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The World Wide Mezuzah Campaign.
A project of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation -
a 501c3 non-profit organiztion
www.baalshemtov.com
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Ask The Sofer
Wondering whether a certain doorway needs a Mezuzah? Unsure of how to hang the Mezuzah
on your screen door? Our Sofer will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Email your question to our Sofer,
R.
Eliyahu Yaniger.
We will post his reply to
your question on this page.
1. Question: Shalom, I would like to put Mezuzahs up within my home (five). I only have
one on my front door. What is the difference between regular Askenazi, Yosef and
Chabad Mezuzahs? Is there a difference in price?
Thank you, Jeff, Merrick, NY
Answer: Congratulations on your decision to put up more mezuzahs on your home!
Putting up the mezuzahs will give your home a spiritual upgrade.
It’s a great step to take.
There are various styles of writing mezuzahs. Ashkenazim
(Jews originating from European communities) generally use the style
described by the Rabbi Yosef Karo (16th century) in his book “Bet Yosef”.
The Chasidic communites generally follow the tradition of the great Kabbalist
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the “Ari” (also 16th century).
This style is essentially a variation on the Bet Yosef script,
differing slightly on some letters.
The Chabad Chasidim have their version of the Ari style, based on the
views of Chabad’s founder, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, author of the book
“Tanya”.
In addition, the Sephardic Jews, mostly from North Africa
and West Asia, have their own style, known as Velish.
But despite the differences in style, the content of the mezuzah is the same for
all versions. The font might vary, but the text is the same.
There is a fairly broad price range among mezuzot. However, price
differences are based on the halachic and aesthetic quality of
the scrolls. The reputation of the sofer can also affect the price.
All other factors being equal, though, a mezuzah should not
cost more simply because it is written in the Ashkenazi or Chabad style.
2. Question: What is the reason for the mezuzah to face inwards?
I assume that it is to reflect the love and protection of Hashem on our home.
Is this correct or is there another explanation?
Thank you, Bonnie, Toronto, Ontario
Answer: Bonnie,
Your question is the subject of much discussion among halachic authorities. What makes it particularly interesting to me is that the answer brings up several issues that go to the heart of what a mezuzah is all about.
The Talmud says that a mezuzah should be within “your gates”, as the Biblical phrase goes. In other words, it should be within the transition space between outside and inside. This seems to emphasize that we need G-d to be with us when we go through transitions in our lives. So if you put the mezuzah inside, you won't see it as you come in. It's behind the doorpost. If you put it outside, you won't see it as you go out. This is why it should ideally be in the transition area. It should be “within your gates”, putting G-d at the point of transition.
At the same time, the Talmud also says that within that space, the mezuzah should be close to the outside. In fact some authorities say that even if it's completely on the outside, you've done the mitzvah, though not ideally. (So even though you were right to move your mezuzah inside, you don't have to worry too much about the fact that it was outside before. Some authorities say it's ok.) What's the advantage of placing it near the outside?
Let me start with a silly story from my experience in the army here in Israel. I was in basic training, guarding the barracks on a freezing, rainy winter night. Rather than stand outside, I moved back, so I'd be under the roof of the barracks and not have to get soaked. The next morning a furious sergeant asked us who the guy was who thought he could get away with not standing outside while guarding. Just as I meekly raised my hand, and waited to be torn into by the sergeant, he got distracted by someone else. The matter never came up again, and I got away with it. But I learned something. A guard who does his job stands outside.
One reason the Talmud gives for putting a mezuzah near the outside is that the mezuzah is related to G-d protecting us. Since a guard who does his job stands outside, we put it as far as we can outside, while still managing to keep it “within our gates”. It shows that G-d is always “doing his job” and protecting us.
There's an amusing story in the Talmud about the famous convert Onkelos. Time after time, Romans sent soldiers to arrest him, and every time, Onkelos managed to get the soldiers themselves to convert. Finally, the soldiers received orders not to say a word to Onkelos, so that they wouldn't fall into his “trap” and convert to Judaism. But the ever-resourceful Onkelos found a way to communicate with them. He touched the mezuzah as he was being led away. The soldiers were overcome by curiosity, couldn't resist and asked him why he did that. His answer: “When you Romans guard your emperor, you stay outside, and he's all comfy inside. For us Jews it's different. G-d guards us, so he's the one on the outside, protecting us on the inside.” What happened? You guessed it, the soldiers converted. They got the message of the mezuzah: “G-d will watch you as you go out and as you come in, forever.”
3. Question: I don't have a Mezuzah on the door of my dorm room. Should I? I haven't had a roommate this semester but I am not sure of the university's take on nailing things in to the walls.
Daniel
Answer: Hi Daniel,
A dorm student doesn't have to put up a mezuzah. Mezuzahs are the obligation of someone who lives in a place like he owns it. That would also include tenants, who have a kind of temporary ownership. Dormers, on the other hand, have use of their rooms much like they have use of the university library, or classrooms - it's part of the package the university offers. So since your status is something less than a tenant, you don't have to put up a mezuzah.
If you want to put one up anyway, and the university has no problems with it, more power to you. It's great to be open about your Jewish identity on campus. Just put the mezuzah up without a bracha. If there's any difficulty, though, there's really no need to put one up.
4. Question: Hello, Could you please tell me where and how to affix a car mezuzah? I want to make sure it is done properly.
Thank you, Sandra Burns
Answer: Hi Sandra,
You don't need to put a mezuzah on your car. Mezuzot are placed only on structures that serve as a residence. Since a car is for transportation, and not for living in, there's no need for a mezuzah there.
Best wishes, Eliyahu
5. Question: My question is not directly related to mezuzot, but about the script itself –
I was hoping you could answer my question: why is it that
certain letters, both in the Torah and Mezuza, are sometimes written
in an “elongated” form? An example of this is the letter “resh” in
the Shema of the Mezuza, which in many instances is “stretched out”.
Is there any particular significance to this? I am doing research on
various aspects of the Hebrew script and would greatly appreciate your
response,
Thank you. Eitan
Answer: Hi Eitan,
Mezuzot should ideally have straight vertical margins on both sides,
so that all lines have the same length. (Beginnings and ends of
paragraphs will sometimes have space between the text and the margins,
based on certain rules which I won't detail here.) Letters are
sometimes stretched out in order to reach the margins. There's no other
significance for the stretching-out.
It's important to note that certain letters may be stretched, but
others should not. Stretching out a “vav”, for example, will invalidate
the mezuzah, since a “vav” with a very wide head no longer looks like
a “vav”. It looks like a resh. An elongated “dalet”, on the other
other hand, is still ok, since it maintains its identity as a “dalet”.
A good sofer will proportion his letters so that they fit into the
margins comfortably, and there is a minimum of stretching and squeezing
of letters.
Eliyahu
6. Question: I am currently a student at a modern orthodox school and am therefore
continuously pressed to believe in “rational” and “logical” ways of
interpreting miracles and stories in the Torah and other holy texts. I was
particularly disturbed when my Jewish history rabbi informed the class that
the mezuzah doesn’t actually have any real spiritual protective qualities.
Rather, the mezuzahs purpose is to merely REMIND us of Gods commandments and
our responsibilities towards him. Consequently, we are “protected” due to
keeping the mitzvoth that the mezuzahs remind us to do. Is this indeed an
orthodox approach?
