In the final years of Reb Leib's life, the tzaddik Reb Ezriel of Polotzk, who had learned from the Maggid, decided to accompany him on his journeys.
One time they were going to Vilna, and a few miles from Vilna they stopped off at an inn which had a tavern. They paid for a room for the night.
Instructs the Innkeeper to Ask the Prince to Visit Reb Leib
In the morning Reb Leib asked Reb Ezriel to please call the innkeeper. When he came to Reb Leib's room, Reb Leib commanded him to go to a street that no Jew is supposed to walk on and call the prince who lives there. He should tell the prince that in his inn there is a Jew by the name of Leib ben Sarah, and he is requesting that the prince visit him.
The innkeeper was shocked and replied, Am I crazy to do such a thing? A Jew that walks on that street is not guaranteed that he would come out alive. The prince is a son of a king, and he never spoke with a Jew. So how can I tell him that a Jew is demanding that he comes to him?
Reb Leib retorted, “Do you know who I am? I am Leib ben Sarah, and if you don't obey me, you will regret it!”
The Innkeeper Had No Intention of Obeying His Guest’s Dangerous Request
The host left the room intending to ignore this warning, however, he then noticed that his wife and two sons had suddenly became ill, and they were lying in bed in grave danger. He understood that it was a result of his refusal to obey the tzaddik, so he rushed back to the tzaddik's room and said, I am prepared to do as the tzaddik instructs me to do, as long as the harsh decree is removed from my family.
Go immediately without any delay to the prince and tell him to come to me, and your family members will immediately be healed.
The man was terrified, but he went to that danger zone and began walking on that forbidden street. To his tremendous relief and surprise no one said a word to him. Arriving at the residence of the prince, he knocked on the gate, and a servant asked him what he wanted. He simply replied, I must speak with the prince.
The servant informed the princes' attendants that a Jew was standing outside and was requesting to speak with the prince. During their conversation the prince walked by and his attendants gave over the message.
The prince instructed them to allow the Jew to enter. When the Jew entered, he said, "My master, the prince, in my inn is an elderly Jew, whose name is Leib ben Sarah. He instructed me to summon my master, the prince, to come to him immediately.
The Prince Became Terrified
Hearing the name of the tzaddik, the prince became terrified and replied, I am going to him, just please wait until I can put on my coat.
The innkeeper was completely dumbfounded at the prince’s reaction and reply. True to his word, the prince hurriedly got dressed. Together they began walking to the Tzaddik.
When they came to the inn, Reb Leib instructed the innkeeper to visit his family members, and to his sheer happiness they all were healthy. At that same time, the tzaddik called the prince to his room. After speaking for some time, the prince left, and Reb Leib told Reb Ezriel to get the wagon as they were leaving immediately.
When the prince arrived at his residence, he thought over this strange occurrence, and wondered what caused him to fear and tremble to the extent to run over to a Jew, whose name was Leib ben Sarah, whom he never heard of. He immediately sent his soldiers to the inn to bring that Jew to him. While they rushed over a few minutes after they were sent there, their effort was futile as he was no longer there. Returning, they informed him that the old Jew had already left.
The Local Priests Make a Blood Libel Against the Innkeeper
Some weeks or perhaps months later a non-Jewish worker of that innkeeper suddenly disappeared, and no one in the town knew where he may be. The local priests made the accusation that the Jew must have killed him in order to knead the flour with his blood and use that dough to make matzos for Passover. [This is known as the blood libel that many Jewish communities in those days were accused of.]
The authorities immediately arrested the Jewish innkeeper and placed him in prison. Being that he denied all charges, they began torturing him with unbearable and bitter measures, in order to force him to admit to a crime that he did not do.
Initially he continued to deny that he had any connection in the workers disappearance. Furthermore, he stated that it is forbidden for a Jew to eat blood, so the whole thing is a false accusation. However, as they increased the frequency and severity of the afflictions, he could no longer bear it. He then said to himself, I would rather die than continue enduring this, so he admitted to whatever they wanted At that point they stopped hurting him, in order that the judges could decree that being that he admitted to the crime he deserves the death penalty, with the hope that the judges would also punish the larger Jewish community as well.
Sure, enough the judgement was passed that he should die, but according to the protocol, it required the prince’s signature to be carried out.
