Information AboutToldos Aharon |
|
Shomer Emunim (meaning "Guardians of the Faith") is a very devout, very insular Hasidic sect. It was founded in the 20th century by Rabbi Arele (Aharon) Roth . Based in Meah Shearim , Jerusalem , it features a unique dress-code including a white Yarmulke and Gold-coloured Bekishe and prohibits women from wearing wigs. The Shomrei Emunim are characterized by fervent and visibily emotional prayer, and by a rigid lifestyle controlled largely by "takanos," or decrees written by the Rebbe. One such decree, for example, forbade owning radios. R' Aharon Roth, or R' Arele (as his Hasidim sometimes call him, affectionately) was known to pray especially fervently. According to one story, he regularly had to change his clothes twice during the Sabbath morning service. While the normal service might be two or three hours long, R' Aharon frequently drew the service out for five or more hours. R' Aharon was known to be very anti- Zionist , and his Chassidim today continue in that tradition. They owe their strong opinions on Zionism to their very literal reading of the Talmud 's proclamation that Jews should not take over the holy land prior to the coming of the Messiah. (For more information about this subject, see Satmar's Opposition To Zionism . While R' Aharon's opposition to Zionism predated the publication of the Satmar Rov 's book VaYoel Moshe , the Satmar Rov's reasoning and R' Aharon's reasoning for opposing Zionism are similar if not identical. Furthermore, R' Aharon and the Satmar Rov, R' Yoel Teitelbaum, were known to be very close.) After his passing, his son and and his son-in-law both became Rebbes in their own right. His son's group of Hasidic Jews kept the name "Shomer Emunim." The other successor, R' Aharon's son-in-law, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kahn, retained a larger group of Hasidim. The group became known as Toldos Aharon (which means the "Generations of Aharon"). Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kahn, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, passed away during the Hanukah 1996. Rabbi Kahn had many sons, two of whom are Rebbes today. After Rabbi Kahn's passing, the two sons worked out in a fairly peaceful manner. As a result of the agreement, the younger son Rabbi Duvid Kahn from Monsey, New York , a disciple of the Satmar Rebbe, became the Toldos Aharon Rebbe. The eldest son, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Kahn, a disciple of the Viznitzer Rebbe , became a Rebbe as well, of a group that was entitled ''Toldos Avraham Yitzchak'' named after his father, the previous Rebbe of the group, whose main Beis Medrash is also in Meah Shearim , one block away from the Toldos Aharon building. Both live in Jerusalem. Another son is a Rosh Yeshiva in Kiryas Joel, New York . LINEAGE OF THE TOLDOS AHARON DYNASTIES
HASIDIC BOOKS OF THE SHOMER EMUNIM, TOLDOS AHARON, AND TOLDOS AVRAHAM YITZCHAK SECT In addition to those books which are revered by all Hasidic Jews, the Toldos Aharon Hasidim particularly revere the books, ''Shomer Emunim'', ''Shulchan HaTahor'', and ''Taharas HaKodesh'', by Rebbe Aaron Roth, and ''Divrei Emunah'' by Rebbe Avraham Yitzchak Kahn. The version of the prayer book used by Toldos Aharon Hasidim is called ''Brachah u'Tehillah''. The Toldos Avraham Yitzchak Hasidim have published a weekday prayer book called, ''Tehillas Avraham Yitzchak'', but also use the ''Brachah u'Tehillah'' version as well. The previous Rebbe of Toldos Aharon, R' Avraham Yitzchak, was said to have instructed his followers to learn the works of Rabbi Aharon HaLevi of Staroselye (pronounced Strashelye), which include "Sharei HaYichud VeHaEmuna," "Sharei Avoda," and "Avodas HaLevi." The Staroselyer Rebbe was a follower of the first Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Schneir Zalman of Liadi. After the passing of R' Schneir Zalman, R' Aharon HaLevi started his own Chassidic following, an offshoot of Chabad, in Staoselye. EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|