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Mezuzah: Difference between revisions
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→How the mezuzah should be placed
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==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 | # 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 Shulchan Aruch 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 leaning 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 s.v. hu holds that if it is straight up it is not kosher, so Ashkenazim try to fulfill the mitzvah 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 leaning 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 s.v. hu holds that if it is straight up it is not kosher, so Ashkenazim try to fulfill the mitzvah 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> | ||
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# If a door is commonly used for both entry and exit then there is a doubt as to which side the mezuzah should be placed upon, but if one side is used for entry more than the other direction, the mezuza should be placed on the right relative to that side. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 11:4 </ref> | # If a door is commonly used for both entry and exit then there is a doubt as to which side the mezuzah should be placed upon, but if one side is used for entry more than the other direction, the mezuza should be placed on the right relative to that side. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 11:4 </ref> | ||
===Height=== | ===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> | # 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> Tur 289, Shulchan Aruch 289:2, Levush 289:2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 11:5 </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> | # 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> | ||
# If the doorway is arched there is a dispute whether the height of the doorposts includes the arched section where the doorway has a width of 4 tefachim. Therefore, if there is a small area which is arched and the doorway has a width of greater than 4 tefachim, it is possible to satisfy both opinions by placing it on the vertical section of the door but still within the top third of the doorway. <ref>Chovat Hadar (p. 59, n. 35)</ref>(For example, if a doorway is 90 inches and the top 12 inches are arched and still has a width of tefachim, one should place the mezuzah in the vertical section above 60 inches.<ref>According to the opinion that the arched section is included the mezuzah should be placed at 60 inches (2/3 of 90) and above and according to the opinion that the arched section isn't included the mezuzah should be placed at 52 inches (2/3 of 78) and above. To satisfy both opinions one can place it at 60 inches where the doorpost is still vertical. </ref>) | |||
==Having one's Mezuzot checked== | ==Having one's Mezuzot checked== | ||