Answer: Dear friend,
You're raising a very interesting question. In an answer to another
question posted on this site, I mentioned a Talmudic story about the
convert Onkolos, in which he stated that the mezuzah protects us. Your
question relates to an aspect of this protection – namely, how does it
work? When a Jew puts up a mezuzah, what is it that protects him/her?
Your teacher, who promotes a "rational" reason, seems to be basing
himself on the following passage from Maimonides (Mezuzah 6:13):
“A person should pay heed to the precept of the mezuzah; for it is an
obligation perpetually binding upon all. Whenever one enters or leaves
a home with the mezuzah on the doorpost, he will be confronted with
the declaration of God's unity, blessed by His holy name; and will
*remember* the love due to God, and will be *aroused* from his
slumbers and his foolish absorption in temporal vanities. He will
realize that nothing endures to all eternity save knowledge of the
Ruler of the universe. This thought will immediately restore him to
his right senses and he will walk in the paths of righteousness.”
Maimonides says that the point of the mitzvah is to change the person
who performs it. When you do the mitzvah, you're connecting to G-d, by
thinking about the text of the mezuzah (or, one might add, just by
doing what G-d commanded). Since G-d is the "protector of Israel", as
the morning prayer says, when you connect with Him, you get His
protection. So in fact, your teacher's view is a traditional Jewish
approach.
There is a Kabbalistic approach, on the other hand, which might be
described as more “mechanical”. In this view, the very existence of
the mezuzah on the door presses some spiritual “buttons”, which causes
the house to have extra protection. This seems to be the way you
understand the mitzvah, in contrast to your teacher. While I can't
claim to understand the details of how this works, it is well founded
in Kabbalistic texts. Some people have the custom of checking mezuzahs
when misfortune strikes in their lives, in the hope that replacing
faulty mezuzahs will provide them with protection from further
misfortune. This seems to be based on the Kabbalistic outlook.
As food for thought, here's a story from the Midrash Bereshit Rabbah.
Rabbi Judah the Prince was once sent a precious gem as a gift – but
with a request attached: “please send me back something just as
precious”. Rabbi Judah complied, but in an unexpected way. He sent
back a mezuzah. Not surprisingly, the recipient complained, “Hey,
what's going on here? I sent you this precious stone worth thousands
of dollars, and you send me back this skin worth so much less!” Rabbi
Judah replied, “You sent me something that I'll have to guard from
robbers. But I sent you something that will guard you even while
you're sleeping. It says about the Torah, ‘When you sleep, it will
protect you (Proverbs 6).’”
Of course, when you’re sleeping you’re not being reminded of anything.
Sounds like the Kabbalistic view. Or is it? Is this really inconsistent
with Maimonides’s view? I’ll leave it to you to discuss with your
teachers and friends.
7. Question: Shalom,
I have a new baby and I want to put the mezuza on his room door. Which side
of the door from outside do I hang the mezuza and what prayer should I use when I
hang it, thanks.
With love & Light, Maya
Answer: Dear Maya,
When you put up the mezuzah, put it up on the doorpost to the right,
as you enter the room. It should be placed on the upper third of the
post. So if your door post is 9 feet high, measure 6 feet from the
floor, and place the bottom of the mezuzah above that line.
Many blessings to you and your new baby! May your lives enrich each other with love and joy!
Eliyahu
8. Question: Baruch Hashem, My father is having an operation shortly and I was wondering if a
mezuzah would be appropriate to place on the doorpost of his room at the hospital.
Regards, Howard
Answer: Dear Howard,
There is not a mitzvah for a patients to put mezuzot on their hospital rooms. The patients are meant to be there only for the duration of their treatment, so their rooms are not considered their residence.
May your father have a successful operation, and continued good health in the future.
9. Question:
Rabbi Yaniger,
I am not Jewish, I am Catholic. I have been reading about the Mazuzah and the meaning of placing a Mazuzah at one's
doorway. Would it be inappropriate or even sacrilegious for a Catholic to place a Mazuzah on his doorway?
Thank you for your time.
Manuel
Pueblo, Colorado
Answer: Dear Manuel,
Thank you for your question. Your faith has much in common with the Jewish values that the mezuzah expresses
– the need to bring G-d's presence into the home, the confidence in His protection.
The mezuzah, while expressing these values, has also taken on a new dimension over the generations.
It has become a particularly Jewish symbol.
A Jewish family sees putting a mezuzah on the door as an
expression of their Jewish identity. In Israel, where I live, mezuzahs are found on just about every
Jewish home, regardless of whether the family observes the Torah's commandments to the fullest, or
only nominally. I would think that if you put a mezuzah on your door, it would express not only faith in G-d,
which you have, but also Jewish identity, which as a Catholic you do not have.
Since you find the
message of the mezuzah meaningful, and you deserve much admiration for that, I would suggest doing
the following: write the text of the mezuzah in English on a beautiful piece of paper or parchment,
frame it, and keep it near your door. You will be able to strengthen your faith in G-d in way which
authentically expresses your religious identity.
Eliyahu
10. Question:
I recently moved into a new home. In the basement we have a bedroom which acts as a nanny's bedroom. The nanny is not Jewish. Should we affix a mezuzah on the doorway to the nanny's room? Also, what about the furnace/storage room – a large room but we only store things in there?
Thank you.
Answer: Dear Friend,
Best of luck in your new home!
If your nanny's room is her private space, and when you go in, it's only as a guest, then there's no need for a mezuzah. If on the other hand, you sometimes use the room for yourself, you should put up a mezuzah.
Whether a storage room requires a mezuzah has been the subject of debate for hundreds of years. The common practice now is to put up a mezuzah, but without a blessing.
Eliyahu
11. Question:
In my house there are doors leading from one room to another. Which side is "outside", and where should I place the mezuzah?
Marshall, Colman, London
Answer: Dear Marshall,
A mezuzah should be placed on the right side of the doorway as you enter from the outside. Since in your house you have doors leading from one room to another, we need to determine which room is "inside", and which room is "outside". Here are the guidelines, in order of priority:
- If one of the the two adjoining rooms is closer to the house's entrance, that room is considered "outside". So you would place the mezuzah on the right, as you enter the inner room. If both rooms are just as close, then:
- If the entrance to one of the the two adjoining rooms is more commonly used, that room is considered "outside". If the entrances to both rooms are just as commonly used, then:
- If one of the the two adjoining rooms is more "lived in", (example: the second one is used for storage) that room is considered "outside". If both rooms are just as "lived in", then:
- If the door swings into one the rooms, that room is considered "inside".
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
12. Question:
Hi
- We have moved into a new home and our kitchen leads into the dining room/living room on one side and then there is another entrance to the living room from a passage on the other side. Which way does the mezuzah face – into the kitchen from the dining room or into the dining room from the kitchen?
- Do we attach a mezuzah to an opening (2 metres wide) into a playroom that doesn't have a door frame?
- Our garage leads into our house via a door and then passage. Do we need a mezuzah on that door post as well?
Regards
Leigh
(Sydney Australia)
Answer: Dear Leigh,
- Take a look at the guidelines I wrote in my answer to Marshall (previous question). Based on those guidelines, and your knowledge of your home's layout and use, you should be able to determine on which side to put the mezuzahs in your dining room.
