Avrohom Yitzchok Kohn

Hasidic rebbe (1914–1996)

Aharon David Kohn (father)
Sheindel Bracha (mother)

Yahrtzeit27 KislevDynastyToldos Aharon

Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchok Kohn (Hebrew: אברהם יצחק קאהן) (4 January 1914 – 8 December 1996) was a Hasidic rabbi and founder of the Toldos Aharon Hasidim.^[1] He was the son-in-law of Rabbi Aharon Roth, and the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok is named after him.^[2]

Biography

Kohn was born in Safed to Rabbi Aharon David and his wife Scheindel Bracha.^[3] His mother was the granddaughter of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Heller, son of Rabbi Shmuel Heller [he]. As a child, his family moved to Transylvania, Romania. He studied with Rabbi Yisrael Friend of Hunyad, the son of Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Freynd [he] and with Rabbi Yehuda Segal Rosner [he]. He was a disciple and follower of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe.

Following Roth's death in 1947, many Hasids turned to Kohn as his successor, who became the rabbi of Toldos Aharon. A minority of rebbes chose his brother-in-law, Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Roth [he], who founded the Shomer Emunim Hasidism.^[4] During his leadership, Hasidic institutions were established across Israel and the United States. He wrote the Divrei Emunah [he] in 1967.

He died on 8 December 1996 during Hannukah after nearly 50 years of leadership of his branch of Hasidism.^[5] A majority of his followers supported his son, Rabbi David Kohn [he], as his successor. The rest became followers of David's elder brother, Rabbi Shmuel Yakov Kohn [he], who established a new court. He is buried at the Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery.^[3]

Rabbi Meir Brandsdorfer was a notable student of his.

Children

Rabbi Shmuel Yakov Kohn [he], who established a new court
Rabbi David Kohn [he], his father's successor
Rabbi Moshe Kohn [he], Rosh Yeshiva of Toldot Aharon
Rabbi Aharon Kohn, son-in-law of Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Reuven Wagshahl of Landshut; he died of COVID-19 in 2020^[6]
Rabbi Yisrael Chaim Kohn [he], Rebbe of Nahalat Aharon in Beit Shemesh, son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Baek of Melbourne
Rabbi Yosef Yoel Kohn [he], Mashpia and son-in-law of Rabbi Menachem Monderer
Rebbetzin Dina, wife of Rabbi David Zvi Shlomo Naftali Biderman of Lelov in Borough Park
Rebbetzin Raizel, wife of Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Rotenberg; founder of an aid organization for widows and orphans
Rebbetzin Shifra Leah, wife of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Katz in Williamsburg

References

^ "רבי אברהם יצחק קאהן – אהלי צדיקים". zadikim.com. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
^ "אברהם יצחק בן אהרן דוד קאהן (1914-1996) | הספרייה הלאומית". www.nli.org.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-08-10.
^ ^a ^b "כרטיס קבר: אברהם יצחק קאהן » הר הזיתים, ירושלים". הר הזיתים, ירושלים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-08-10.
^ Steinsaltz, Adin (2007). "Roth, Aaron". In Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred (eds.). Encyclopaedia Judaica. Vol. 17 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. p. 479. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
^ Pappenheim, Shmuel Chaim (1998). Shabbat from Shosh to his son : ... With his departure... Of... Rabbeinu Avraham Yitzchak Kahn ben... Rabbi Aharon David Hacohen, Rebbe of the History of Aharon... Obituary sermons... On the passing of a righteous man around the world... 27 Kislev 5777 (in Hebrew). Jerusalem: S. H. Papapenheim.
^ "כל רגע - אבל כבד בחצרות תולדות: אח האדמו"רים נפטר מנגיף הקורונה". kore.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-08-10.