Rav Shimon Nosso Nota of Lelov zy”a related another story about how R’ Eliezer Lipman merited two holy sons. He related that R’ Eliezer Lipman did not have children for a number of years after his married. He was accustomed to distributing material to poor people before Pesach so that they could sew their own clothing for yomtov. One year, there was a shortage of material and he wasn’t able to purchase enough. He heard that there was an antisemitic Poritz who had material to sell, so he traveled to see him.
When he got there, he sent a message to the Poritz that he wanted to buy material from him. The Poritz sent back a message that he was willing to sell for a certain price, but if he didn’t agree to the price he would kill him. He agreed and went to look at the merchandise. The Poritz quoted him a very high price, and he immediately took out the full amount and paid the Poritz. The Poritz was impressed by him and wanted to give him a gift. He took him around his palace and showed him all his possessions.
As they walked, R’ Eliezer Lipman heard someone groaning. He looked around, and saw that the sound was coming from a man who was trapped in a pit. He asked the Poritz about the man, and was told that he was a Jew who had rented his property and had not paid his debt. Since he had no money to pay, he was thrown into the pit to remain there until he died.
R’ Eliezer Lipman then told the Poritz, “You said that you want to give me a gift. I just want one small thing from you. I want you to give me the Jew trapped in your pit.” The Poritz agreed. He allowed him to take the imprisoned Jew with him.
The man was very weak. He was covered in welts and bruises and bite marks from the mice that had been gnawing at his body. R’ Eliezer Lipman helped him hobble to his house, where he cared for him until he fully recovered. Before he left, the Jew told him, “In the zechus of your chesed, Hashem should grant you two sons who will light up the world.”
