* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Have you ever paid attention to the mezuzah on the doorpost of your room? Stop for a moment and take a look at it. Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson encourages us to think about the unique mitzvah of mezuzah that we read about in Parashat Eikev.
This is what he says:
"We might consider the mezuzah to be a one-time mitzvah: We take a hammer and nail and affix the mezuzah to our doorpost and we have fulfilled the mitzvah. Since we don’t do anything with a mezuzah once it is placed on our doorpost, it is easy to forget its purpose. The mezuzah is not a magical charm or “segula” but has a message for us that is relevant at alltimes. In fact, it is a mitzvah that never ends.
The mezuzah, placed on doorways in Jewish homes, holds a piece of parchment containing two selections of biblical verses, from Vaetchanan and Eikev (Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and Deuteronomy 11:13–21). The first section of the Bible contained in the mezuzah is the Shema, which expresses the oneness of G-d; the second is the second portion of the Shema, “vehayaheim shamoah,” the injunction to keep G-d’s mitzvos. The Mezuzah stands like a sentinel at the door; we pass it whenever we enter or leave the room, and whenever we enter or leave our home. It reminds us of what is truly important— what is fleeting and what is eternal—and that our lives have purpose and meaning.
And this awareness is especially important when you exit or enter your house. When you leave your house, the mezuzah sends you out into society with this message: Do not allow yourself to be consumed by a stressful and overwhelming world. Don’t get flustered, don’t sell your soul, don’t turn into a shark, don’t lose yourself. Don’t allow temporary heartaches to distract you from that which is true, stable, eternal and permanent. Remain attuned to “the rock of the universe,” to that core of the universe which remains intact through all of the turbulence.
But perhaps the most important role of the mezuzah is when it greets you upon your return home. Often, when you come home, you are not in the best of moods. You let it out on your wife, your husband, or your children. So before you enter the home, you need to stop and look at the mezuzah. “There is nothing permanent or eternal, save the knowledge of the Rock of the Universe,” it proclaims to you. Take a deep breath, and realign yourself with that which matters most in your life. Don’t let a superficial transient mood define your experience in your home.
The mezuzah reminds you that your house is also the abode of the Shechina (the Divine presence). The relationships we forge at home do not only help you to survive, but are holy and meaningful. Your home is your own mini-Temple".
If you haven’t done so for a while, take this opportunity to take your mezuzot to a sofer to check if they are kosher. At the same time, don’t forget to listen to your mezuzah’s powerful message.
*
What’s in your mezuzah?
* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
I received an astonishing message from Devorah Slater, coordinator for the Nefesh Yehudi (Jewish Soul) student organization in Haifa. A student read what I published the other day about the importance of a mezuzah and decided to check if hers was kosher. To her surprise, instead of the customary Torah verses written on a piece of parchment, she found a piece of paper bearing a Christian text written in Russian.
This is not what is supposed to be written in a kosher mezuzah affixed to the door of our home. Instead, it should contain holy verses testifying to our faith and obedience to God, and the blessings that they bring. The student hastened to acquire a kosher mezuzah scroll.
We are approaching the month of Elul, a time when it is customary to check tefillin and mezuzahs. Send this message to one and all as a reminder of this important practice.
May we merit that all the blessings written in our kosher mezuzahs will come to pass.
