A mezuzah is a scroll affixed to the doorposts of a Jewish home or business containing portions of the Shema. The word mezuzah literally means ‘doorpost’. It can be either the post of a door or a gate. Metaphorically it has the meaning of a sign or symbol attached to the doorpost of a Jewish house or to the gate. In Judaism the metaphorical meaning is meant. The mezuzah is found on the inside of a door frame of the front door and other doors in the house. It is placed on the right side at eye level. Many Jews have the habit of touching and kissing the object. In 2023, many Jews still have a mezuzah placed on the doorposts of their homes.
- What is a mezuzah?
- What constitutes a kosher mezuzah?
- Mezuzah at the front door and the other doors in the house
- Mezuzah usually made of metal or wood
- Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) + Deuteronomy 11:13-20
- The text of the Shema – Deuteronomy 6:4-9
- Deuteronomy 11:13-20
- Parchment of a clean animal
- Dedicate and sanctify new house
- Where are the mezuzah placed?
- Saying the blessing
- Attach the mezuzah
- Regular checking of the mezuzah
- Remove Mezuzah if the house is taken over by a non-Jew
- Synagogue has no mezuzah!
- Can you wear a mezuzah on a chain?
- Jewish mezuzah joke
- Footnotes
What is a mezuzah?
A mezuzah, a small scroll on which the Hebrew words of the Shema are handwritten by a scribe, on the right side of the doorframe identifies the house as Jewish, reminding Jews of G-d and the Jewish heritage. It is also a symbol of G-d’s watchful care of the home. Placing a mezuzah on the doors of a home or office protects its inhabitants – whether they are inside or outside. 1
Source: En:Derekcohen , Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
What constitutes a kosher mezuzah?
What is important is the scroll on which the first two parts of the Shema are written by hand, beginning with the eternal words ,Hear O Israel, Adonai is our G-d, Adonai is One, (Deuteronomy 6:4- 9 and 11:13-21). These selections both contain G-d’s instruction to affix the mezuzah: ,You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates., These words are handwritten by an expert scribe trained in the many laws involved in writing a mezuzah, including the requirement that it be written with special intention and that the words be written in order. Each letter in the mezuzah must be formed correctly. A single crack in the parchment or an omission can invalidate the entire mezuzah. A printed mezuzah is invalid. For this reason, it is vital that it is purchased from a reputable writer or seller. On the other side of the scroll, the scribe writes one of G-d’s names: Sha-dai. The three letters of this name form an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning ‘guardian of the doorways of Israel’. Since this name of G-d begins with the letter shin, the matters of mezuzah are often decorated with that letter.
Mezuzah at the front door and the other doors in the house
The mezuzah is found on the inside of a door frame of the front door and of other rooms, but only the doors of rooms that serve as living areas, such as living room, dining room or study. The mezuzah also occurs on the inside of a gate that provides access to a neighborhood or city (for example the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem). Many Jews have the custom of touching and kissing the object. 6
Mezuzah usually made of metal or wood
The mezuzah is usually made of metal or wood. In some cases the mezuzah is made of silver filigree work. This is then a valuable asset. The mezuzah is therefore an ornament on the doorpost.
Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) + Deuteronomy 11:13-20
A written roll of parchment is placed in the tube that forms the mezuzah. This parchment contains the text of the Shema and Deuteronomy 11:13-20
The text of the Shema – Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear Israel, Adonai our God, Adonai is One.
And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words which I command you today shall be on your heart. And you shall teach them to your children, and speak them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
And you shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for marks between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 11:13-20
And it shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey my commandments which I command you this day, that you should love Adonai your God, and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul;
And I will give the rain of your land in due season, the former rain, and the latter rain, that ye may gather in your grain, and your new wine, and your oil.
And I will give herbs in your field for your cattle; and you shall eat and be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
Let the anger of Adonai be kindled against you, and he shut up the heavens, and let there be no rain, neither let the earth yield its increase: and you perish quickly from the good land which Adonai is giving you. Therefore put these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign on your hand, and they will be forearms between your eyes.
And teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up; and write them upon the posts of your house, and at your gates.
Parchment of a clean animal
The parchment on which the text of the Shema and Deuteronomy 11:13-20 is written must meet the same requirements as the parchment 2 used for writing a Torah scroll. This means that the parchment must be from animals that are clean according to the Law. The parchment is rolled up from left to right. This roll is placed in the case of the mezuzah.
Dedicate and sanctify new house
When moving into a new home, placing the mezuzah is a religious and festive occasion. This action is accompanied by the utterance of the accompanying blessing. The purpose of the mezuzah is to consecrate and sanctify the house. Many Jews have the custom of kissing the mezuzah when entering and leaving the house. This is usually done by kissing the hand and pressing it on the mezuzah.
