Mezuzah and Jewish Tradition
What is a Mezuzah?
Mezuzahs are a slim case with a prayer scroll rolled into it which can be found on the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes.
Generally, the Mezuzah is placed on the left doorposts – so when you exit a room the Mezuzah will be on the post to your left. The scroll is written on a special paper and handwritten in a specific style of writing.
Some people will only place a Mezuzah on the post of doors that lead outside. However, traditionally you would place a Mezuzah on each room in the house except for the washroom.
Symbolism of the Mezuzah
The mitzvah is in the scroll rolled into the Mezuzah casing which contains a prayer called the “Shema” (Deut. 11:13-21). On the back of the scroll has G-d’s name written on it and on the Mezuzah case has the first letter of G-d’s name on it. There are different theories as to why we keep Mezuzot on the door posts. The most widely accepted is that G-d commands, in Deut 6:4-9, that the Jewish people remember his words and keep the Shema prayer close – both in mind and heart. So the Mezuzah is a symbolic representation of this agreement with God.
Some believe that the prayer in the scroll has an effect on the health and general well-being of the people living within the house. In this case it takes on the form of the symbolic protection and blessings from God. In the event the scroll is faded or damaged in any way, then it is believed that this can have a negative impact on the people living in the house. To prevent this, people regularly have the scrolls checked.
Every time you walk through a door, you are supposed to touch the Mezuzah and kiss the fingers that touched it. This action symbolizes love and respect for God.
When you move, you are supposed to remove the Mezuzah from the door posts. The reason for this is that you don’t know who is moving in after you and if they will treat it with respect or not.
Mezuzahs and Judaica art
Modern Mezuzah cases make unique Jewish gifts. Mezuzahs are available today in a wide range of styles and designs from traditional, Judaica or modern. They also range in cost based on the designer, where it was made and so on.
Arched Mezuzah by Ester Shahaf, sold by Most Original – Handmade Judaica Online!
Mezuzah cases make for a great gift – especially if someone has just moved in to a new home, or if you are visiting on a holiday. There is no problem to transfer a scroll from one case to another – it’s completely kosher. In World of Judaica you can find this Mezuzah and many others in a wide range of prices (from 1to a few hundred $)
You might also be interested to learn more about Car Mezuzahs.
