The commandment to affix a mezuzah to the doorpost of a house is written in verses VI:6 and VI:9 of Deuteronomy, which say: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart,” “and you shall write them on the doorposts (mezuzot) of your house and on the gates (of your cities).” It is therefore a “mitzvah d’oraita,” a commandment of the Torah.

The mezuzah consists of two parts: The “klaf,” a rectangular piece of parchment with verses from the Torah written on the front: Deuteronomy VI:4–9 and XI:13–21, and on the back the word Shadai, the name of God, and the initials of the phrase “Shomer Dlatot Israel,” He who guards the gates of Israel. The other part of the mezuzah is the container that holds the scroll, which can be made of any material and design. The important thing about the mezuzah is the klaf, not the container.

All the rules regarding the mezuzah are in chapter 11 of volume 1 of the Shulchan Aruch. Rule 24 states that the purpose of the mezuzah is to remind us that God’s name is written on it, and rule 25 tells us that the mezuzah must be checked twice every seven years. This is part of the text written on the mezuzah: “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 Embrace these words I command you today. 7 Teach them to your children continually. Speak them to them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them on your hands as a sign; wear them on your forehead as a mark; 9 write them on the doorposts of your houses and on the gates of your towns” (Deuteronomy VI).

In Talmudic times, the mezuzah was attributed with protective power. This is evident from many anecdotes, such as those of Artaban and Abba Arika, and that of Onkelos. In the Middle Ages, influenced by Kabbalah, biblical passages began to be added where God watches over his people, and even the names of angels. Maimonides condemned this practice of turning the mezuzah into an amulet for personal use, so the addition of additional texts to the mezuzah was stopped.

An amulet is an object designed to repel evil. A talisman is an object designed to attract blessings and prosperity. Both characteristics have been attributed to the mezuzah.

This is true even today. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson, emphasized the importance of the mezuzah as a spiritual device capable of protecting against the effects of the evil eye and other potential tragedies. He said: «Moreover, this protection extends to all members living in the house, even when they leave it.» He stated that every kosher mezuzah placed in a home generally protects the entire Jewish people.

What makes a mezuzah kosher or not? First, the parchment must come from a kosher animal. Second, it must be written by a sofer in the same way the Torah is written. Third, it must be free of errors. Fourth, no letters must have been erased. Some groups within Judaism, especially in the Orthodox branch, attribute people’s suffering to the fact that the mezuzahs in their homes were not kosher. It is difficult to understand why someone could become ill or suffer some mishap because the sofer who wrote their mezuzah did something wrong.

The mezuzah is not intended to be a protective device or the source of divine punishment. The mezuzah is a symbol and a reminder of our Covenant with God, of our love, commitment, and will to create a Jewish home. And this is more than enough.

By Marcos Gojman.

Bibliography: Articles by Cyrus Adler, I.M. Casanowicz, Michael Leo Samuel, and Ari Z. Zivotofsky.