Reb Baruch Friedman was born in Poland and came to learn in Tomchei Tmimim in Lubavitch, where he was known as “Baruch Polisher.”

As an older bochur, he served as mashpia in Charkov. In 5681 (1921), after World War I, he returned to Poland and was appointed as mashpia in Warsaw, then in Lodz, and eventually in Otvotzk.

During the first two years of World War II, he was in the Ghetto of Radom, where he continued to serve as mashpia. From there he was taken to Treblinka and was killed al kidush Hashem during the month of Elul 5702 (1942).

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Reb Baruch was a great maskil in Chassidus. The Rebbe Rashab said about him, “Baruch Polisher understands a vort Chassidus.”

When he would sit and learn, nothing was able to divert his attention. Even when three of his children were sitting on him—one pulling his beard, another pulling his hair, and the third sitting on his shoulders—he wouldn’t get distracted.

He demanded the same level of concentration from the bochurim and would often say during farbrengens, “You should bury yourself in Chassidus.”

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Reb Baruch once told his talmidim:

“It is well known the importance of saying words of Torah when walking in the street. However, this is only for someone who cannot think deeply. Someone who is capable should think deeply while walking in the street.”

“The reason,” he explained, “is that one who is merely saying words of Torah can simultaneously think of other things, possibly worldly. Not so when you are thinking deeply into Torah, for then your mind is fully occupied, and there is no room for other thoughts.”