 5505 to his holy father Hagaon Reb Yaakov Rav in Brodi and his mother Rifka. He studied for 13 years at the Yeshiva of Reb Shmelka of Nikulshberg, brother of The Gaon Reb Pinchus of Frankfurt, the Panim Yafos on Torah, and Hafloah, and later by Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk. His Ahavas Yisrael and love for all creatures was second to none. Reb Moshe Leib worked diligently to free people from prison known as /miieay oeict. He was also a great giant in Torah too. He authored the following seforim: zxez ,l''nxd ihewil ,l''nxd l''nxd iyecig. He was the Rebbe of Reb Tzvi Hersh of Ziditchov, Reb Menachem Mendel of Kosov, The Yehudi Hakadosh, and The Butchache Rav. His Yahrtzeit is f''qwz hay 'c.
When Reb Moshe Leib of Sassov was to begin his journey back to his home town, he took leave of his Rebbe, Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg. His Rebbe gave him three gifts: a loaf of bread, a coin, and his own white silk robe. "You will understand soon enough what to do with them," his Rebbe said, as he saw Reb Moshe Leib off with his blessing.
On the road, Reb Moshe Leib passed the large estate of a wealthy gentile landowner, or poritz. From a pit that had been hollowed out near the entrance, he heard bitter wailing. Reb Moshe Leib peered inside and found a Jew from the village there, a tenant who leased the inn owned by the Poritz. The Jew was crying with hunger: He had neither eaten nor drunk for three days. Unable to pay his debts to the landowner, the man had been hurled into the pit by the furious poritz, with the warning that if he did not pay what he owed, he would be left there to die of starvation and cold.
Reb Moshe Leib's heart nearly burst with pity. He threw in the loaf of bread for the man to eat. Then he approached the entrance to the mansion and asked the guards standing there for permission to speak with their master. The guards described Reb Moshe Leib to the poritz as a man of tall stature with a handsome face that radiated light and goodwill. Curious as to what business such a man might have with him, the poritz granted him an audience.
Reb Moshe Leib came to the point at once, asking that the poor Jew be released. The poritz raised his voice in wrath: "And do you really think I will overlook what is owed me?"
With no other option, Reb Moshe Leib offered the single coin he possessed, his Rebbe's gift. The poritz grew even more furious, and hit Reb Moshe Leib with his stick. This was a signal to the poritz's servants to seize Reb Moshe Leib and throw him out. To add insult to injury, they set their master's dogs on him. They were large ferocious dogs that patrolled the courtyard and attacked unwanted visitors.
To the servants' wonder, the dogs circled Reb Moshe Leib but did not touch him. They ran to tell their master, and the poritz came out to see for himself. Still, he remained unmoved. "It is obvious that this is no ordinary Jew. Let's give him one more test. If he passes it, I will set him free, and also the Jew in the pit whose liberty he requested."
The wolves backed away from him and drew back in the rear of the cage. The poritz ordered his servants to throw Reb Moshe Leib into a cage containing a pack of snarling, meat-eating wolves. Reb Moshe Leib saw that the danger was very great; the wolves would tear apart and devour anything that came near them. Suddenly, he remembered something his Rebbe had told him. Reb Shmelke had once explained that all wild creatures fear and dread a Jew who had not damaged his Tzelem Elokim, his G-dly image. Even ferocious wolves will not harm such a man.
Calmly, Reb Moshe Leib put on the white silk robe that his Rebbe had given him before they parted. The wolves backed away from him and cringed at the back of the cage. And there they stayed.
When the poritz's servants saw this, they were truly shocked and amazed. They ran to fetch their master, so that he might witness this miracle with his own eyes. Seeing Reb Moshe Leib and the wolves in the cage, the poritz immediately issued an order that he be freed. He bowed deeply to the tzadik, saying, "Now I know that you are truly a man of G-d. I will fulfill your every wish."
The Jewish tenant was helped out of the pit where he had languished for three days. Moreover, at Reb Moshe Leib's request the poritz vowed never to punish any Jewish tenant again in this cruel manner.
