Mezuzzah

The Mezzuzah is a parchment piece enclosed within decorative casings, which is hung on the doorframes of Jewish homes. The Mezzuzah scroll contains ancient verses from the Torah and is written in Hebrew language.

Where it is placed

Most orthodox Jewish families prefer hanging a mezzuzah over all doorposts of the home, with the exception of small closets and the bathrooms. However, most modern Jewish families only place the Mezzuzah on the main doorframe of the home. The mezzuzah scroll is made of parchment paper and is made by qualified scribes. These scribes have undergone training for several extensive years and these ancient verses from the Torah are written with indelible black ink and with special quill pens. Then the Mezzuzah scroll is rolled up and placed inside decorative casing.

How to hang Mezzuzah

The right way of hanging a mezzuzah is to place it over the right side of a door. It should be placed over the third upper corner of the doorpost. The mezzuzah should be within shoulder height and 3 inches from the opening of the doorway. Once you move into a house or any rented area, Jewish people are expected to place the mezzuzah within a period of 30 days. Jewish families or individuals who stay out of the Holy Land of Israel need to do this. Such places falling out of the vicinity of Israel are called Diaspora. If the home lies within Diaspora or it is a owned or rented home in Israel itself the mezzuzah is fixed instantly as soon as the home is occupied. You can start hanging a mezzuzah on the doorpost with the help of double sided tape, glue, nails or screws as per convenience. A good idea is to wrap the mezuzah scroll with plastic sheets as this protects it from dust, heat and pollution. Always ensure that the verses inscribed on the parchment are not damaged or that the mezzuzah scroll is not torn as this can damage the mezzuzah.

Wide doorways

In the case of wider doorways the mezzuzah is tilted so that it is towards the home. This enforces a belief amongst Jews that God as well as the Torah are entering the home. Some non-Ashkenazi Jewish persons and followers of Sephardim sect tend to prefer hanging a mezzuzah vertically instead of in a tilted manner. The recital of the blessing is crucial before hanging a mezzuzah as it implies it significance. The mezzuzah prayer is as follows:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His mitzvot, and commanded us to affix a mezuzah. Anyone who is old enough to understand the significance of the mezzuzah can recite the mezzuzah prayer. The first hanging a mezzuzah should be preceded by a blessing recital. The other mezzuzah can be affixed without recital of the blessing.

The orthodox Jewish families usually ask qualified scribes to check the mezzuzah for any faults or defects before it is hung on the doorway. If the lettering on the mezzuzah is faded or there are small tears on it then the mezzuzah may require replacement.