The Mitzvah of Mezuzah
The Torah commanded every Jew to affix a mezuzah to the entrance of his house and rooms. The mezuzah is a parchment upon which are written the two passages in which the mitzvah of mezuzah is stated: the passage of “Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the passage of “Vehaya Im Shamoa" (ibid. 11:13-21). These passages we also recite as part of the recitation of the Shema. Likewise, among the four passages in the tefillin are included these two passages, which contain the foundations of Israel’s faith. In order that these ideas accompany us always when we enter the house and when we leave it, we were commanded to affix them to the doorposts of our entrances.
The Protective Quality
There is a special protective quality in the mitzvah of mezuzah, that it grants protection and long life to the homeowners and their children, as stated at the conclusion of the two mezuzah passages: “So that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied upon the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). Our Sages even derived from here that through the sin of neglecting the mitzvah of mezuzah, children may die (Shabbat 32b; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 285:1).
The house provides protection from rain and wind, from sun and wild animals. It also guards a person and his property from thieves and robbers. However, no matter how strong and materially protected the house may be, many dangers lurk at its entrance. The primary danger is that through the illusion of stability the house provides, a person may forget the Lord his God, who breathed a soul into him, and commanded him to walk in His ways, and bring goodness and blessing into the world.
Therefore, the mezuzah must be affixed at the entrance of the house, so that one who enters and leaves will repeatedly remember the foundations of faith written in it. Through this, he will remember his purpose and the value of his existence, and consequently, the Holy One, blessed be He, will strengthen his life; his days and the days of his children will be increased; blessing will rest in his home and in his endeavors; and dangers and temptations will distance themselves from him, and not shorten his days, or the days of his children (see Zohar III, Ra’aya Meheimna 265b).
Our Sages said: “One who is careful with mezuzah merits a beautiful dwelling" (Shabbat 23b), for the primary beauty of a dwelling is that the Divine presence rests within it, in that it expresses the good aspirations of the homeowner. Just as the Temple is “the beauty of the world" (Zevachim 54b), so the mezuzah is the beauty of the house (see Zohar III 265b). And when the house suits the soul of the one who lives in it, the house will also be beautiful in its body and furnishings.
The Custom of Kissing the Mezuzah
Some have the custom to bring their hand close to the mezuzah in order to recall the meaning of the mezuzah when entering and leaving the house (Rema, Yoreh De’ah 285:2). Some even touch the mezuzah with their hand, and then kiss the hand (Birkei Yosef). However, a sick person should refrain from kissing it, so as not to infect others with his illness.
The Mezuzah Scroll
A scribe writes in ink, in script of STaM letters, the two mezuzah passages on one parchment, and in one column (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 288:1-2).
The mezuzah is rolled from the end of the line to its beginning, so that when it is opened, one can immediately begin reading the first word (Shulchan Aruch 288:14). It is affixed with the first line facing upward; if one erred and affixed it upside down, it is invalid. Ideally, it is affixed so that the beginning of its opening faces the space of the doorway (Shulchan Aruch 289:6).
Is a Mezuzah Case Required?
According to the strict law, one may affix the rolled mezuzah itself to the doorpost, but in practice, it is customary to place it in a mezuzah case so that it not fall, and to protect it from the dampness of the wall (Mishnah Kelim 16:7; Tosafot Bava Metzia 102a; Shulchan Aruch 289:1).
It is good to beautify and adorn the mezuzah case (Nahar Mitzrayim, Mezuzah 10).
Affixing the Mezuzah
The mezuzah must be firmly affixed to the doorpost with nails or screws. It may also be affixed with strong glue (Aruch HaShulchan 289:15; Yaskil Avdi VIII, Yoreh De’ah 14:2). When necessary, it may be affixed with strong adhesive tape. But if it is affixed in a way that it can easily fall, it is invalid, for the mezuzah must be permanently attached to the doorpost, as it is stated: “On the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:9) - “on your gates" meaning that it must be attached to the gate. It appears that if the mezuzah can certainly remain in place for thirty days, its affixing may already be considered permanent.
If it is affixed only at its upper part so that it moves and sways, it is invalid. Likewise, if one attached the mezuzah to a stick and placed the stick in the location of the mezuzah, or made a narrow shelf the width of the mezuzah and placed it there, it is invalid.
The Custom of Writing the Name Sha-ddai
Jews are accustomed to write the Name Sha-ddai-an acronym for Shomer Daltot Yisrael (“Guardian of the doors of Israel")-on the outer side of the mezuzah parchment, opposite the beginning of the passage “Vehaya Im Shamoa," so that when the passage is rolled from its end to its beginning, the Name appears outward (Rambam, Mezuzah 5:4; Rosh; Zohar III 266a; Shulchan Aruch 288:15).