- About the opening to your playroom: If a doorway has a frame, namely two doorposts and a lintel (the bar that goes across the top, and joins the doorposts), it qualifies for a mezuzah. That frame does not have to be a seperate unit, such as one made of wood or metal. Even if no wood or metal frame was attached to the walls, the walls themselves qualify as a doorframe, as long as they have the shape of a doorway. So the two walls which create the opening do qualify for a mezuzah. One proviso, though. There must be a "lintel" - that is, the ceiling must be lower in the doorway space than in the rest of the adjoining rooms. If your opening is just two walls that go to the ceiling, with no lintel, you don't put up a mezuzah.
- About your garage: If the passage is a small one, less than 4 square "cubits" (36 square feet), you don't need to put up a mezuzah, according to most views. If it's bigger, you should put one up.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
13. Question:
Why is the Mezuzah placed at an angle on the door post?
Answer:
It's actually a compromise between two views about how the mezuzah is supposed to be placed. The Talmud talks about how a mezuzah is placed, but there are two explanations of what the text means. One view has the mezuzah standing vertically, the other has it lying horizontally. So, for inclusiveness, the custom has arisen to put it at a slant, which is vertical enough for one view and horizontal enough for the other.
It's interesting to note that not all Jewish communities follow this practice. The Sephardic communities, whose origins are in the Middle East, follow the view that the mezuzah should be placed vertically. This is a very common sight in Israel. However, in those communities where the majority of Jews are of European origin, such as in the United States, most houses will have their mezuzot at a slant.
What's the theory behind putting it up vertically? Torah scrolls are kept vertically in the ark in synagogues, perhaps because the Torah is meant to make us all that we can be, truly alive. Standing is the position of activity and strength. Since the mezuzah is meant to represent a miniature Torah that we see whenever we go through our doorways, it should stand up, just like the living Torah does.
Curiously, the same miniature-Torah image leads others to the opposite conclusion, namely that the mezuzah should lie flat. After all, Jewish law requires one to stand when a Torah scroll passes by. When the scroll reaches its place on the table, and lies flat, the congregation sits. Following the analogy, if we keep the mezuzah vertical in our houses, it would be like having a standing Torah scroll in our houses - and we'd never be able to sit down! So the mezuzah should lie flat.
In practice, though, you will find that mezuzot are placed either vertically or at a slant, not horizontally.
14. Question:
I am a Presbyterian with a Sunday school class of about 50 children in grades K-7. Last week we introduced mezuzahs and the Shema to the children.
Looking at mezuzahs available for purchase, I notice that all of them appear to have a 3-pronged flame or perhaps it's a letter (or word) somewhere in the design of the box. Would you please tell me what this is and its significance?
Why do the mezuzahs for children not always have this?
Do all the boxes seal shut or is there an opening at the top?
Also, my understanding has been that the mezuzah was just the box that holds the scroll; reading your information, do I now understand that the mezuzah is the two together (with the scroll referred to as the mezuzot?)
Sincerely,
Tracy Lees-Grant
Answer:
Dear Tracy,
I'll start with your last question: what is the mezuzah? The mezuzah is the scroll with the biblical text. While the Talmud refers to enclosing the mezuzah scroll in a tube, in order to fix the scroll to the wall and to protect it from damage, Jewish law does not see this as an essential part of the mezuzah. The definition of the mezuzah is the scroll itself, and nothing more. The box can either seal shut or be open.
To go back to your first question: The 3-pronged flame that you're referring to is the Hebrew letter "shin". This is the first letter of one of the Hebrew names of G-d: "Sha-dai". Based on a Jewish mystical source, it has become customary for scribes to write this divine name on the back of the parchment. After the parchment is rolled up, the name "Sha-dai" is on the outside, visible to the passer-by. This seems to be in the spirit of what the mezuzah is meant to achieve: an awareness of G-d's presence as we go in and out. Seeing G-d's name on the mezuzah can certainly strengthen that awareness.
Mezuzahs are the same for both adults and children.
May your educational efforts be blessed, so that your students develop into righteous people, doing the will of G-d.
Eliyahu
15. Question:
What is the reason for placing the mezuzah in the top third of the doorpost?
Thank you.
E.P.
Answer:
Dear E.P.,
There are a number of similarities between the mitzvah of tefillin and the mitzvah of mezuzah. They are both meant to be symbols of the Torah as a whole, one a symbol worn on the body, the other a symbol put at the home's entrance. In fact the two Biblical chapters that comprise the text of the mezuzah are among the texts written in tefillin. One opinion in the Talmud therefore says that the mezuzah should be placed high on the doorpost, just as tefillin are worn high on the body, on the head. How high is "high"? The upper third.
Symbolically, this may be understood as a statement about our relationship with G-d. The mezuzah is right across from our head , the location of our brain, seat of the spirit - the part of us which is qualitatively different from animals. That difference is the meaning of "the image of G-d" in which Adam and Eve were created. By placing the mezuzah across from our head, symbol of our unique spirituality, we are saying that our spiritual quality as humans is actually a ray of G-d's light shining through us. The mezuzah contains G-d's words, and in a way, we are also G-d's words. The "higher" part of us, the head, faces the higher part of the doorpost, containing words from G-d on high. All this can lead us to a higher consciousness.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
16. Question:
Does a new home require a new Mezuzah or can current ones be removed from the old home and be reinstalled on the new.
Thanks,
Simcha
Answer:
Dear Simcha,
Old mezuzahs may be reinstalled on a new home. It is important to note, however, that if a Jewish person will be moving into the old home, the accepted view is that one should leave the mezuzahs (or replacement mezuzahs) on the old home. In this case, one may ask for payment for the mezuzahs left behind.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
17. Question:
I wanted to know the reasoning or rational of not removing a mezuzah when moving from one home to another and asking a fellow Jew not to do the same? If a fellow Jew does remove the mezuzah does it necessarily mean that you have bad luck? Is there a significance to this action? If not than what is the rational of leaving the mezuzah and asking the fellow tenant or home owner not to remove theirs until you are present to replace yours?
I would appreciate a rational and not necessarily a torah or Talmudic answer to this question. Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
Mona
Answer:
Dear Mona,
Thanks for your question. I've written much in this column about how a mezuzah can change the person who puts it up. Your question touches on another aspect of the mezuzah – how it changes the home. Before, it was just a building, made of stone, wood, and other materials. However, when the resident puts up the mezuzah, the home is transformed. With the mezuzah, it's now become an instrument of serving G-d. Thus when a person puts a mezuzah on a home, the home is getting a kind of "promotion". This is a positive contribution to the world, a way of taking a trivial physical object, and giving it spiritual meaning.
Taking the mezuzah down would thus be a kind of "demotion" of the house. Why would we want to do that? If we've turned the home into something great, why let it lapse into its old trivial existence? I understand the practice of leaving a mezuzah as an important moral statement: "I'm not going to undo the good that I've done in the world. When I leave my positive mark on the world, I want that mark to be permanent." This is not a question of luck, but a desire to make a lasting difference for the better.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
18. Question:
I am moving from an apartment to a house. The house has a screen door. Then
a regular wooden door. Should the mezuzah be placed between the two doors?
on the outside of the house? or on the inside of the house before the screen
door? After the wooden door there is a small alcove with an archway, can the
mezuzah be placed there or should there be a second one there? The alcove
has a clothes closet from the door to the archway.
Thanks for your guidance.
Dave
Answer:
Dear Dave,
(a) Regarding the archway:
The archway should have a mezuzah, since it leads into a main room of the home.
