Every Jewish home should have a Mezuzah on its doorposts. The Mezuzah contains the Shema and is a sign that the home is sanctified for G‑d and enjoys His protection.
“And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:9, 11:20)
A kosher Mezuzah is a small parchment scroll, hand-written by an expert scribe, which contains two Biblical passages, one of them the Shema Yisrael. On the reverse side of the parchment are written the three Hebrew letters, Shin (ש), Dalet (ד), Yud (י). This is an acronym for the Hebrew words, שומר דלתות ישראל, meaning, “Guardian of the doors of Israel”. A Mezuzah is affixed on the right side of every door of the home (except the bathroom) and it protects the inhabitants while in and out of the house.
A Mezuzah designates a house (or room) as Jewish, it reminds us of our connection to G–d and our heritage. By placing it on the doorpost we declare that this is a house or room where the word of G–d and his Torah influences our behavior, thus rendering it a holy dwelling.
Both Tefillin and Mezuzot need to be certified as Kosher by an authorized scribe. They also require regular checking. In many instances, when the Rebbe received a request for a blessing (particularly in health matters) he suggested that Tefillin and Mezuzot be checked.
To contact us about putting a Mezuza on your door, click here.