Mezuzah

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Mezuzah2.jpg

There is a positive commandment to set up a mezuzah on every doorpost. [1] The details as to which doorways, how the mezuzah should be placed, and the bracha are described below.

Which doorposts require a mezuzah

  1. Every door of one's house is obligated in mezuzah. Even if a room has several doorways, each one is obligated in having a mezuzah, unless a room has one doorway that is used for entering and exiting and one entrances that isn't used for entering or exiting except that it is used sometimes to put packages down there, then the entrance not used for entering or exiting isn't obligated in having a mezuzah. [2]
  2. A doorway is certainly obligated in a mezuzah if it has two doorposts that are 10 Tefachim tall and a lintel on top. [3] If a doorway only has one doorpost, such as if the lintel is connected to a wall, then if the standing doorpost is on the right, one should put up a mezuzah without a bracha or recite a bracha when putting up a mezuzah in a doorway that is obligated and then put up this mezuzah. If the standing doorpost is on the left, that doorway isn't obligated in a mezuzah.[4]
  3. The doorway to a courtyard or city is obligated in having a mezuzah. [5]
  4. The doorpost of a cellar that is lying flat on the ground is not obligated in having a mezuzah. [6]
  5. It is a dispute whether or not the doorway leading into an elevator requires a mezuzah. [7]
  6. A doorway is only obligated in a mezuzah if the room has 4 by 4 amot of space. If there's not 4 by 4 square amot but there is the same amount of area in another space, such as 2 by 8 amot, there is a dispute whether the doorway is obligated in a mezuzah. In such a case one should put up a mezuzah without a bracha, or recite a bracha when putting up a mezuzah in a doorway that is obligated and then put up this mezuzah. [8]

How the mezuzah should be placed

  1. The mezuzah should be put up on the doorpost which is to one's right upon one's entering the room. [9] This is true for a left handed person as well. [10]
  2. The mezuzah should be placed at the beginning of the upper third of the height of the doorway [11] but it should be placed at least a Tefach from the top of the doorway. [12] If it is not in the top third it isn't kosher. [13]
  3. While Sephardim place the mezuzah straight up[14], Ashkenazim place it on a slant, with the top towards the inside and the bottom towards the outside. [15]
  4. The mezuzah should be placed on the outer tefach of the doorpost. [16]
  5. One may put up a mezuzah at night.[17]
  6. Ideally, a child should not place the mezuzah on a doorpost. [18]

Having one's Mezuzot checked

  1. One should have one's Mezuzot checked by a sofer twice in seven years, or once in every three and a half years, and it is a pious practice to check them every year during Elul.[19]
  2. If one's mezuzah became wet one should check it immediately.[20]

The Bracha on putting up a Mezuzah

  1. In general, before putting up a Mezuzah in a doorway that is obligated in a mezuzah, one should recite the bracha. However, if one is putting up a mezuzah on a doorway that doesn't have a door or a doorway that leads into an area that doesn't have 4 by 4 amot are, no bracha is recited.[21]
  2. Before putting up a mezuzah one should recite the bracha of "Asher Kideshanu Bemizvotav vetzivanu likboah Mezuzah" - " אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לקבוע מזוזה" . [22] If one puts up several mezuzot at one time one bracha suffices for all of them. [23] In a situation like this one should be careful not to make a hefsek (pause) between mezuzot by talking. [24] If one did speak some poskim would require you to say a new beracha. [25]
  3. A shehecheyanu isn't recited when putting up a mezuzah on the doorpost. [26]
  4. If a mezuzah fell down and one is putting it up again one must recite a bracha before putting it up again. [27]
  5. If one took down one's Mezuzot in order to have them checked by the sofer and they were found to be kosher, one should put them back up with a Bracha of Lekvoh Mezuzah.[28] If one checks the mezuzah by himself, he need not say a new beracha. [29] If a mezuzah was found to be not kosher, then a beracha is recited when it is replaced with a kosher one. [30]
  6. However, if one took down one's Mezuzah just to put it in a nicer case, one doesn't need to make a new Bracha when putting it up unless it was taken down for several hours so that one stopped thinking about the Mezuzah.[31]
  7. When replacing the mezuzot, a new beracha is recited. [32]

