Rabbi Yosef Baruch, was a son of Rabbi Kloiminus Kalman Epstein, the Author of the Sefer Maor Vashemesh.
He considered himself to be a simple Jew but was highly respected by the greatest Rabbanim and Tzaddikim of his generation and was known as the Gite Yid – the good Jew.
On one occasion Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz finished Shas and was about to make a Siyum Hashas. However, he couldn’t make a Siyum as he didn’t understand a Tosfos. He decided to travel to Neustadt to Reb Yosef Baruch to ask him for an explanation.
When the Sanzer Rav arrived he told Reb Yosef Baruch his question and couldn’t make a Siyum Hashas until he clarified the matter.
Reb Yosef Baruch replied, “I don’t know how one can finish the whole Shas. I had great difficulty finishing Tehillim. It took me nearly two months to finish Tehillim.”
The Sanzer Rav asked him, “Reb Yosef Baruch maybe we can swap. I will give you the merit of my whole Shas and you give me the merit of your whole Tehillim.”
Reb Yosef Baruch thought a moment and replied, “its ok. You keep your Shas and I will keep my Tehillim.”
Afterwards the two sat down together to learn the difficult Tosfos. Reb Yosef Baruch went through the Tosfos in his simple fashion and the way he understood and explained it answered the Sanzer Rav’s difficulty.”
Rabbi Yosef Baruch Epstein zt”l known as “Der Gitte Yid (the good Jew) from Neustadt 10 Adar I 5627
Reb Yosef Baruch came to visit Rabbi Eliezer from Dzikov. Reb Leizer’el (as he was fondly known as) was very excited about having such a special guest. He invited him to stay for Shabbos.
Reb Yosef Baruch refused. He explained that he is very particular to have lax fish (Salmon) for Shabbos and in Dzikov it doesn’t exist.
The Dzikover Rebbe pleaded with him to stay. But Reb Yosef Baruch wasn’t convinced.
On Wednesday the Rebbe sent his son to check out what Reb Yosef Baruch was doing.
He came back and told his father that he looked through the keyhole and saw an amazing sight.
Reb Yosef Baruch was walking back and forth in his room and praying aloud, “Ribbono Shel Olam, Yosef Baruch’ul needs lax fish for Shabbos.” He was humming this prayer to himself over and over.
Reb Leizer’el Dzikover smiled, “looks like he hasn’t given up on his salmon. But there is no salmon to be found in the whole region.”
Friday morning a fisherman arrived that he had caught a salmon and it was for sale.
The Dzikover Rebbe was amazed, “the salmon had to swim through six rivers different from its normal path to arrive here near Dzikov. But look what Hashem does with the sincere prayer of such a holy man.”
