16,374
edits
Mezuzah: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
→How the mezuzah should be placed
No edit summary Tag: Mobile edit |
|||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
==How the mezuzah should be placed== | ==How the mezuzah should be placed== | ||
# The mezuzah should be put up on the doorpost which is to one's right upon one's entering the room. <ref> 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 Shulchan Aruch 11:3, Kitzur S"A of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 11:3. </ref> This is true for a left handed person as well. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 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). </ref> | # The mezuzah should be put up on the doorpost which is to one's right upon one's entering the room. <ref> 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 Shulchan Aruch 11:3, Kitzur S"A of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 11:3. </ref> This is true for a left handed person as well. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 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). </ref> | ||
# While Sephardim place the mezuzah straight up<ref> 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) </ref>, Ashkenazim place it on a slant, with the top towards the inside and the bottom towards the outside. <ref>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. </ref> | # While Sephardim place the mezuzah straight up<ref> 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) </ref>, Ashkenazim place it on a slant, with the top towards the inside and the bottom towards the outside. <ref>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. </ref> | ||
# The mezuzah should be placed on the outer [[tefach]] of the doorpost. <ref> 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]]. </ref> | # The mezuzah should be placed on the outer [[tefach]] of the doorpost. <ref> 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]]. </ref> | ||
# One may put up a mezuzah at night.<ref>Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comment on Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 11:10), Ben Ish Chai Parashat Ki Tavo Year 2: Halacha 4, Shevet Hakehati 1:277, Mezuzat Baitecha 289:6, Rivevot Ephraim 7:369. </ref> | # One may put up a mezuzah at night.<ref>Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comment on Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 11:10), Ben Ish Chai Parashat Ki Tavo Year 2: Halacha 4, Shevet Hakehati 1:277, Mezuzat Baitecha 289:6, Rivevot Ephraim 7:369. </ref> | ||
# Ideally, a child should not place the mezuzah on a doorpost. <ref> Tzitz Eliezer 14:75, Chanoch Lanaar 35:4 </ref> | # Ideally, a child should not place the mezuzah on a doorpost. <ref> Tzitz Eliezer 14:75, Chanoch Lanaar 35:4 </ref> | ||
# If a door is commonly used for both entry and exit then it is a safek, but if one side is used for entry more then a mezuza should be placed on the right relative to that side. | # If a door is commonly used for both entry and exit then it is a safek, but if one side is used for entry more then a mezuza should be placed on the right relative to that side. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 11:4 </ref> | ||
<ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 11:4 </ref> | ===Height=== | ||
# The mezuzah should be placed at the beginning of the upper third of the height of the doorway <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 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. </ref> but it should be placed at least a [[Tefach]] from the top of the doorway. <ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 11:5, Tur 289, Shulchan Aruch 289:2, Levush 289:2 </ref> If it is not in the top third it isn't kosher. <ref> Beit Yosef 289, Shach 289:4, Taz 289:3. </ref> | |||
# If a doorway is very tall, according to Ashkenazim, one should put up the mezuzah at shoulder height. <ref>Shach 289:4 based on Yerushalmi.</ref> However, according to Sephardim, one should place it in the upper third in all circumstances.<ref>Yalkut Yosef YD 285:77</ref> | |||
==Having one's Mezuzot checked== | ==Having one's Mezuzot checked== | ||
