ROTH, AARON

ROTH, AARON (1894–1944), founder of a ?asidic dynasty. Born in Ungvar, in his youth Roth attended yeshivot in Galicia and Hungary. He was attracted to ?asidism at an early age, and studied under several ?addikim, including Issachar Dov of Belz. His main teacher was ?evi Elimelech of Blazowa, who instructed him to establish a ?asidic community, although Roth was not descended from ?addikim. The ?asidic community which gathered around him in *Satu Mare and Beregszász (*Beregovo) bore many of the characteristics of early ?asidism. The major points of his system were complete adherence to simple faith, and rejection of any compromise with modern views and ways of life. He demanded of his ?asidim that they support themselves by their own labor, and employ the ecstatic mode of praying.

At the end of his life Roth settled in Ere? Israel and, although ill, he succeeded in establishing there an enthusiastic and active, though small, ?asidic community. He regarded the recent sufferings of the Jews, and especially the Holocaust, as a punishment for abandoning simple faith and the traditions of the ancients, and constantly called for repentance. Roth was succeeded by his son-in-law abraham isaac kahan, and by his son abraham ?ayyim roth.

His writings include Shul?an ha-Tahor, on kashrut (1933); his main book Shomer Emunim (1942, published in several editions) consists of homilies concerning faith, confidence, individual providence, reward and punishment, and redemption, including at the end Kunteres Ahavat ha-Bore, expressing his longings and yearning for God, and songs of devotion and joy.

bibliography:

A. Roth, Uvda de-Aharon, written and ed. by E. Kohen Steinberger (1948).

[Adin Steinsaltz]