15 Feb AFFIXING AND REMOVING A MEZUZAH PART 1
Many questions
come
up regarding
hilchos mezuzah.
For example,
when
one moves into
a house, when
is the correct time to affix
a mezuzah?
How high on the doorpost does
the mezuzah have to be? Who is allowed to affix a mezuzah on the
doorpost? These questions and
many others will be answered in
the upcoming issues.
The Source and Reward of the
Mitzvah
The Torah speaks about the mitzvah
of mezuzah in two places. One
who is careful with this mitzvah
merits long life. A remez to this
is the word mezuzah, which can be
broken up to read zuz (the two zayin’s)
mos (the mem vov, and tuf),
which means remove death.
The Ba’al Haturim comments
that one who is careful with this
mitzvah is assured that no dangers
will enter his home. The
Bach explains that this mitzvah
is different than other mitzvahs,
since one has enjoyment from this
mitzvah since his house is watched
when a mezuzah is placed on the
doorposts. One who does not put
up mezuzahs on all his doorposts
which require a mezuzah will not
merit Olom Haba. One who is
careful with mezuzah will merit a
nice home in which no mazikim will enter. One who has tefillin
on his head and a mezuzah on his
doorpost is not likely to sin. The
Gemorah in Menochos states as
long as the yidin have mezuzahs
on their doorposts they show that
Hashem is dear to them. One who
is not careful with this mitzvah
may cause bad things to happen
to his children. When one puts
up a mezuzah on the doorpost it
screams out and says Hashem is
in this home. One has to be very
careful with this mitzvah.
Reasons
One of the reasons for this mitzvah
is to remind us every time we enter
or leave our home that we should
have emunah- faith in Hashem.
One who does not put up a mezuzah
when he is supposed to is being
mevatel a mitzvah. A mezuzah is specifically put on the door, as opposed
to a different place, so that
before one goes out into the world
one passes the mezuzah which will protect him from its influence by
reminding one to be careful with
what he brings into his home.
Placing one’s Hand on a Mezuzah
etc.
Many have the custom when entering
or leaving a room to place
a hand on the mezuzah and then
kiss their hand to show love for
this mitzvah. Others kiss the mezuzah.
Some say that one should
only touch the mezuzah without
any kissing. One who does kiss
the mezuzah should not do so out
of habit, and should have in mind
what is written in the mezuzah.
One should recite the following
when placing a hand on the mezuzah:
‘ ה‘†שומרי†ה
צלי†על†יד†-ימיני†ה’†ישמור†צאתי
ובואי†לחיים†ולשלום†-מעתה†ועד†עולם≠†וכוÆ
The Chazzon Ish had the custom
to look at the mezuzah without
touching it.
Women
Women are also obligated in the
mitzvah of mezuzah, since one
of the rewards for this mitzvah is
long life and women can also use
this reward. Many poskim say that
a woman can put up a mezuzah
l’chatchilah. Others say b’dieved,
if she did so; there is no need to
take it down. A married woman is
not obligated to put up a mezuzah
since her husband does it for her.
Children
One should train his child under
bar-mitzvah in the mitzvah of mezuzah.
The chinuch is that they
should not have a door that does
not have a mezuzah. However,
l’chatchilah a child under bar- mitzvah should not affix a mezuzah.
Entering a Home
without a Mezuzah
There is a discussion
in the poskim
whether or not one
is permitted to stay
in a room which is
obligated to have a
mezuzah but does
not have one.
Intent When Affixing
a Mezuzah When one affixes a
mezuzah some say
that one should have
in mind that even
though one gets reward for this
mitzvah (long life) this should not be the main reason for affixing the
mezuzah. Rather, one’s intention
should be that he is putting up a
mezuzah because doing so is the
will of Hashem.
When Does the Obligation
Begin?
When one rents a house in Chutz
L’aretz, no mezuzah is placed on the doorpost for the first thirty
days since it is not called a home
yet. When renting a house in Eretz
Yisroel one puts up a mezuzah
right away because of the mitzvah
of living in Eretz Yisroel. Some
say that since today that a renter
cannot back out of a lease he has
a din like a buyer and the requirement
to put up a mezuzah begins
right away.
Some poskim say one who wishes
to put up a mezuzah before thirty
days in Chutz L’aretz may do so,
and even recite a beracha before
thirty days Others say one can
place the mezuzah on the doorpost
right away and when thirty days
have past he should move the mezuzah
a little (or remove it then
replace it) and recite a beracha.
L’maseh, the custom is not to recite
a beracha until after thirty days
even if he wants to put up the mezuzah
beforehand.
