Pesaḥ is around the corner and one of the sections of the Haggaḏa is ‘Moṣi Maṣa’ (lit. taking out [the] maṣa [to be eaten]). The great Moroccan ḥakham Yoseph Messas homiletically interprets this phrase by playing on the double meaning of maṣa. Maṣa, to most people, means the unleavened bread normally eaten on Pesaḥ, but maṣa…

In some respects, the genesis of this journal dates back to my childhood. Attending synagogue with my father, the rabbi’s weekly sermon invariably elicited a response from him: “Poland this, Poland that, this Rov, that Rov… don’t get me wrong I’m sure these are all great rabbis – but maybe we should learn a little…