Shomer Emunim ( he, שומרי אמונים, meaning "Guardian of the Faith") is a devout, insular Hasidic group based in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. It was founded in the 20th century by Rabbi Arele (Aharon) Roth. The Shomrei Emunim are characterized by fervent and visibly emotional prayer, and by a rigid lifestyle controlled largely by "''takanos''", decrees written by the

Rebbe A Rebbe ( yi, רבי, translit=rebe) or Admor ( he, אדמו״ר) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spiritua ...

. One such decree, for example, forbade wearing wool. (Jewish law forbids wearing anything that contains both wool and linen. Rabbi Aharon worried that it would be safest not to wear wool at all, in order to avoid the possibility of violating the law altogether.)See Sefer Takanos v'Hadrochos.

Dynastical history and divide

Grand Rabbi

Aharon Roth Aharon Roth or Aaron Rote ( he, אהרן ראטה) known as Reb Arele (1894−1947), was a Hungarian Hasidic rebbe and Talmudic scholar. He first established a Hasidic community he called Shomer Emunim (Guardian of Faith) in the 1920s in Satu Mar ...

, or Reb 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, Rabbi Aharon frequently drew the service out for five or more hours. Rabbi Aharon was known to be very anti-

Zionist Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after '' Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Je ...

, and many of his Hasidim today continue that tradition, particularly the

Toldos Aharon Toldos Aharon is a devout, insular, fervently anti-Zionist Hasidic group. The group is characterized by extreme conservatism and a desire to preserve the life of the old Yishuv in Jerusalem, in sharp opposition to Zionism, in a strict Haredi way ...

and Toldos Avrohom Yitchok groups. They owe their strong opinions on Zionism to the literal reading of the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...

's proclamation that Jews should not take over the Holy Land prior to the coming of the

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

. (For more information about this subject, see Three Oaths; compare also Satmar's opposition to Zionism. While Rabbi Aharon's opposition to Zionism predated the publication of the Satmar Rov's book ''

Vayoel Moshe ''Vayoel Moshe'' ( he, ויואל משה) is a Hebrew book written by Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, founder of the Satmar Hasidic movement, in 1961. In it, Teitelbaum argues that Zionism is incompatible with Judaism. As Teitelbaum explains in the int ...

'', the Satmar Rov's reasoning and Rabbi Aharon's reasoning for opposing Zionism are similar, if not identical.) When Rabbi Aharon died, his son and his son-in-law both became rebbes in their own right. The dynastic chain: *Rebbe Aharon "Reb Areleh" Roth (d. 1946) - author of ''Shomer Emunim'', ''Shulchan HaTahor'', and ''Taharas HaKodesh'' - founding Rebbe of ''Shomrei Emunim'' dynasty in the town of Satmar, Hungary, and Jerusalem. **Rebbe Avrohom Chaim Roth - (d. 2012) ''Shomrei Emunim'' Rebbe in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak - son of "Reb Areleh" Roth. **Rebbe Avrohom 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 Avrohom 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.

Shomrei Emunim group

Rabbi Aharon's son, Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Roth, inherited Rabbi Arele's shul in Jerusalem and the name and title "''Shomer Emunim''", and become Rebbe and Rabbi Arele's successor, recognized as such by the Belzer Rebbe and Rabbi Shlomke of Zhvil. Approximately ten years after becoming Shomrei Emunim Rebbe, Rabbi Aharon's son also opened a second shul in Bnei Brak, and today, he divides his time between Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, as well as 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 in their own right. The Shomer Emunim group is more moderate than the Toldos Aharon - Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok sect, and is informally affiliated with Agudath Israel. The Rebbe himself does not vote, but he encourages his Hasidim to.

Toldos Aharon and Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok groups

Rabbi Aharon's son-in-law, Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchok Kohn, adopted the name ''Toldos Aharon'' (which means, the "Generations of Aharon"). Most of Reb Arele's followers left to follow the son-in-law, Rabbi Kohn. Toldos Aharon and Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok are strongly anti-Zionist.

Hasidic books of the Shomer Emunim, Toldos Aharon, and Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok groups

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 Aharon Roth, and ''Divrei Emunoh'' by Rebbe Avrohom Yitzchok Kahn. The version of the prayer book used by Toldos Aharon Hasidim is called ''Brucheh i'Tehilleh''. The Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Hasidim have published a weekday prayer book called, ''Tehillas Avrohom Yitzchok'', but also use the ''Brucheh i'Tehilleh'' version as well. The previous Rebbe of Toldos Aharon, R' Avrohom Yitzchok, was said to have instructed his followers to learn the works of Rabbi Aharon HaLevi of Staroshelye (pronounced Strashelye), which include "''Sha'arei HaYichud VeHaEmunoh''", "''Sha'arei Avoda''", and "''Avodas HaLevi''". The Staroselyer Rebbe was a follower of the first Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi

Shneur Zalman of Liadi Shneur Zalman of Liadi ( he, שניאור זלמן מליאדי, September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 O.S. / 18 Elul 5505 – 24 Tevet 5573) was an influential Lithuanian Jewish rabbi and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of ...

. After the passing of R' Shneur Zalman, R' Aharon HaLevi started his own Hasidic following, an offshoot of Chabad, in Staroselye.

References

External links