Marc Firestone explains the main qualities of the Mezuzah, which encompasses a prayer to protect Jewish households and remind them of their faith and devotion to God.

1. W H AT I S
T H E
M E Z U Z A H ?
C R E A T E D B Y M A R C F I R E S T O N E

2. • In traditional Jewish
culture, mezuzahs consist
of pieces of paper inside
of a case that is hung on
the doorway of a Jewish
home.

3. • In Hebrew, the term
“mezuzah” equates
to “doorpost.”

4. • This tradition mostly
occurs within the 30 days
of a family or individual
moving into a new home,
but in Israel people tend
to hand their mezuzahs
immediately.

5. • Inside of the mezuzah
case, which is often
decorated but can be plain
if the owner chooses, is the
Torah verses Deuteronomy
6:4-9 and 11: 13-21, versus
that serve to bless the
house and showcase a
Jewish household’s
dedication to God.

6. • This famous Jewish prayer,
also known as Shema,
declares God’s unity and
the Jewish members’
devotion to him.

7. • The sole purpose of the
mezuzah case is to
protect this prayer, which
must be written very
carefully, for if it is not in
mint condition, it will be
invalidated. Both the
handwriting and the
piece of parchment must
not have any defects.

8. • Before hanging the
mezuzah in any doorway
within the new home
besides the bathroom, a
blessing must be recited in
order for the mezuzah to
activate and protect the
house.

9. • This blessing is read as
followed: “Barukh atah
Adonai Eloheinu melekh
ha’olam, asher kideshanu
bemitzvotav vetzivanu
liqbo’ah mezuzah.”

10. • Upon entering and leaving
a home that contains a
mezuzah in the doorway, it
is tradition to touch the
mezuzah and immediately
after kiss the hand that
touched it.

11. • In addition, the scroll inside of the mezuzah should be
checked at least twice every seven years by a qualified
scribe, also known as a “sofer.”

12. • The sofer will ensure
that there are no
defects with the scroll
so that it can continue
to bless the house.

13. • Most often, the
mezuzah is marked
with the letter Shin,
which should be
written on the top of
the scroll after it is
rolled so that it is the
only visible letter
before the scroll is
unrolled.

14. • The mezuzah serves to act
as a reminder of Jewish
faith and as a symbol of
God’s protection over the
house and whoever enters
the house.
• Through observation of
the mezuzah, we are
reminded that God is
always with us, inside or
outside of our homes.