Proper behavior when passing mezuzah

  1. When one leaves one's house should kiss the mezuzah to remind one of the unity of Hashem, as discussed below. There are different opinions as to how exactly one should behave when passing a mezuzah. [33]
  2. When one enters or exits a room one should think about the unity of Hashem, our love for Hashem, and be awakened from the slumber of the vanities of the world. One should think that there's nothing that last forever except knowledge of Hashem, and immediately this will help a person follow the proper path. [34]
  3. One should be very careful with the mitzvah of mezuzah because it is a mitzvah that applies to everyone always. [35]

Women

  1. Women are obligated in mezuzah. [36]
  2. There is a discussion among the poskim if women can ideally place the mezuzot. Many poskim write that it is even ideal for women to put up the mezuzot. [37]

Sources

  1. ↑ Rambam Sefer HaMitzvot Positive Commandment 15, Sefer HaChinuch Mitzvah 423, Kitzur S"A 11:1 from Devarim 6:9 and 11:20. Shulchan Aruch YD 285:1, Chayei Adam 5:13, Aruch Hashulchan 285:2 say that one should be very meticulous with this mitzva. Tur YD 285 writes based on the pasuk that follows in Parashat Ekev, 11:21, that one who is meticulous in this mitzva merits long life. Bach YD 285 and Aruch Hashulchan YD 285:3 write that a house with a mezuzah has extra protection.
  2. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:1
  3. ↑ S"A YD 287:1, Kitzur S"A 11:11
  4. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:11, HaMezuzah VeHilchoteha 10:4
  5. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:2
  6. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:20
  7. ↑ Rav Zilberstein (Tuvcha Yabiu - Hilchot Shecheinim 34) says that even if the elevator itself is not 4 by 4 amos- the doorpost from the hallway that leads into the elevator requires a mezuzah. However, Rav Moshe Stern (Be'er Moshe 2:88) says that no matter what an elevator will never require a mezuzah.
  8. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:10 records a dispute between the Rambam and Rosh on this matter. S"A YD 296:13 writes the opinion of the Rambam that if the room has an area of 4 by 4 amot even if it isn't a square it is obligated in a mezuzah. The Shach 296:23 notes that the opinion of the Rosh is that the doorway isn't obligated unless there is a 4 by 4 amot square area. Due to this dispute, the Shach concludes that one should put up the mezuzah without a bracha or recite a bracha when putting up a mezuzah in a doorway that is obligated and then put up this mezuzah.
  9. ↑ Gemara Menachot 33b, Rambam Hilchot Mezuzah 6:12, Shulchan Aruch 289:2, Aruch Hashulchan 289:5, Taz 289:3, Levush 289:2, Aruch Hashulchan 289:5, Kitzur S"A 11:3.
  10. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:3, Mordechai Halachot Ketanot 962, Bach 289:5, Shach 289:5, Levush 289:2, Chayei Adam 15:17, Aruch Hashulchan 289:5, Kuntres Hamezuzah (page 102, note 22).
  11. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:5, Rashi Menachot 33a s.v. “bitechila,” Rambam Hilchot Mezuzah 6:12, Tur 289, Prisha 289:6, Shulchan Aruch 289:2, Levush 289:2, Chayei Adam 15:17, Pitchei Mezuzahs 289:24, Chovat Hadar 8:2:4, Teshuvot Vihanhagot 2:539. See Yabia Omer YD 2:21 where Chacham Ovadia Yosef quotes poskim who say that if it was placed higher than the beginning of the top third it should be moved without a beracha to there, but himself disagrees.
  12. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:5, Tur 289, Shulchan Aruch 289:2, Levush 289:2
  13. ↑ Beit Yosef 289, Shach 289:4, Taz 289:3.
  14. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 289:6, Ben Ish Chai Ki Tavo Year 2 Halacha 7 based on Rashi Menachot 33a “pesula.” This was also the minhag of the Gr"a (Biurei Hagra 289:14. also see Orchos Rabbeinu 1:page 378:27)
  15. ↑ Rama 289:6, Levush 289:6, Chayei Adam 15:19, Minchas Elazar 1:36:1, Pitchei Mezuzahs 289:57, Chovat Hadar 9:footnote 20. Chovat Hadar 9:footnote 20 explains that the reason for this is that the opinion of Rashi says if you place it sideways it is not kosher, while Rabbienu Tam Menachot 33a "hu" holds that if it is straight up it is not kosher, so Ashkenazim try to fulfill the mitzva according to both opinions.
