The Mezuzah

The Mezuzah!

D’varim 6:9
⁹You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

What is the source for the tradition of the Mezuzah?
We are commanded to “write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” The very sight of the Mezuzah prompts curiosity. "What is that?"

D’varim 11:19-21
¹⁹You shall teach them to your children to discuss them, while you sit in your home, while you walk in the way, when you retire and when you arise.²⁰And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.²¹In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the Land that HASHEM has sworn to your forefathers to give them, like the days of the heaven over the earth.

“And you shall tell your child on that day...” This is because of what HASHEM did for me in the house of bondage.

D’varim 6:5-6
⁵You shall love HASHEM, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources.⁶And these matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart.

The infamous phrase is the one elected to be in the Mezuzah. Does the mezuzah protect one from harm, as a talisman? No. However: I have found that when I leave my Torah open to the Shema, often spiritual warfare is lessened to a great degree. And the presence of the Mezuzah on the Doorway probably helps greatly. What is a Mezuzah? The Mezuzah is usually a little metal case, with the Sefer Torah inside. A Mezuzah is actually a little Tefillin that your house wears, one on every door frame (the word actually means "Doorpost"), except for the bathroom. You can basically find one in every shape size and color (often very decorative). The very presence of one can remind you to wear Tefillin. One often touches the Mezuzah and kisses their fingers as a sign of devotion when entering a house or leaving it (only the most very devout would kiss every mezuzah in a house as they went from room to room, and after four or five years would finally make it out of the house!).

The Blessing:

Barukh ata HASHEM , elohaynu Melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav vitsivanu likboa mezuzah
Blessed are you, HASHEM our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to affix the Mezuzah.

You should place the Mezuzah about shoulder level (at the very least, on the upper 1/3 of the doorframe) on the inside of the doorjamb, but outside the door. Try to tilt the Mezuzah so that the top points towards the interior of the house, and the bottom towards the street. Why? Because this was one argument the sages in the Talmud never settled. That's why.

Conclusion: The mezuzah is not a thing of great debate — just place one on every doorframe, and praise God!

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