(b) Regarding the main entrance:
It's preferable to place the outer mezuzah between the two doors than to put it on the outside of the home.
(c) Regarding the closet:
If the closet is a small one, less than 4 square "cubits" (36 square feet), you don't need to put up a mezuzah. If it's bigger, you should put one up.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
19. Question:
Dear Rabbi:
(1) There is a door from our main hallway to the garage (which is of course connected to the house). We don't park a car in the garage - we use it for storage - and we access the garage 99% of the time from this door (as oppossed to the large exterior garage door - thus we generally never enter the house from the outside via the garage). Does the mezuzah between the house and the garage go on the right side entering the garage or the right side entering the house hallway?
(2) If we use our attic for storage and it's accessible via stairs that come down from the ceiling, does that entrance need a mezuzah?
(3) Do a laundry rooms need a mezuzah?
(4) Utility room?
Thank you and kind regards
Answer:
Dear Friend,
(1) In your home, you go through the hallway to get from the main entrance to the garage. So your mezuzah should go on the right side as you enter the garage from the hallway.
(2) You only need a mezuzah for an attic with a doorway if the ceiling stays open and the stairs are there all the time. If you set up the stairs only when necessary, or there's no doorway, there's no need for a mezuzah.
(3) A laundry room does not need a mezuzah.
(4) A utility room should have a mezuzah.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
20. Question:
Dear Rav Yaniger,
Do we paskin at all like the Rambam who maintains that a doorway without a door does not require a mezuzah?
Thank you again
Answer:
Dear Friend,
The Beit Yosef/Shulchan Aruch follows the view of the Raavad, the Rosh, and others who say that a doorway without a door does require a mezuzah. This is the accepted ruling.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
21. Question:
What prayers does a jewish man say when he hangs a mezuzah on a new home he has just purchased?
Thank you
Answer:
Dear Friend,
One should say the usual blessing on hanging a mezuzah, as well as the blessing "shehechayanu" for the joyous occasion of moving in to the new home. Though this is the basic requirement, customs for home dedication have developed over the years.
The Sefardic scholar "Chida" instituted a custom of studying three sections of the mishnah, "Beitzah", "Yom Tov", and "Tamid", whose initials spell the Hebrew word "Bayit", or "home". Chida's service also includes sections from the Talmud, Zohar, and Maimonides.
If one is living in Israel, and has a festive meal at this occasion, the Ashkenazic scholar Magen Avraham gives it the status of "seudat mitzvah". However, the basic requirement is only to say the two blessings that I mentioned before.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
22. Question:
Can I put a mezuzah up at the entrance of my cubicle at work?
Anne
Answer:
Dear Anne,
Whether you are *required* to put up a mezuzah depends on who owns the office, and what the doorway is like.
If you do not own the place where you work, you don't need a mezuzah there. If you do own it, and your cubicle has two side posts and a lintel (a horizontal beam across the top connecting the two side posts), you should put up a mezuzah without a blessing.
I understand from your question that you are interested in putting up a mezuzah even without the requirement, though. If that is the case, and you wish to be inspired or to show your Jewish pride by putting up the mezuzah, more power to you! However, don't say the blessing when you put it up.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
23. Question:
We recently installed an exterior door which has a metal exterior frame and a wooden interior frame. I have two questions:
(1) Is it appropriate to glue the mezuzah to the exterior metal frame since we cannot nail it?
(2) If not, is it acceptable to fasten it to the interior wood frame?
Many thanks for your reply.
Betsy
Answer:
Dear Betsy,
Gluing the mezuzah is just as good as nailing it.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
24. Question:
I have a fence around my property. It is entirely outside. The entrance has an actual doorway (wrought iron) with a real door frame. When you use the gate (door) you are merely going from the street to the yard, you are still 50 feet from the building. Does such an outside door require a mezuzah?
Answer:
The gate to the yard requires a mezuzah.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
25. Question:
In the case where a Jew shares a residence with a non-Jew (in joint tenancy), does a mezuzah belong on the doorpost?
Francine
Answer:
Francine:
There are different opinions about this question, so I would suggest putting up the mezuzah but not saying the blessing.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
26. Question:
(1) In question 11 you noted that the first order of priority is the proximity to the house's entrance. Does this refer strictly to the front entrance? I have a doorway that leads from a dining room to a dinette that is in the rear of the house. The dinette has a sliding door which leads to an outdoor deck. This is primary exit from the house to the backyard.
(2) As noted above the door to the outdoor deck in the back of the house is a sliding door. The door consists of two panes of glass, one which slides and the other which is permanent. When facing the house from the outside, the pane that slides is on the left. Normally I would put the mezuzah on the right hand side, however, in this instance the right hand doorpost would be nowhere near the actual entryway. I could try to attach the mezuzah to the side of the fixed pane of glass. Any suggestions?
(3) Does a door leading to the basement or attic staircase need a mezuzah?
Thank you for your help.
Dovid
Answer:
Dear Dovid,
(1) Re: the entrance to the backyard.
The entrance from the backyard is also considered the house's "entrance" regarding this issue.
(2) Re: the sliding door.
Your idea is correct: attach the mezuzah to the side of the fixed door.
(3) Re: door leading to attic or basement staircase.
Yes, they do require mezuzot.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
27. Question:
My 2 1/2 year old daughter really smiles when she sees me kiss a mezuzah before entering the doorway. In fact, she requires me to pick her up so she can kiss it too!
Because of this, I was wondering if it would be inappropriate to affix the mezuzah of her room much lower on the doorway so she can kiss it herself.
Thanks!
Lee
Answer:
Dear Lee,
Your daughter sounds adorable, and spiritually precocious, too! Elsewhere in this column, I've discussed the reason for keeping the mezuzah in the upper portion of the doorway. That discussion would apply here as well, and lowering the mezuzah would not be a good idea. However, you might consider making a small frame, fit for a 2 1/2 girl to walk through, and put it near the room's entrance. On the frame, you could put a small, inexpensive, mezuzah-like toy, and that could be "her" mezuzah, that she and nobody else uses.
May you have much joy from your daughter,
Eliyahu
28. Question:
Is it permitted for a gentile to make a mezuzah case for Jewish friends?
I'm taking a jewelry smithing class, and my teacher showed us some beautiful mezuzah cases she made for a gallery. Some Jewish friends of mine are moving to a new home, and a mezuzah case would make a lovely house warming gift. I was inspired and designed a pretty mezuzah case with a shin and a twined leafy vine. I understand the actual mezuzah scroll is a sacred thing that must be made in a proscribed manner, but not the case. Would it be OK to make a mezuzah case and give the empty case to my friends and let them get a proper mezuzah to put in it?
Answer:
Dear Karen,
Yes, it's permitted for a Jew to use a mezuzah case made by non-Jews. It's preferable to avoid putting the divine name on the case, but since you're planning to put on just the letter shin, that's not a problem. May your creative gifts continue to bring joy to others.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
29. Question:
I have an outdoor wooden fence and gate. The gatepost on the right, where the gate opens, is flush with the gate in the front, and there is no room between the gate and the post to put a mezuzah. Am I allowed to put it on the wooden fence just to the right of the gate? Or do I put it on the left gatepost, even thought that's where the hinges are?
