The Old Testament tradition of writing scripture on the doorframes of houses has touched my heart. This commitment of placing God's revered word in the face of family and visitors is not only historical, but is beautiful. It challenges me to keep God at the highest pinnacle of my focus. It challenges me to place His word in my face and heed it.
In no way should this blog be considered authoritative or complete. I am sharing what spoke to me as a Christian and lover of the LORD.
The Hebrew word "mezuzah" literally means doorpost. Officially, the word applies to a small rolled, not folded or creased, parchment scroll (Klaff) upon which key Hebrew verses from the Torah are inscribed. Many dictionaries use the word "mezuzah" interchangeably for the container into which the scroll is placed, but that is inaccurate. The mezuzah is the scroll, and the box is just the protective covering.
On one side of the mezuzah the translated Biblical passages of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21 are inscribed. On the other side at the top, the word Shaddai (Almighty) is written.
A Translation of the Text in the Mezuzah:
"Hear O Israel, G-d our Lord is G-d the Only One. You shall love G-d with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your power. These words which I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them to your children and you shall speak about them when you dwell in your house, when you travel on the road, when you lie down and when you arise. You shall tie them as a sign on your arm and as a head ornament between your eyes. You shall inscribe them on the doorposts of your home and your gates.
And it shall happen, if you obey my commandments which I command you today, to love G-d within all your hearts and all your souls that I will give the rains of the land in its proper time, the light rains and the heavy rains, and you will gather your grain, your wine, and your oil. I will give grass in your fields for your livestock. You will have enough to eat and you will be satisfied. Guard yourselves, lest your hearts lead you astray and you will serve other gods and you will bow to them. G-d will then become angry with you and will withhold the rain, and the land will not produce its bounty. You will quickly be lost from upon the good land that G-d has granted you. You shall place these words on your hearts and on your souls. You shall tie them as a sign on your arms and they shall be head ornaments between your eyes, and you shall teach them to your children to speak about them when you dwell in your house, when you travel on the road, when you lie down and when you arise. You shall inscribe them on the doorpost of your houses and your gates. So that you and your children may live many years on the land that G-d has promised to your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth."1
A mezuzah's text must be handwritten on special handmade parchment. The parchment, prepared by specific processes, must come from a kosher animal, such as a cow or a goat. If it is written on any other surface, it is invalid. Printing, copying, photographing or producing the text by any means other than writing makes it invalid and unusable.
The inscription must be prepared by a qualified calligraphist - a certified scribe (a sofer stam). He is a holy person - pious, trustworthy, and meticulous. He either copies the text from another manuscript or writes it from memory. If even one letter is missing, misshapen, or the ink is smudged, the mezuzah is unusable. This scribe takes his task seriously, is scrupulous, performs it with reverence, and follows the specific regulations and laws of the faith.
The mezuzah's first purpose was to remind Jews of their obligations toward Israel's God. Just recently Lisa-Jo at http://theygypsymama.com/ gave me insight into this reminder. She says, "Hebrew epistemology assigns heavy weight to knowledge, and knowledge of, requires responsibility to, and care for." Not only did they know God's word, they were obligated to follow it!
The scroll was rolled and placed in a small metal, wooden, or glass case or tube, which was attached to the doorposts of the homes of observant Jews. When the scroll was placed in the rectangular box, the word Shaddai, on the back of the parchment, was clearly visible through an opening in the container.
Wearing a mezuzah box on a chain around the neck is a relatively new practice, and is considered inappropriate in many circles. Those who do wear one around their necks often do so as an affirmation of their Jewish identity. The making of ceramic or other decorative cases has become an art form, but the case and its contents are not to be considered a magical ornament or amulet in any way.
For most now, the mezuzah is a reminder of the centrality of God, the Oneness of God, and His Word. With a special blessing ("Blessed art Thou, O L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, Who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments and hast commanded us to fasten the mezuzah"), the mezuzah box was firmly affixed to the outer doorpost of the home (to the right upon entering). Affixing the mezuzah to the doorframe in Jewish homes fulfilled the "mitzah" (Biblical commandment) in Deuteronomy 6:9.
Initially, the position of the box varied from vertical to an angle, depending upon the observer's geographical location. Observant Jews touched and kissed the word Shaddai as they passed, and they recited this prayer: "May G-d keep my going out and coming in from now on and ever more."
Over the centuries, the mezuzah's regulations have been refined in some circles, and diverse traditions have arisen in others, but an observant Jew still follows strict regulations to ensure God's protection, prosperity, success, and long life.
To emphasize the momentousness of this practice, here are just a handful of the custom's restrictions:
- The mezuzah's text contained 22 lines of writing.
- A mezuzah could be anywhere from two inches square to six inches square. However, use of a two-inch square was inadvisable because they were harder to write, and were more prone to erros and spoilage.
- The ink had to be black and indelible and made according to specific requirements.
- Some even interpreted Jewish law to require a mezuzah on every doorway in the home apart from bathrooms and closets too small to qualify as rooms. Others considered it necessary only to place one in the front doorway.
- Traditionally the case was attached at an angle to the top third of the right doorpost as an individual enters, (approximately shoulder height), with the upper portion slanted inward, spaced about a handbreadth from the outer edge of the doorpost.
- If the house were sold or rented to a Jewish person, the previous occupant had to leave the mezuzah.
- In private homes, the mezuzah had to be inspected for legibility at least twice in every seven years; i.e., every three and a half years.
- Observant Jews still take this tradition seriously, to the point of only purchasing mezuzahs from Hashem-fearing Jews. The preparers are expected to believe in every single word of the Torah; otherwise the words are not considered holy. Even if they keep all of the laws properly, if the scribe does not believe in just one word, and he writes a mezuzah, his writing is considered invalid, and what he has written must be buried.
As a Christian, I am freed from the old laws. However, beautiful and significant lessons arose as I read about the mezuzah's traditions. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 speaks of love for the One True God and of making Him THE focus when speaking to our children (and our children's children). Deuteronomy 11:13-21 teaches us the responsibility of obeying God, the results of our obedience, and the consequences of our disobedience. I especially love the reminder that we are "to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Nothing is more important. Nothing!!
These two Deuteronomy passages challenge me to love my LORD with every fiber of my being, to make Him my first focus 24/7, to prod me to revere His Word, to remind me of His provision and protection, and to instruct me to obey Him. Although I am not affixing a mezuzah to my home, as I walk through the doorframe into my house, I will be put into remembrance of such truths. I will be reminded to obey His command, and I will love Him with all of my heart and soul!
Dear Heavenly Father,
As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, my Savior, may I purposefully and intentionally fill my home and my life with love for you, passion for your Word, and love for your people. May reading about the mezuzah motivate me and others to think about you, our Almighty God. May we be provoked to spend time in your presence. May we constantly talk of you to our children. We are so privileged to be invited and welcomed to enter your throne room. We are blessed to come into your presence with confidence and certainty that we are supposed to be there! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Amen.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV
"So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today - to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul - then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that the days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth." Deuteronomy 11:13-21 NIV
1 Mezuzah Doctor; http://www.mezuzahdoctor.com/Mezuzah/paragrph.htm
2 Mezuzah Doctor; http://www.mezuzahdoctor.com/Mezuzah/paragrph.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment