While Judaism has many identifiable symbols, such as the Star of David, Torah scrolls, and Hamsa, the mezuzah may be the most misunderstood.
First mentioned in the Torah, today the mezuzah graces the doorposts of many Jewish families, whether they are Reform, Conservative or Orthodox. A family must adhere to several guidelines when affixing a mezuzah, though.
Biblical Origins of the Mezuzah
Deuteronomy 6:9 states that “And thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thy house and upon thy gates.”
Since the commandment is asking for something to be performed, as opposed to restricting an action, it is considered a positive commandment. The mezuzah, which means doorpost in Hebrew, is the symbolic writing of God’s commandments on the doorposts, or homes, of Jews.
Significance of the Shema Yisrael and Klaff
The first paragraph of the Shema Yisrael is written on parchment paper. The Shema Yisrael is what the Deuteronomy passage refers to. The Shema Yisrael is the central prayer of Judaism. The first two lines of the Shema Yisrael states “Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” Deuteronomy 6:7 dictates that the Shema Yisrael should be recited "when you lie down, and when you rise up." It is repeated several times during weekly religious services.
The parchment, or Klaff, is written by a sofer, a trained artisan also responsible for scribing copies of Sefer Torah (Torah scrolls used during Jewish services). If the scroll has been photocopied, or one letter has been removed (smudged until illegible), the scroll is no longer valid. To ensure the mezuzah parchment has not been damaged by weather, Orthodox Jews typically have a qualified scribe check the Klaff for defects such as fading or small tears in the parchment at least twice every seven years.
The Importance of the Parchment Holder
The parchment is rolled up and inserted into a tube for placement on the doorpost. While the holder may be made of many materials, most mezuzot are made from wood, marble or metal. While a mezuzah can be costly and made out of expensive material, there is no requirement that states it must be expensive to fulfill the mitzvah.
How to Affix the Mezuzah
The mezuzah is put up only in permanent houses, not in temporary dwellings. Also, the mezuzah should be installed by the owner of the home within 30 days of moving in. In Israel, it must be installed immediately. The mezuzah is affixed on the upper third of the doorpost and may be placed either vertically, or slanted inward, depending on personal Jewish custom.
While a mezuzah may be placed on each outside door, as well as inside doors excluding bathrooms, only the front door is mandatory to fulfilling the commandment. Regardless of how many mezuzot are affixed, only one blessing need be recited before affixing the first mezuzah. The blessing, courtesy of Chabad.org, is:
Baruch atta Adonai Eloheinu melech ha‘olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu likboa‘ mezuza.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His mitzvot, and commanded us to affix a mezuzah.
Jewish building such as synagogues, community centers and museums typically install mezuzot as well. A Jew does not necessarily need to be observant to follow the commandment to affix a mezuzah to his or her doorpost. The desire to fulfill the mitzvah, or good deed, drives most of the Jewish faith to affix a mezuzah to the doorpost.
Where to Purchase a Mezuzah
Almost every synagogue has a gift shop that carries Judaic items such as mezuzot. Several online retailers also carry beautiful and unique mezuzot. In a larger cities, particularly ones with a significant Jewish population such as New York, Miami, or Los Angles, there is probably at least one Judaic shop.
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