-- Or-Li
Answer:
Dear Or-Li,
You should put the mezuzah on the wooden fence just to the right of the gate.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
30. Question:
Dear Rabbi Yaniger,
I'm wondering why some people have the custom of giving a mezuzah as a gift without a klaf, when I always learned that if you give a mezuzah, you must give a klaf along with it. Thoughts?
Thanks,
Jessica
Answer:
Dear Jessica,
You are correct that giving a mezuzah case without the scroll inside is not a complete package. In fact many people don't even realize that the case is supposed to have a scroll inside. This is why it is preferable under most circumstances to give the "whole package", both case and mezuzah. However, sometimes the recipients will prefer to choose the scroll themselves. Other times, the giver does not feel qualified to choose a quality mezuzah scroll for the recipient, or the giver may not be able to afford the scroll. These are situations under which it would be preferable to give the case without the scroll. There is no hard and fast rule here. The guidelines to consider are how the recipients may best perform the mitzvah, and what they would want to receive.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
31. Question:
Can a mezuzah be placed a few feet inside the door?
I have always had a mezuzah on my door. Now I am trying to put up another mezuzah on the entrance to my townhouse since the last was taken off and destroyed by someone unknown. I wonder if they realized what they stole! Our townhouses are closely attached here and I am wondering if it is a good idea to put it on the inside instead.
Entering my door the hinges are on the right therefore the inside right door beam is too awkward. Would it be halachic for it to be placed on the next first inside beam which is only four feet from the door and a little to the right? I know the left side is not halachic.
Thank you for your response on this as I wish to put up the mezuzah right away.
Shalom and Toda Rabah,
Cher
Answer:
Dear Cher,
I'm sorry to hear that your mezuzah was taken off. See if you can find a way to affix the mezuzah so that it would be more difficult for them to remove it. It would also be a good idea to use a simple mezuzah which would be less attractive to thieves. (Maybe you've already done that.)
If this can't be done, try to put it elsewhere on the right door beam, within the entry space. You mention that hinges prevent you from putting it on the right within the entry space, so we have to consider another alternative.
The next option is to put it on the right door post, but not in the entry space. This would be on the side of the same post within the house, a 90-degree right turn from where you would ordinarily put the mezuzah. However, you should not say the blessing if you put the mezuzah there.
You referred to an inside beam four feet from the door. If this beam is part of another doorway, it should have a mezuzah as well, in addition to the one on the outside. All doorways in the home require a mezuzah, not just the entrance from outside. Elsewhere on this page, you can see what constitues a doorway that requires a mezuzah. Search for "Leigh", and check out the second paragraph of my answer.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
32. Question:
I know the Hebrew 'Kozo bemuksaz Kozo' written on the back of the mezuzah scroll is code for 'Adonai Eloheinu Adonai'. Where did the custom of putting this code on the back of the scroll originate?
Thank you.
Gary
Answer:
Dear Gary,
The earliest written source I know of which records the custom is the Machzor Vitry, written by a student of Rashi (11th century). It is quoted by several later commentators as a custom of the French, German, or sometimes Austrian communities.
As you mentioned, the words themselves are a kind of code for divine names. If you take each of the letters in the divine names you mentioned and substitute the following letter in the Hebrew alphabet, you get 'Kozo bemuksaz Kozo'.
The phrase itself appears in the Zohar, without connection to mezuzah. It also appears in the Perush Haraavad to Sefer Yetzira. He writes that the "kozo" phrase, which is created by jumping one letter to the left, refers to G-d's "left side", namely the divine quality of justice, as opposed to the divine quality of mercy.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
33. Question:
Shalom, Rabbi, and thanks for putting up that useful info webpage about mezuzot. I have a question which is related to a couple answers you've posted, but my situation is not quite the same as the dormitory arrangement. I hope you can help.
I am a Jewish student and live in "shared housing," where I rent one room in a house that includes several other residents. We each have our own rooms with numbers and individual locks on the doors, but it's one house with one mailbox. (We share the kitchen and bathrooms.) The landlord is not Jewish and neither are the other tenants. I would like to put a mezuzah on the door of my room, since the room is my official residence, but I am wondering whether I need to say the bracha or not since I don't own the whole building.
Much thanks for your help,
Elizabeth
Answer:
Dear Elizabeth,
It seems that the only difference between your housing arrangement and a dorm is that each student has a private room with a key. If this is the only difference, you should not say a bracha when putting up your mezuzah.
Please note that this answer is for university housing, not for regular rental. A tenant who is not dorming would say the bracha, even if she does not own the whole building. Check out my answer to Daniel's question on this page for more details.
Best wishes for success in your studies,
Eliyahu
34. Question:
In question 11, you discuss how to determine inside vs. outside with respect to interior rooms. I have a door to my basement from my family room. The family room meets all of the first 3 criteria for being outside and entering into the basement, which would mean affixing the mezuzah to the right side of the door when in the family room. However, the door swings into the family room, so the door is flush with the family room wall, and there is no inner post on which to affix the mezuzah on the right side. Would I then affix the mezuzah to the outer post that is flush with the door and have the mezuzah tilted toward the door? If not, where/how should I affix it?
Thank you so much!
Iris
Answer:
Dear Iris,
Your suggestion is correct. Affix the mezuzah to the outer post that is flush with the door and have the mezuzah tilted toward the door.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
35. Question:
Hello Rabbi,
I have a 2 1/2 year old son who loves for me to lift him up so that he can kiss the mezuzah on his doorway. He has a Jewish holidays puzzle with a mezuzah piece that he holds up to the door and kisses as well.
My question is this: My son has a small outdoor play house in the back yard. I would like to help him hang a toy mezuzah on the doorpost. Would it be all right to use a mezuzah cover without the scroll in it? Would it be better to use a "pretend" case (a small piece of wood or some such thing), rather than a real case that is intended to hold a scroll?
A sheynem dank,
Jacob
Answer:
Dear Jake,
There's no problem using a real case. It's preferable to use one that doesn't has the full name of G-d written on it. Most cases though have just the letter "shin", or no letters at all, so they are ok.
May you and your son continue to have joy from mitzvot,
Eliyahu
36. Question:
Hi, I am moving from an apartment in a large high-rise building in Manhattan to a home upstate with my fiance. I have no idea who will end up renting the apartment and will have no way to contact the new tenants once I move out.
The mezuzah I had hanging up was a gift for my conversion from my soon to be mother-law and is very special to me. I would like to hang it in my new home. Is it ok for me to take the mezuzah with me? Please advise.
Thanks so Much!,
Keren
Answer:
Dear Keren,
Unless your building is owned exclusively by Jews, you can and should take all mezuzot with you.
If it's owned exclusively by Jews, you should leave the mezuzot. However, since the mezuzah that you have up now has special value to you, you can buy another mezuzah as a replacement. Shortly before you leave, take down the special mezuzah, put up the purchased mezuzah instead, and you're set.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
37. Question:
I know the law for checking mezzuzahs on a home, but what about shuls, community centres? How often should they be checked?
Answer:
Though mezuzahs in homes should be checked once every three and a half years, mezuzahs in public buildings should be checked only once every
25 years. Rashi on the Talmud says that if the required checking would be more frequent, nobody would want to take the responsibilty, and everyone would pass the buck to someone else.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
38. Question:
In question 4, you write: "You don't need to put a mezuzah on your car."
What if it is a camper? a trailer? What if one has to sleep in the car (because of no home & for quite a while)?