  16. ↑ Gemara Menachot 32b, Tur 289, Shulchan Aruch 289:2, Levush 289:2, Chayei Adam 15:17, Aruch Hashulchan 289:9. Taz 289:3 writes that the mezuzah is still kosher if the mezuzah isn't on the outer tefach.
  17. ↑ Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comment on Kitzur S"A 11:10), Ben Ish Chai Parashat Ki Tavo Year 2: Halacha 4, Shevet Hakehati 1:277, Mezuzat Baitecha 289:6, Rivevot Ephraim 7:369.
  18. ↑ Tzitz Eliezer 14:75, Chanoch Lanaar 35:4
  19. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:25, Yalkut Yosef YD 285:92
  20. ↑ Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comment on Kitzur S"A 11:22)
  21. ↑ S"A YD 296:15 writes that a doorway that doesn't have a door is obligated in a mezuzah, however, some disagree. The Shach YD 296:25 writes that because of this dispute one should put up the mezuzah without a bracha, or recite a bracha when putting up a mezuzah in another doorway that is obligated, and afterwards put up this mezuzah as well. Similarly, S"A YD 296:13 writes the opinion of the Rambam that if the room has an area of 4 by 4 amot even if it isn't a square it is obligated in a mezuzah. The Shach 296:23 notes that the opinion of the Rosh is that the doorway isn't obligated unless there is a 4 by 4 amot square area. Due to this dispute, the Shach concludes that one should put up the mezuzah without a bracha or recite a bracha when putting up a mezuzah in a doorway that is obligated and then put up this mezuzah.
  22. ↑ Gemara Menachot 42b, Rambam Hilchot Mezuzah 5:7, Kitzur S"A 11:7, Aruch Hashulchan 289:3
  23. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:7, Aruch Hashulchan YD 289:4, Shevet Ha’Levi 6:160, Rivevot Ephraim 3:508, Az Nidberu 3:61
  24. ↑ Mezuzat Baitecha 289:6, Rivevot Ephraim 2:29:21, Pitchei Mezuzat 289:10, Kuntres Hamezuzah 289:8
  25. ↑ Chovat Hadar 11:9, Kuntres Hamezuzah 289:8. Mikdash Miat 289:6 and Birchot Habayis 59:1 disagree.
  26. ↑ Chovat Hadar 11:2, Mezuzat Baitecha 289:3
  27. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:7, Beer Moshe 6:6, Chovat Hadar (11:15:footnote 29), Kuntres Hamezuzah 289:7, Avnei Yashfei 1:207:3-4, Rivevos Ephraim 2:28:5. Orchos Rabbeinu (v. 3, p. 178 #38) however, disagrees.
  28. ↑ Yalkut Yosef YD 285:93 writes that one should recite a bracha if they were taken down to be checked by a sofer, while the Kitzur S"A 11:7 writes that there's a doubt if one should make a bracha if a mezuzah was taken down to check it.
  29. ↑ Ben Ish Chai Parashat Ki Tavo Year 2 Halacha 8, Pitchei Teshuva 289:1, Aruch Hashulchan 289:4, Chovat Hadar 11:14
  30. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:3,5, Rivevot Ephraim 1:19, Beer Moshe 2:92:13, Kuntres Hamezuzah 289:6, Chovat Hador 11:11:footnote 20, Yabia Omer YD 3:17
  31. ↑ Yalkut Yosef YD 285:94
  32. ↑ Maharam Shik YD 285, Rivevot Ephraim 7:239, Beer Moshe 2:92, Avnei Yashfei 1:207:1, Doleh Umashke page 275:footnote 69 quoting Rav Elyashiv and Rav Nissim Karelitz.
  33. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:24. Orchos Rabbeinu (v. 3, p. 164) writes that the Chazon Ish looked at the mezuzah without kissing it when he passed by one.
  34. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:23
  35. ↑ Kitzur S"A 11:23
  36. ↑ The Gemara Kiddushin 34a says that since women can also use the reward of long life, written next to the parsha of mezuzah, the mitzvah of mezuzah also applies to them. This is codified by the Rambam Hilchot Mezuzah 5:10, Shulchan Aruch YD 291:3, and Schach 291:4.
  37. ↑ Shevet Halevi 2:158:3, Kinyan Torah 2:58 and Chovat Hadar 9:3 write that women can put them up even ideally. Rav Hershel Schachter (Be'ikvei HaTzoan p. 9) writes that the halacha follows the opinion that says women may put up mezuzot. Beer Moshe 2:100 and 6:79:5 as well as Teshuvot Vihanhagot 4:238:6 write that it is ideal for a man to put up the mezuzot, however, if a women did put them up, it need not be removed.
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