Shomer Emunim (Hasidic dynasty)

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Shomer Emunim (meaning "Guardians of the Faith") is a devout, 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 his son-in-law both became Rebbes in their own right. His son, Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Roth, inherited R' Arele's shul in Jerusalem and the name and title "Shomer Emunim" and was coronated Rebbe and R' Arele's successor by the Belzer Rov and R' Shlomke of Zhvil.

R' Aharon's son-in-law, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kahn, adopted the name Toldos Aharon (which means the "Generations of Aharon"). The larger group of R' Arele's followers left with the son-in-law.

Approximately ten years after becoming Shomrei Emunim Rebbe R' Aharon's son also opened a second shul in Bnei Brak, and today he splits his time between Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, as well occasional visits to his shul in Ashdod (headed by the Rebbe's son Rabbi Aharon Roth, the Shomrei Emunim Rov) and to Tifrach.

The Shomrei Emunim Rebbe has four sons who are involved in Shomrei Emunim, and five sons-in-law, all of whom are rebbes.

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kahn, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, passed away during the Hanukkah of 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.

[edit] Lineage of the Toldos Aharon Dynasties

Rebbe Aharon "Reb Areleh" Roth (d. 1946) - author of Shomrei Emunim, Shulchan HaTahor, and Taharas HaKodesh - founding Rebbe of Shomrei Emunim dynasty in Satmar, Hungary and Jerusalem.
- Rebbe Avraham Chaim Roth - present Shomrei Emumin Rebbe in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak - son of "Reb Areleh" Roth.
- Rebbe Avraham Yitzchok Kahn (d. 1996) - author of Divrei Emunah - previous Toldos Aharon Rebbe of Jerusalem - son-in-law of "R' Areleh" Roth.
  - Rebbe Shmuel Yaakov Kahn - present Toldos Avraham Yitzchok Rebbe in Jerusalem - eldest son of the previous Toldos Aharon Rebbe.
  - Rebbe Dovid Kahn - present Toldos Aharon Rebbe in Jerusalem - son of the previous Toldos Aharon Rebbe.

[edit] 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 "Shaarei HaYichud VeHaEmunah," "Shaarei 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 Staroselye.