Answer:
Car: A car does not need a mezuzah even if you have to sleep in it.
Trailer: These structures are not designed purely for travel, but are more and more designed as permanent homes.
So if a trailer is your permanent home, and not used for a temporary getaway, you should put one up.
If you are making your home in a trailer for a couple of months, it's not clear whether a mezuzah is needed. So put one up without a blessing.
Camper: A camper like a Winnebago, which is clearly designed for travel, does not require a mezuzah. If you choose to make this your permanent home, put up the mezuzah without a bracha.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
39. Question:
Recently, I noticed that a neighbour's mezuzah had been hanging in the wrong direction.
To my surprise she was unaware of the problem. (Even though, I am not an Orthodox Jew, I try to create a Jewish environment in my home.)
She commented that no-one had ever mentioned this to her.
I would like to give her one of my mezuzahs (I have a few extras). My question is:
Can I give her one of my Kosher mezuzahs which I had used only for a few months
(they had been purchased at Chabad)? Or do I purchase a new one for her?
Thank you,
Just wanting to help a neighbour.
Answer:
Dear "Just wanting",
If you want to give your neighbor a mezuzah as a gift, you can either
buy her a new one, or give her yours and put up a replacement. If you
give her yours, you should have the replacement ready to put up as soon
as you take down the old one.
But do you really have to get a new one? From your question, it seems
that the only problem is that it's hanging in the wrong direction
(upside down or sideways). That can be fixed by taking it down, turning
it right side up, and putting it back up, without having to buy a new
mezuzah. I'd suggest having the old mezuzah checked before you lay out
money for a new one.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
40. Question:
What does it mean when you wear a mezuzah around your neck? Is there
any special prayer or instructions when wearing a mezuzah?
Thank you
Leslie, Tennessee, United States
Answer:
Dear Leslie,
Some people like to wear a mezuzah around the neck to show their Jewishness
or as a charm, but the practice doesn't have any basis in Jewish religious sources.
So naturally there aren't any rules about how do it.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
41. Question:
Rabbi,
I have a bedroom door with hinges on the right and it opens outward, so my option is
to affix the mezuzah to the door frame, making it behind the door and impossible to kiss
when opening the door (not to mention it is completely hidden when the door is left open) or to
affix it on the left side, which I know is incorrect but that way it is always visible.
Which is better?
Thanks,
S.K.
Answer:
Dear S.K.,
The first option is better. The mezuzah should be on the outside part the door frame,
and not on the left.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
42. Question:
I have some friends who are moving back to Israel. Every room in their house has a Mezuzah.
Each of their 4 children's rooms have one on the door and each is unique.
I am saddened that they think they are supposed to leave those mezuzahs
on the doors when they move. A Rabbi told them that until "the house officially sells"
they should remain.
I disagree. First of all, it could be months before this happens and there is no
guarantee whoever buys the house will care to return the mezuzahs.
Second of all, there is very little chance the person who buys the house will be Jewish
because statistically speaking this city is maybe 10% Jewish.
Thirdly, even if Jews buy the house, there is no guarantee they will leave
THOSE mezuzahs up – either they would have their own, if they are observant,
or they would not leave them up because they obviously belong to someone else!
I am very concerned about this. Mezuzahs have meaning to the PEOPLE,
and the "house" is a "home" to those people...the next people can add their own touches and memories.
Sincerely,
Sara, Dallas, Texas
Answer:
Dear Sara,
When I write "mezuzah" in this answer, I'm referring only to the parchment scroll,
not the decorative case that holds it. There is no requirement at all to leave
behind a mezuzah *case*, under any circumstances. The only issue is with the scrolls.
Now, regarding the scrolls:
Since it is likely that non-Jews will be living in the house, the Jewish owners should take the mezuzot with them. They do not have to wait until the house officially sells.
If it turns out that they find a Jewish buyer before they leave, they can still take with them the mezuzot (scrolls, remember) with sentimental value, and replace them with other mezuzot.
If your friends have reason to believe that the Jewish buyer will not treat the mezuzot with respect, they should take the mezuzot with them.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
43. Question:
After a recent move, my wife picked up the bag into which she had
placed our mezuzot, and they fell out a hole in the bottom of the bag onto the floor.
Some of the klafs touched the floor themselves, while others remained
in their cases. We quickly picked them up and kissed them. But is
there any action that needs to be taken (e.g. fasting, giving tzedaka, etc.)?
Thanks
H., Bronx, NY
Answer:
Dear H.,
There is no obligation to fast or give tzedakah. Some rabbis recommend giving tzedakah anyway, but there's no obligation.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
44. Question:
I have a Mezuzah that is too wide to fit on the inner doorpost when
the door is closed. Also, I cannot make a cutout in the doorpost to fit the Mezuzah.
Would it be proper to put the Mezuzah on the outside of the doorpost
thus facing the person as they enter the room?
Answer:
Yes, it would it be proper to put the Mezuzah on the outside of the doorpost.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
45. Question:
The entrance to my house is through an elevator. Do I hang the mezuzah on the right side
in the inside of the elevator or on the doorway so one faces it as one leaves the house?
Should the mezuzah be hung at an angle?
Answer:
There are different views about whether elevators need a mezuzah, and if so, where to put the mezuzah.
It seems that the most common practice is not to put up a mezuzah.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
46. Question:
Greetings Eliyahu, you have a super web site. I enjoyed my visit. However, with
respect, I'm wondering why any person who lives in God's presence
would need the distraction of a piece of paper with Hebrew writing in
a plastic container? To use any symbol as a substitute for the spirit
of God does no justice to people seeking truth.
In Love & Joy,
Michael
Answer:
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your question. I absolutely agree that any person who lives in G-d's presence should not be distracted by symbols. I would add that they should be focused and moved by symbols. This is precisely what the mezuzah (and other religious symbols) are for.
Have your family or friends ever given you a birthday cake? Why did they do it? After all, they live in your presence, so what's the point of being distracted by baking a cake and setting up candles? The answer is obvious. Your friends want to express their love for you.
When they made a cake, that flour and sugar wasn't a distraction. It was a way to express their appreciation of your presence and how much it means to them. The cake doesn't make them think about you less, but more. And how did you feel when you got the cake? Was it the same as if you went out to the bakery and bought a cake yourself? It probably meant much more. The reason it means so much to you is because it's the symbol in which your friends' love is focused.
It's a fact of life - symbols are one of the most moving ways we can express ourselves. If it wasn't true, birthday cakes would have gone out of fashion long ago (not to mention national flags, every form of art, baseball uniforms, and on and on...). When we turn to G-d, symbols are powerful ways to connect to G-d's presence.
G-d doesn't eat cakes or blow out candles, so He gave us a different way to celebrate His presence in our homes - by telling us to put up a mezuzah. We see it every time we go in and out of a room, and remember that we're loved and protected. It's not a distraction, but a reminder. The mezuzah reminds us to love and be loved - which is, after all, the point of life.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
47. Question:
I'm wondering if you can help. My husband I just purchased a new home.
The previous owners of our new home left their mezuzahs in the home,
which I understand is customary.
However, the previous owners seemed to actively neglect the home and yard.
We don't want their legacy in our home. The way we
see it is, we want to love this home and want to make it our own. We
want to turn the home into something great. Wouldn't new mezuzahs
represent new life for this terribly neglected home?
