Rav Yosef was born on 24 Elul in the year 5562/תקס''ב. He was a descendant of Rav Yehoshua Heschel of Tarnipol (author of a volume of responsa entitled Sefer Yehoshua). Through his first marriage, Rav Yosef became the brother-in-law of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, and his second wife was the daughter of Rav Dovid of Zavlituv. Rav Yosef served as Chief Rabbi in the towns of Huskov, Zabraz, Sinyatin and Horodenka, and in the year 5617/תרי"ז he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Tarnipol, a position which he held until his final days.
After a fire destroyed almost all the manuscripts of his chiddushim, he printed his remaining work: a commentary on Sefer HaChinuch. The sefer became very popular throughout Klal Yisroel (as his brother-in-law, the Tzanzer Rebbe, had blessed it should) and Rav Yosef is still known today as the Minchas Chinuch.
He passed away on his birthday, 24 Elul in the year 5634 (תרל"ד).
