Tosh (Hasidic dynasty)


Tosh is a Hasidic dynasty originating in Nyirtass, Hungary. Today, it is based in Kiryas Tosh, Quebec, Canada, outside Boisbriand, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, Quebec. The current leader is Grand Rabbi Elimelch Halevi Segal-Loewy, who succeeded his late father, Meshulim Feish Lowy, upon the latter's death on 12 August 2015. Tosher Hasidim have synagogues in the United States, in Boro Park, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Kiryas Joel, and Monsey, as well as in Montreal and in London, England.

The Tosh Dynasty

The first Tosher Rebbe was Grand Rabbi Meshulam Feish Segal-Loewy I, a disciple of Rabbi Yitschok Ayzik of Komarno, author of Heichal HaBrocho. Rabbi Yitschok Ayzik was a disciple of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov, a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin. The Chozeh was a disciple of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, author of Noam Elimelech. The Rebbe Elimelech was a disciple of the Rebbe Dovber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, the primary disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism.
The Tosh community was revived after the Holocaust by Rabbi Meshulim Feish Lowy Ztl, the Rebbe of Tosh. Rabbi Lőwy was born in Nyirtass, Hungary, in 5682 Anno Mundi. He survived the Holocaust in the Hungarian Labour Service, and was liberated by the Red Army from a camp outside Marghita in October 1944. The few surviving Hasidim of his father, Grand Rebbe Mordechai Márton Lőwy, who perished in Auschwitz with most of his extended family, appointed him their Rebbe, and he established his court in Nyíregyháza. In 1951, fearing the Communist government, he ordered his followers to leave Hungary, and emigrated to Canada, settling in Montreal. In 1963, he and his Hasidim purchased an area in Boisbriand, Quebec, forming the enclave of Kiryas Tosh. Lőwy was married to Chava, a direct descendant of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, from 1946 until her death in 1996. He married Malka Hass in 2007.
The Tosh community is headed by Rabbi Elimelech Segal-Lowy, the current Rebbe of Tosh.

Collected teachings

Many of Rabbi Lőwy's sermons and discourses have been written down in a series of five books entitled Avodas Avodah. Two of them are Hebrew-language books that explain the weekly Torah portions, and the Jewish holidays, with practical insights into divine service which are subtitled: Dibros Kodesh. Further two are Yiddish-language books that explain the weekly Torah portions, and the Jewish holidays, with practical insights into divine service which are entitled: Imros Kodesh. Another is mostly in Hebrew, but has Yiddish segments. It is a compilation of addresses that the Tosher Rebbe has made regarding the Yahrzeit of a large number of Jewish holy men, arranged according to the Jewish calendar. It is subtitled Sichos Kodesh. A second volumes of "Sichos Kodesh" appeared in 2009.