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In 1912, Yakov served his compulsory military service as a field medic. During World War I, he helped in rescuing wounded companions from the battlefield. Captured by the Germans, he was sent to the Alps where he spent three years as a prisoner working for a farmer. After he escaped in 1919, he returned to his native village. In Malaya Ilovitsa, he resumed his life as a peasant and cared for the sick who came to him for help.
In 1925, Yakov entered the [[Pochaev Lavra of the Dormition of the Theotokos|Pochaev Lavra]] as a [[novice]]. At the [[monastery]] he performed his duties industriously and with humility. He was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]], with the name Joseph, on [[July 8]], 1932 by Metr. Dionisy of Warsaw and All Poland. On [[September 21]], 1933, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[Hierodeacon]] by Bp. Anthony. On [[September 27]], 1936 he was ordained a [[hieromonk]].
Among the tasks and obediences performed by Fr. Joseph at the Lavra, he became well known for his skill setting broken bones, such that suffering people were brought to him from all over the district. To limit the disturbance to the brethren of the Lavra by all the people coming to Fr. Joseph for treatment, he moved, with the blessing of the prior, to a small house in the monastery cemetery. Here, he lived with hieromonk Irinarch for the next twenty years. On some days he would receive up to 500 people who were looking for physical and spiritual healing. He dedicated his entire being to serving God and used his God given gifts helping his neighbor.