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    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.