Regards,
New Home Owners who Want to do the Right Thing
Answer:
Dear New Owners,
If you wish to switch the mezuzot in your home, there is no problem at all.
The previous owners had an obligation to leave you their mezuzot, but you
have no obligation to use them. The only requirement is that kosher mezuzot
should be there, but they do not have to be the ones that came with the house.
If you switch the mezuzot, though, the old ones should be treated with respect.
So don't just throw them away, but they should be buried. Most synagogues have a
place to put used holy objects, from which they are transported for burial.
Much happiness in your new home,
Eliyahu
48. Question:
Shalom. We just moved and our kids are now sharing a room. They used
to have their own rooms with their own Mezuzahs on the doors.
Is there any religious reason that we cannot put both of their Mezuzahs on the same door?
Dan in Southern California
Answer:
Dear Dan,
There is a problem with having two mezuzot on one door. The Talmud disapproves of saying the "Shema" prayer twice, since it gives the impression of the existence of two deities. If you put up two mezuzot (which contain the text of the "Shema") on one doorway, you've got the same problem.
I'm impressed with your kids' enthusiasm for the mitzvah of mezuzah.
Hopefully, they will be able to work out a different solution.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
49. Question:
Shalom,
We have several outside gates to the yards surrounding our house.
These are all chain link gates and the fences are not fancy, chain
link put up with metal T posts on one area, two other areas have chain
link gates fastened to round wooden posts, there is also a chain link
gate across the porch separating the porch from the yard. Do these
require mezuah? If so how do you recommend fastening since they would
need to be fastened to chainlink, metal T post or round wooden post.
Thank you so much for your help.
Answer:
A mezuzah is needed only if there is also a crossbeam above you as you enter. If your chain-link fences are like others that I've seen, the gate that swings open doesn't have anything above it. In that case, there is no need for a mezuzah.
If you do have a crossbeam above, a mezuzah should be put up.
To attach a mezuzah to a metal post, you could try a strong glue or screws. This will work even if the post is round, since the mezuzah doesn't have to lie flush against the surface.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
50. Question:
Hi,
I bought a house from a great couple who had a Mezuzah posted on many
of the doors. As they moved out, they did not remove these, and I
enjoy their presence. I'm a gentile, and they knew this, so I haven't
felt bad about leaving them where they are. As time goes on though,
I'm always a bit worried that a guest might be offended, without
understanding the circumstances.
As a person of the Jewish faith, and of Jewish identity, would you
consider it offensive to see these on my door if you arrived as a guest?
Would it be considered strange?
Thanks,
Stephen
Answer:
Dear Stephen,
Thanks for your question and concern. You mentioned that keeping the mezuzot on your doorways might seem disconnected, somewhat like a cross on the home of an atheist. I share those feelings, since the commandment of mezuzah is very much bound up with Jewish identity. It would be an act of great generosity to give the mezuzot to a local Jewish charity that would be able to provide them to Jews who may not be able to afford mezuzot. For a non-Jew like yourself, for whom the Jewish Torah is not binding, I think that this would provide your home with an even greater "spiritual upgrade" than keeping the mezuzot.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
51. Question:
Is a certain time of the day preferable to put up mezuzah (morning,
afternoon or night)? Also does it matter who puts up the mezuzah -
husband or wife?
Thank you.
I.F., Brooklyn, NY
Answer:
Either husband of wife can put up the mezuzah. Day or night does not matter, either.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
52. Question:
I am living in what used to be my father's house (he passed away about
3 years ago). To the best of my knowledge, our Mezuzot have never been
checked. Who do I contact to get them checked? I would assume that I
would go to the Rabbi, but I want to make sure that I do it correctly.
Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.
Paul, Savannah, GA
Answer:
Dear Paul,
Being qualified to check mezuzot requires special training and certification. This certification is given only to
someone who has a thorough knowledge of the traditional laws, as well as a commitment to abide by those laws.
Most rabbis don't have this specialized training, but they may be able to direct you to someone who does.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
53. Question:
Rabbi Yaniger,
Several years ago my father placed a Mezuzah on the door post of my
bedroom. At the time, he was unaware that a Mezuzah must be placed on
the right side of the door, and placed it on the left. Now that I am
aware that a Mezuzah must be placed on the right side of the door post
am I allowed to remove the Mezuzah from the left side and re-affix it
to the right side of the door, and if so, is there a blessing I must
make when detaching it?
Many thanks,
Bryan
Answer:
Dear Bryan,
Yes, you should remove the mezuzah from the left side and re-affix it to the right side
of the door. You don't say the blessing when you remove the mezuzah, but when you re-affix
it on the right. You can find the text of the blessing on this page, at paragraph 3.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
54. Question:
Hi, we are moving out of a rented apt (bottom floor of a two story home) into a house. The apt we are renting is owned by Jews and I believe Jews are moving in. Do we have to leave the Mezuzot even if we are renting?
Bracha
Brooklyn NY
Answer:
Dear Bracha,
If the apartment is owned by non-Jews, you don't have to leave the mezuzot, even if Jews are moving in.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
55. Question:
I am a Christian male dating a Jewish female. Two years ago she moved into a new house
with her husband. Before they hung a mezuzah, he passed away. I would like to give her a
mezuzah as a symbol of my acceptance of her faith, but don't know if that is acceptable
(coming from a Christian), or appropriate (since the house is still perceived as belonging
to her deceased husband). If it is okay for me to give the gift to her, are there any gifting
customs of which I should be aware? Would it be appropriate for me to hang it or must that
be done by a Jew? Is gifting a mezuzah during the upcoming September holidays appropriate?
Thanks for any thoughts you may have.
Answer:
Dear friend,
My condolences to your friend on the loss of her husband. May she have no further sorrow.
Your message has a number of aspects, so I'll address them first from a narrow legal perspective,
and then in a broader way.
There is nothing in Jewish law which prohibits a non-Jew from buying a kosher mezuzah and
giving it as a gift to a Jewish person.
There are no special gifting customs when giving a mezuzah,
nor is any special time of the year better than any other time.
The mezuzah should be hung by a Jew.
From a broader perspective, though, I think that I should add something else.
You wish to express acceptance of your friend's faith by giving her a mezuzah.
But there is a certain tension here, since in the Jewish tradition a non-Jew
dating a Jew is problematic unless the non-Jew intends to convert to Judaism.
It is beyond the scope of my column to say more on the subject of
Jewish/Christian relationships. However, I imagine that your sensitivity will
enable you and your friend to develop your relationship in a way that help you
live happily and in holiness.
Eliyahu
56. Question:
What is the proper brocha for putting up a mazuzah and is a sheh-hechianu in order?
Thank you,
Scott
Answer:
Dear Scott,
You can find the bracha for mezuzah on this web site here.
The bracha "shehechayanu" is recited for a mitzvah that occurs periodically.
Since mezuzah is not associated with a certain time, it does not entail saying "shehechaynu".
Nevertheless, it has become customary for people to say "shehechayanu"
when putting up mezuzot on a new home. This is because "shehechayanu"
is also said as an expression of gratitude on joyous occasions.
"Shehecheyanu" is said not so much because of the mitzvah of mezuzah, but because of the exciting event of moving in.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
57. Question:
Do I put a mezuzah on each doorway of the house?
Thanks,
Deborah
Answer:
Dear Deborah,
Many people mistakenly believe halachah requires a mezuzah on the front entrance and
nowhere else. This is not true. Mezuzahs should be placed on all rooms in the home.
