Perlow was born in 1759 to Rabbi Aharon of the Great of the Karlin dynasty and his wife Leah. His father, a disciple of the
Maggid of Mezeritch, died when he was 12 years old, and was raised in his adolescence by his father's disciple, Rabbi
Shlomo of Karlin. Following Shlomo's passing in 1792, most of his disciples turned to Perlow for guidance, serving in Karlin. Following a prohibition of
Hasidim from growing
payos in the locality, he moved his residence to
Stolin. In between the period of the head of Shlomo and Asher was leaders of the Karlin-Stolin movement, he traveled extensively with his friend, Rabbi
Mordechai of Lechwitz, visiting people such as Rabbi
Boruch of Medzhybizh, Rabbi
Pinchas of Koritz,
Avraham of Apta, and the
Magid of Kuzhnitz, the latter of whom was a matchmaker for Perlow, matching him with a woman named Feiga (who was his 3rd wife). In 1798, Perlow was imprisoned by the Russian government
due to his dissidential speech, along with Rabbi
Shneur Zalman of Liadi and Rabbi
Mordechai of Lechwitz. He was released in
Kislev of that year. He was banished and lived Koźnitz and
Želechow before later returning to Stolin. He encouraged his followers to immigrate to
Eretz Yisrael, and worked to raise funds for the emigration. He worked on the
contemporary movement of immigration with
Abraham Kalisker, who himself had made Aliyah in the 1770s. He stood out from other Hasidic rabbis due to his passionate prayers. He was used as a public messenger on behalf of the community. Rabbi
David of Stepin testified that at the coming of the
Messiah and the seven shepherds with him, they will honor Rabbi Asher of Stolin to pray before the ark. He led his congregation for 35 years until his death in Karlin on 26
Tishrei in the
Gregorian year of 1826. His son, Rabbi
Aharon II of Karlin succeeded him as the fourth Rebbe in the dynasty. == Family ==