What is the meaning of a mezuzah necklace?
In mainstream Rabbinic Judaism, a mezuzah is affixed to the doorpost of Jewish homes to fulfill the mitzvah (Biblical commandment) to “write the words of God on the gates and doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 6:9).
What is on the mezuzah scroll?
Contained in the mezuzah is a tightly rolled piece of parchment made from the skin of a ritually clean animal on which are handwritten, traditionally in twenty-two lines, words from Deuteronomy, the fifth of the Five Books of Moses.
What is inside a mezuzah necklace?
The miniature parchment is placed inside this decorative charm. The parchment is inscribed with Hebrew verses from the Torah which comprise the Jewish prayer Shema Yisrael.
How do you make a mezuzah scroll?
The mezuzah should be written with the right hand and rolled from left to right. 43 On the outside one should write the name י”שׁד opposite the separating line on the inside. 44 Also the letter following the holy name of Hashem are written on the outside.
Why do Jews wear a mezuzah?
The purpose of the mezuzah is to act as a constant reminder of God’s presence. Jews will often touch the mezuzah as they go through the door. The instruction for this comes from the Torah.
What does the mezuzah symbolize?
The mezuzah represents the concept of the doorpost as the dividing line between the outside world and the sanctity of the home. The mezuzah is a symbol of the covenant with God and of the obligations that believers have. It represents the Jewish identity of those in the household.
Do you touch mezuzah?
A mezuzah is a small case affixed to the doorframe of each room in Jewish homes and workplaces which contains a tiny scroll of parchment inscribed with a prayer. It is customary for religious Jews to touch the mezuzah every time they pass through a door and kiss the fingers that touched it.
Does mezuzah scroll have to be kosher?
Although a “non-kosher” case does not usually invalidate the affixing of the mezuzah, sometimes it can. Even if an improper mezuzah case is still halachically permissible, one should not suffice with the bare minimum; rather, one should be scrupulous in this mitzvah and merit to lengthen the days of one’s life.
What do Jews wear around the neck?
mezuzot
Jews have also been known to wear mezuzot around their necks. The earliest material evidence is a mezuza parchment found at Qumran, where a Jewish sect lived in the first century BCE. Today, mezuzot can be found on most doorposts in Israel.
Can a woman hang a mezuzah?
Can a woman hang a mezuzah? Yes, a woman can and should make the bracha (blessing) and put up the mezuzah herself.
What kosher means?
fit
In Hebrew, “kosher” means fit. Kosher food is any food fit for consumption by Jewish people. The laws of kosher define which foods a person can and cannot eat, and also how they should produce and handle certain foods. The laws also state which combinations of foods that people should avoid.
Why do we kiss the mezuzah?
It is customary for religious Jews to touch the mezuzah every time they pass through a door and kiss the fingers that touched it. However, kissing the mezuzah has also become customary for many secular Jews who think of the mezuzah as a good luck charm.