Exceptions, though, are laundry rooms and bathrooms, which are used for primarily
for "undignified" purposes.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
58. Question:
On which side of the doorway leading into the garden should a mezuzah be fixed
(doors open from inside the house into the garden, not really possible to open
them from the garden side, and not really possible to enter the garden
other than from the house) - on the garden side or in the house on the right hand side?
Many thanks
Polina
Answer:
Dear Polina,
There are two views about which side to put the mezuzah on.
Here's the logic:
The rule is that you put a mezuzah on the right, as you enter a room. Is an enclosed yard as a kind of "room"?
Opinion 1: An enclosed yard is like a room. So the mezuzah would go on the right as you enter the yard.
Opinion 2: An enclosed yard is not like a room, so it doesn't require a mezuzah. However, the room which leads to the yard does require one. So you would put the mezuzah on the right as you enter that "inside" room. In other words, it would go on the left as you enter the yard.
Conclusion: You can put it on either side.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
59. Question:
Hello. What is the correct way to kiss a mezuzah? Touch the mezuzah
and kiss my fingertips or kiss my fingertips and touch the mezuzah?
I see people do both ways....
Thank you.
Keiko
Answer:
Dear Keiko,
There is a custom to touch the mezuzah when leaving and entering one's home. It is based
on the story of Onkelos and the Roman soldiers, which I have written about elsewhere
in this column. This custom is quoted by major halachic authorities.
Some people also kiss their fingers either before or after touching the mezuzah,
as a sign of love for the Torah. Whether to do this is a personal choice
and it doesn't matter how it's done.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
60. Question:
(a) We moved into our new home a little less than two months ago, and have
not yet put up Mezzuzot. Do we say the extra blessing?
(b) We have a large coat closet that extends under the stairs, in
which we keep games, photo albums, a vacuum cleaner, etc. as well as
coats - should we put a Mezuzah up on the closet door?
(c) About the garage: Should the mezuzah go outside the big garage door which a
car would go through (although we don't park the car in there),
or should it go on the outside of the regular door that a person would go through.
OR, should it go on the door from the house to the garage. We go in and out of the garage
frequently, mostly through the big garage door. Should it go in all three places?
(d) Our kitchen has two entrances - what do we do in this case?
Thanks for your help.
Carol
Los Altos, CA
Answer:
Dear Carol,
(a) The Shehechayanu blessing is not said if the mezuzot were put up after 30 days.
(b) If your closet under the stairs is more than 36 square feet with a height of
31.5 inches, you should put a mezuzah there, but without a blessing.
(c) Generally, a garage does not require a mezuzah. However, if you use it for
storage of household items instead of for your car, put up a mezuzah without a blessing.
(d) If your kitchen has two entrances, put up a mezuzah on each one.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
61. Question:
I understand the Sh'ma portion of the Mezuzah. But why does the Mezuzah not contain
the text of Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The passage following the Sh'ma would seem to be referring to this list of Commandments.
Fred
Answer:
Dear Fred,
The passage in Deuteronomy that you mention tells of the revelation of the Ten Commandments
to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, and indeed the Shma text follows shortly afterwards.
However, Jewish tradition understands that when the Shma refers to "the words
that I command you today", it doesn't mean just the Ten Commandments. It means
the entire Torah. Of course, we can't put an entire Torah scroll on every doorway.
So our mezuzah text contains just the two paragraphs of the Torah which mention the commandment of mezuzah.
Not including the Ten Commandments in the mezuzah text may also indicate the ambivalence
that Jewish tradition has long had about how to relate to the Ten Commandments.
On the one hand, this seems to be a central text of the Torah.
It's the high point of the Jewish people - when G-d Himself speaks to Israel.
For this reason, there was a custom in the times of the Jerusalem Temple to make recitation of the
Ten Commandments part of the morning service.
On the other hand, when people started to make the Ten Commandments part of the
prayer service outside of the temple, the rabbis put a stop to it. They
thought that it seemed to legitimize the view that the Ten Commandments is the
whole of G-d's relevation, to the exclusion of the rest of the commandments.
Even today, one Jewish custom is to stand when the Ten Commandments are
read in the synagogue. But there is another custom to deliberately not stand, to avoid
giving preference to one portion of the Torah over others. Perhaps this
concern is also reflected in the absence of the Ten Commandments from the mezuzah's text.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
62. Question:
Is one allowed to place anything "permanent" (for example a pull-up bar) above a mezuzah?
Thank You,
Eric
Answer:
Dear Eric,
There's no problem with installing a pull-up bar above the mezuzah.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
63. Question:
We have just moved to a brand new home in Switzerland which we are renting. It is very modern and the door is framed in metal
which is laquered. Of course we would not be able to fix a nail into it. It is also less than an inch wide so even if
I changed the case of the Mezuzah to a narrower one, it would not fit at an angle. The door sits in a stuccoed concrete
entranceway which is about 7 inches wide.
Your advice would be very much appreciated,
Ester
Answer:
Dear Ester,
The stuccoed area is also part of the entranceway, so you could put the mezuzah there.
By the way, you don't need to attach it with a nail.
Any adhesive is fine, as long as the mezuzah is firmly in place.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
64. Question:
What is the source for having mezuzot in Jewish day schools if they are not places of residence?
Thanks.
Chaim
Answer:
Dear Chaim,
The Babylonian Talmud says that the majority opinion is that study houses don't require a mezuzah. However,
the Jerusalem Talmud says otherwise, apparently considering your school as your spiritual "home".
The Shulchan Aruch writes that the halacha considers schools exempt, but still recommends
putting them anyway without a blessing, just to take the other view into account.
There is a curious story that Rabbi Yosef Karo, the author of the Shulchan Aruch, writes in his other work, the "Beit Yosef"
about the "Maharam", the illustrious Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg (Germany 13th century).
The "Maharam" used to take an afternoon nap regularly, but when he took his nap in the study hall,
he was disturbed by a "ruach raa", roughly translated as "bad spiritual vibes". He
tried putting up a mezuzah, to see if it would help. It worked, and afterwards he
could sleep soundly. Hopefully, the mezuzot in the Jewish day schools won't put the students to sleep.
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
65. Question:
I have purchased a home that already had Mezuzah's on our doors but
received a Mezuzah as a wedding present from my rabbi. Is it okay to
take down the Mezuzah from the previous home owners and replace with one of our own?
Thank you,
Bronda
Answer:
Dear Bronda,
It's ok to replace the old mezuzah with your new one.
Once you take the old one down, though, it should be treated respectfully. If you wish to dispose of it,
it should go in your local "genizah" (a place for the the disposal of holy objects).
Best wishes,
Eliyahu
About the Sofer
Rabbi Eliyahu Yaniger has been working professionally as a sofer for 13
years, and has written 14 Sifrei Torah. He was trained by Yitzchak Meir Rosenberg
of Alon Shevut and Chaim Kass of Jerusalem, from whom he received certification.
He has also been certified by the Rabbinate of Jerusalem.
A native of Baltimore, he studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion and has held rabbinical
postions at the Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel and the Tlalim Synagogue in Arad, Israel.
He has also taught at the Maimonides School in Boston, as well as the Ulpanat Bnei
Akiva, the WUJS Institute in Arad, and the Yeshiva of Bat-Ayin.
He currently lives in Efrat with his wife and six children.
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