Joseph Messas

1892–1974

Born and raised in Morocco, Joseph (Yosef) Messas (Mashash) was a rabbi in Tlemcen, Algeria, and Meknes, Morocco. He later served as the Sephardic chief rabbi of Haifa. Messas was known for his innovative understandings of Jewish law, ruling in favor of liberal interpretations of kashrut, accepting the idea of women’s prayer groups, and challenging the custom that married women were required to cover their hair (or that women were even required to marry).

Entries in the Posen Library by This Creator

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Victory Day in Tlemcen, Algeria

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On Thursday, the twentieth day of the month of Ziv, which is Iyyar, the government announced the capture of Berlin, the city of blood, the capital of the cruel German nation, may their name be blotted…

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The Teaching of Torah to Women

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Gentlemen! This Shabbat, with God’s help, I decided to continue in the interpretation of the article by the blessed teacher Rabbi Meir, may his merit protect us, amen, who said that “whoever is…