![Aharon Roth](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Aharon_Roth.jpg)
Shomer Emunim ( he, שומרי אמונים, meaning "Guardian of the Faith") is a devout, insular
Hasidic
Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism ( Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of conte ...
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 Spiritu ...
. 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, 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 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'', 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
Bnei Brak or Bene Beraq ( he, בְּנֵי בְּרַק ) is a city located on the central Mediterranean coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an area of 709 hectares (1752 acres, or 2.7 ...
- 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
![Shomrei](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Shomrei.JPG)
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.
See also
*
Kiryat Shomrei Emunim
Kiryat Shomrei Emunim ( he, קרית שומרי אמונים, "City of the Guardians of Faith") is a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood in western Jerusalem. It was founded in the early 1960s by the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe, Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Roth.
Name
...
*
Edah HaChareidis
The Charedi Council of Jerusalem ( he, העדה החרדית, ''haEdah haCharedit'', Ashkenazi pronunciation: ''ha-Aideh Charaidis'' or ''ha-Eido ha-Chareidis''; "Congregation of God-Fearers") is a large Haredi Judaism, Haredi Judaism, Jewish comm ...
References
External links
Rebbe Clips: Shomer Emunim Rebbe
{{Authority control
Hasidic dynasties headquartered in Jerusalem
Hasidic anti-Zionism