Where are the mezuzah placed?
A mezuzah is attached to the right door jamb, approximately at the bottom of the upper third of the door jamb. For the front door, the right door frame is the door frame to the right of the person entering the street. In interior doors, it is the door jamb to the right of a person facing the direction the door opens. If there is no door, think about importance and function: the dining room is more important in the hierarchy of the house (it is used more formally) than the kitchen, so in a doorway between the dining room and the kitchen the mezuzah should be to the right of the person entering the dining room. To determine the correct height at which the mezuzah should be mounted, use a tape measure to determine the overall height of the door frame. Divide it into thirds, and measure that amount from the top of your door frame. Use a pencil to mark the spot. Your mezuzah should sit right on top of that mark.
Saying the blessing
The blessing is recited once 3 , before the mezuzahs are placed. You place the first mezuzah on one of the most important doors in your home, such as your bedroom. Have the mezuzah and tools in hand. As you recite the blessing, remember that it applies to all mezuzahs you will be placing in your home at this time. Recite the blessing. If you can read and understand the original Hebrew, say it in Hebrew. Otherwise you can say it in any language you understand.
Here
is the Hebrew text: בָּרוּך אַתָּה אַדָנָ-י אֶלוֹהֵ-ינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אַשֶר קְ ד means Melech haolam asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu likboa mezuzah
.
This is what it means:
Blessed are you, our Lord, the King of the Universe, Who has made us holy with His commandments and commanded us to put on a Mezuzah.
Attach the mezuzah
The mezuzah must be permanently attached to the door frame. Use hammer and nails, glue or a durable double-sided tape. Place the mezuzah above the third sign you made. It should be toward the outside edge of the door frame, on a slope with the top facing in toward the room. Immediately after reciting the blessing, attach the mezuzah. Don’t allow any interruptions as you then move on to the remaining areas of your home. Remember to affix each mezuzah according to the aforementioned specifications.
Regular checking of the mezuzah
Because the mezuzah is a sacred object, it is checked at least twice in seven years. The mezuzah is then removed from the doorpost. The scribe examines the scrolls to ensure that no letters have been cracked or erased and that the mezuzah is still good. 4
Remove Mezuzah if the house is taken over by a non-Jew
One should not sell a mezuzah or leave it in an apartment where a non-Jew takes over, otherwise they will desecrate it. 5
Synagogue has no mezuzah!
It is striking that the synagogue does not have a mezuzah. The reason for this is that the synagogue is a sacred house of God and therefore does not require the sacred sign of the mezuzah.
Can you wear a mezuzah on a chain?
There are Jews who wear a necklace with a mezuzah as a pendant because they think it offers protection. According to the Chabad website, it is not forbidden to carry a mezuzah with you for protection, but preferably not as a necklace. Unless covered by two opaque layers, a mezuzah (or other sacred writing) should not be brought into a bathroom or unclean place, or present in a room during intimate relations. This means that you must always take off the chain when you enter an unclean place. So that is very difficult. It is better to place kosher mezuzahs in the house. These provide sufficient protection.
Jewish mezuzah joke
There is a tradition among Ashkenazi Jews that one should never open a mezuzah. Hence the joke of the man who just couldn’t resist looking into one of his mezuzah and found a scroll containing not the Shema, but the words ,Help! I am a prisoner in a mezuzah factory.,
Footnotes
1 Why do Jews think a mezuzah protects them? That has to do with the Oneness of G-d. Nothing happens without the will of G-d. The powerful words of the text in the mezuzah summarize the mandate of a Jew: to imbue the world with G-d’s unity.
2 There are three types of parchment: g’vil, k’laf and duchsustos. One can write on the skins of [all] kosher animals, wild animals and birds. This is true even when these animals died without being ritually slaughtered or were killed by wild animals. The skin of a kosher fish should not be written on because of the dirty secretions, because processing the skin will not cause the dirty secretions to stop.
3 The mezuzah can only be confirmed. No other people need to be present. Both the master and the lady of the house can confirm the mezuzah. Children can also be trained in it.
4 When the mezuzah is checked, the blessing does not need to be said again when reaffirming it. The blessing must be said when the mezuzah falls to the ground.
5 There are non-Jewish or Christian shops in the Netherlands (and other countries) that sell mezuzahs. However, it is misleading and likely fraudulent merchandise because a mezuzah has many Halachic requirements to be kosher.
6 In connection with the coronavirus, Israel’s Chief Rabbi David Lau advised Jews on March 4, 2020 to no longer kiss or touch the mezuzah due to the spread of the virus. “When we see the unfortunate spread of a terrible disease, one should certainly not kiss or even touch mezuzahs. It is enough to reflect on the verses written in the scroll.”