Buying a House
Although many people are under
the impression that one who buys
a house in Chutz L’aretz does not
have to put up a mezuzah until
thirty days have past, this is not the
case. The poskim discuss when the
correct time is to put up the mezuzah
when one buys a new house.
Some say it is when one begins to
sleep or eat in the house. While
others say the obligation begins
when the buyer moves his furniture
into his house even before he
lives there. If one brings his furni- ture into his home but it is not fit
to live in, he does not put up his
mezuzahs at that time.
The Mezuzah Case
One must show the proper respect
for the mezuzah case. One should
buy a nice mezuzah case in order
to beautify the mitzvah of mezuzah.
Although a mezuzah technically
does not require a cover because
it is in its own reshus, since it is
kisvei kodesh it should have a covering
over it.
One should not change a child’s
dirty diaper or have garbage in
front of an uncovered mezuzah
Most poskim say one covering is
enough unless an ervah will be revealed
near the mezuzah.
When two covers are needed some
say that placing the mezuzah in
a paper wrapping and then into a
plastic container is no good since
the cover is meant for the mezuzah
and it is not considered a second
covering. Nonetheless, the custom
is not like this opinion.
It is disrespectful to the names of
Hashem if the Shin, Daled and Yud
(that is on the outside of the mezuzah)
are visible in front of something
which should not be in front
of a mezuzah.
(One who has a wooden case
where the name of Hashem can- not be seen, has not fulfilled the
requirement for the name of Hashem
to be visible on the outside of
the mezuzah. Writing the name of
Hashem on the outside of the mezuzah
does not accomplish this).
Although some say that one should
not wrap the mezuzah in any material
because it will be a chatzitzah
between the mezuzah and the case,
the custom is not like this opinion.
The Name of Hashem on the
Outside
The letters shin daled and yud are
written on the outside of the parchment
of the mezuzah. These letters
should be visible from the outside
of the case. A mezuzah which
was put up without this does not
have to be taken off. Some say
the letters stand for shomer dalsos
yisroel, others say it stands for
sha’as din shomer (at the time of
judgment one is watched). Many
people have a mezuzah case with a
shin daled and yud on the outside
of the case, but this is not good
enough since the letters have to be
showing from the outside of the
parchment itself.
The Beracha Before affixing a mezuzah one recites
a beracha of boruch ata……
l’kevoah mezuzah. One beracha is recited even if one is affixing
many mezuzahs. The reason for reciting the beracha when affixing
the mezuzah and not when writing it, is because it is the affixing of the
mezuzah which is the mitzvah.
One who is putting up many mezuzahs
should not be mafsik between
each mezuzah with chatter even if it has to do with affixing the mezuzahs.
Walking is not considered a
hefsek. One who did speak would
have to repeat the beracha according
to some poskim.
It is very important to point out
that one should not say the beracha
on the mezuzah while the mezuzah
is in his hand, rather he should put
it on the wall in a temporary manner,
recite the beracha, and then af- fix it in a permanent fashion.
There is a big discussion among
the poskim when one takes his mezuzah
to be checked (this will iy”h
be discussed in part 2) if another
beracha is required when he puts
the mezuzah back on the doorpost
after they have been checked.
L’maseh, if the mezuzah is put
back on the same day then no new
beracha is required. If it is kept by
the sofer overnight then a new beracha
is required when putting the
mezuzah back on the doorposts.
One who is checking the mezuzahs
himself does not need to recite
a new beracha. If the mezuzah
is not kosher then a new beracha is
recited when a kosher mezuzah is
put in its place.
If a mezuzah fell down from its
place then it would seem that a new
beracha should be recited when re- affixing it to its proper place. Others
say that a beracha
is not recited in this
situation.
There is a discussion
in the poskim if
one forgot to recite
the beracha and the
mezuzah is attached
already, can he recite
it now. Many
poskim say that one
should remove the
mezuzah, recite the beracha and affix the
mezuzah again.
Switching Mezuzahs
When one switches
old mezuzahs with
different mezuzahs a new beracha
is required. Others say no new beracha
is required.
Other People Affixing a Mezuzah
Many times when affixing new
mezuzahs one honors important and chashuva people to affix them
on the doorpost. Some say in this
situation the beracha is al kevias.
However, the minhag is not like
these poskim and the beracha is
l’kevoah even in this situation.
Shehechiyanu
No beracha of shehechiyanu is re- cited when affixing a mezuzah on a
doorpost for the first time.
At Night One is permitted to affix a mezuzah
on a doorpost at night.