The reason for the custom is explained as follows: the Name Sha-ddai expresses the protection that God guards over Israel, and its initials signify “Guardian of the doors of Israel." Therefore, it is an enhancement if the mezuzah case is transparent, so that those passing through the doorway will see the Divine Name on the mezuzah. The problem is that a transparent glass or plastic case may break. Therefore, many use a non-transparent case and write the Name Sha-ddai on the case.
When affixing a mezuzah in a bedroom where one dresses, or in a room where baby diapers are changed, one must ensure that the case is not transparent, and that the Name Shaddai is not written on the case, so that it not be treated disrespectfully. For this reason, many mezuzah cases bear only the letter “Shin"-to allude to the Name Sha-ddai, but not to write it explicitly in a way that might be treated disrespectfully (Shulchan Aruch 286:5; Mishnah Berurah 40:7).
The Blessing
Before affixing the mezuzah to the doorpost, one stands and recites:
“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah" (Shulchan Aruch 289:1).
One who affixes several mezuzot at once, recites one blessing over all of them (Rema 289:1). If one interrupted and spoke about another matter between the blessing and affixing the mezuzah, he has forfeited the blessing, and must repeat it. But if he interrupted after already affixing one mezuzah, although he did not act properly, since the blessing already took effect on the first mezuzah, he should not recite another blessing over the remaining mezuzot he intended to affix at the time he blessed (see Mishnah Berurah 8:28).
Who Should Affix the Mezuzah?
Ideally, it is a mitzvah for a person to perform his own commandments himself, and not through an agent (Mishnah Berurah 250:3). However, in order to increase the honor of the mitzvah, one may initially request a distinguished person to affix the mezuzah for him (Tevuot Shor 28:14; Shiurei Berachah 264:1).
When the homeowner appoints an agent to affix the mezuzah for him, the agent recites the more general wording: “concerning the affixing of a mezuzah" (Al Keviyat Mezuzah) (Rambam, Berachot 11:13). Similarly, when a house is owned by many partners, if one of them affixes the mezuzah he recites “to affix a mezuzah," (likbo’a mezuzah) but if another person affixes it as their agent, he recites “concerning the affixing of a mezuzah." In any case, one fulfills the obligation with either wording.
A Woman
A man and a woman are equal in the mitzvah of affixing the mezuzah. Although in Yeshuot Malko (Mezuzah 5:10) it was written that a woman should not affix a mezuzah since she is not qualified to write it, according to the overwhelming majority of halakhic authorities, a woman is valid to affix it, since she is obligated in mezuzah and the primary mitzvah is the affixing. Therefore, a woman who is the homeowner has a mitzvah to affix the mezuzah herself (Responsa Chatam Sofer, Yoreh De’ah 271; Eretz Tzvi I:15; Sdei Chemed, system Mem 131; Kuntras HaMezuzah 291:21, and others).
A Minor
A minor should not affix a mezuzah, even in a room designated for him. Although some say that if a minor affixed a mezuzah in his room, it is valid (Nachalat Tzvi [Eisenstadt] 291:2; Responsa Torah Lishmah 307), one should not act this way, since many authorities invalidate it (Chikrei Lev III 128; Mikdash Me’at 289:2, and others).
The Time of Affixing the Mezuzah and Living Without a Mezuzah
Those who buy or rent an apartment become obligated in mezuzah when they begin to live in it. Although some say that from the moment the apartment is ready for habitation, the owner or renter is obligated to affix a mezuzah (Chemdat Moshe, Orach Chaim 19:1; Avnei Nezer, Yoreh De’ah 381).
However, according to most authorities, the obligation takes effect when a person actually lives in the apartment (Magen Avraham, Orach Chaim 19:1; Da’at Kedoshim 289:2; Mishnah Berurah 19:4; Shevet HaLevi VI 161). Those who wish to affix a mezuzah before entering the apartment may do so with a blessing from the time they begin bringing their belongings into it (Harei Besamim II 219; Devar Yehoshua III, Yoreh De’ah 51; see also Aruch HaShulchan 19:2).
Is It Permissible to Live in a House Without a Mezuzah?
Those who enter to live in an apartment and forgot to prepare mezuzot for its entrances and rooms, should hasten to obtain mezuzot as soon as possible. Some say that they are even forbidden to use the apartment and sleep in it as long as there are no mezuzot; only if they have absolutely no possibility of obtaining mezuzot, and have no other place to live, in pressing circumstances may they live in their apartment without mezuzot (Ben Ish Chai).
According to most authorities, however, they may live in their home even when there are no mezuzot in it, because the mitzvah is to affix mezuzot in the dwelling; anyone who delays affixing them neglects a positive commandment from the Torah, but there is no prohibition against living in a house without mezuzot.
In practice, one who has no mezuzot in his home-if he can easily move to live in another apartment that has mezuzot, should do so. Likewise, if there is a mezuzah in one of the rooms, he should live in that room. But if there is some difficulty in obtaining mezuzot, he may live in his apartment despite the absence of mezuzot, and he should hasten as much as he can to obtain mezuzot and affix them in his dwelling.
This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper and was translated from Hebrew.