The Laws of Mezuzah Part 1 - Rabbi Eyal Peled shlita

00:02 Speaker 1 You’re listening to the “Lema’an Yishme’u” podcast from Machon Halacha Chabad.

00:09 Speaker 2 Hello and welcome to all our dear viewers. Today we’re going to talk about the laws of mezuzah. It’s a very, very important and practical subject. There are many laws and many situations that come up in homes and other buildings. Questions often arise about where to affix a mezuzah, how it should be positioned, which doorways require one and which are exempt. We’ll try to cover all these situations in the time we have. We’ll begin with the fact that we’re in the month of Elul. We know of the custom mentioned in Mateh Ephraim: chassidim and people of piety check their mezuzos during Elul. Elul is a month set aside for teshuvah and for examining one’s deeds. As part of that, we’ve taken on this custom of checking our mezuzos. The commentators and halachic authorities explain—and we can understand from the custom itself—that since this check is part of teshuvah and examining our deeds, it isn’t limited to checking the mezuzah scroll itself, as one checks other sacred writings, such as a Torah scroll. We also need to consider every place where a mezuzah is affixed. Is it affixed according to halacha? Is it in the right place? Is it positioned correctly? We need to check all the doorways and whether the mezuzos are placed on them as halacha requires. This is, of course, critical, because if a mezuzah isn’t in the right place or positioned correctly, it’s effectively like an invalid mezuzah. So it’s important to check these details too. Let’s start with the check done in Elul. Ordinarily, mezuzos have already been inspected: before buying a mezuzah, a person needs to make sure it has been checked.

02:40 Speaker 2 That inspection should be done by a sofer, by a human eye. The halachic authorities also say that, since in our generations it’s possible to check a mezuzah by computer, there is an obligation to check it that way too. As Shevet Halevi and other authorities explain, since we have a way to determine more precisely whether a mezuzah is kosher, we’re obligated to make that determination. Whether it’s a mezuzah or tefillin, we should have it checked by computer as well. But what’s clear is that a computer check cannot replace inspection by a human eye. We can’t rely on the computer alone. A sofer must, of course, examine the letters and make sure everything is in order. Another point that may be less well known: although we’re permitted to remove mezuzos to send them for checking, removing a mezuzah isn’t a simple matter, as we’ll see later. A mezuzah affixed to a doorway is supposed to stay there. It shouldn’t be removed except in circumstances that justify it, and having it checked is one of those circumstances. So while we can take down a mezuzah to have it checked, strictly speaking it’s proper to put another mezuzah in its place on the doorway. That’s why some places have special gemachs that lend kosher mezuzos for this purpose. It doesn’t have to be a particularly mehudar mezuzah. You can simply borrow a kosher mezuzah from a gemach and affix it to the doorway. When I take the mezuzah to be checked, I put another one in its place,

04:48 Speaker 2 and leave it on the doorway until the mezuzah I sent for checking comes back. Then I switch them. When I affix that temporary mezuzah, I may recite a bracha, and it’s proper to do so. Beyond that, even if I don’t have a replacement mezuzah, it’s still best not to remove all the mezuzos from all the doorways at once. It’s better to do it gradually: take down one mezuzah at a time. Some say to take down all the mezuzos but leave the one at the entrance. That’s also an option. But the better option, if it’s feasible, is to take down one mezuzah and send it for checking, then take one from another doorway and send that for checking. If possible, that’s preferable. If not, and time is short, you can take down the mezuzos from the other doorways and leave the one at the entrance, then have that one checked afterward. But of course, the best and most proper way is to get replacement mezuzos to affix until the originals return from checking. Another point: when we take down the mezuzos and send them to a proofreader for checking, we should ideally mark each mezuzah to show which doorway it belongs to. There are several reasons for this. First, as we’ll see later, there are different kinds of doorways. Some are fully obligated in mezuzah under Torah law. Some have a rabbinic obligation, while on others a mezuzah is placed as a stringency or an enhancement of the mitzvah. So if I take a mezuzah that was on a doorway with a full Torah-level obligation and then put it on a doorway with a lesser obligation, I’m lowering its level of sanctity. We’re not allowed to lower the sanctity of sacred objects. That’s why it’s very important to mark each mezuzah with its doorway and return it there. Another reason

06:43 Speaker 2 is that it saves us from uncertainty about reciting a bracha. As we’ll see shortly, there’s a question about whether to recite a bracha when putting back a mezuzah that has returned from checking. If I return a mezuzah to a different location, that also raises a question about whether or not to recite a bracha. So to avoid that uncertainty, it’s better to mark which doorway each mezuzah belongs to. We also need to pay attention to the names written on the back of the mezuzah according to Kabbalah. There is the name Shaddai, which is an acronym for “Guardian of the Doorways of Israel.” This appears in the Zohar. And there are the words written on the back of the mezuzah, “Kuzu Bemuchsaz Kuzu.” These correspond to “Hashem Elokeinu Hashem,” as in “Shema Yisroel, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem.” When we take the letters that come after the letters of “Hashem Elokeinu Hashem,” we get the letters I just mentioned. These letters are also written on the mezuzah. What’s important is that when we get the mezuzah back from checking, it’s usually already rolled up, and we need to make sure the rolled parchment doesn’t cover the name Shaddai. That name needs to be visible. The mezuzah should be positioned so that when a person stands in the doorway, the name Shaddai on the mezuzah faces them. So that name

08:39 Speaker 2 We need to make sure that it’s visible. Sometimes a mezuzah is rolled in such a way that the rolling covers that Name. So the halachic authorities write that one should make a little window, a small square, to reveal the Name. It’s important for the Name to be visible, but after the fact, even if those Names aren’t there at all—certainly if they’re merely covered—it doesn’t invalidate the mezuzah. It’s a kosher mezuzah. Even if the Names are entirely absent, it isn’t invalid after the fact. Another important point: when a mezuzah comes back from being checked, the proofreaders have often marked various letters in pencil—letters they need to check, look at more closely, ask about, and so on. So if we receive an unrolled mezuzah and see marks on it, we need to erase all those marks. It’s very important to erase them. Certain marks can even invalidate the mezuzah. So it’s very important to erase all the proofreading marks, and only then affix the mezuzah. Now, about the blessing: when I send a mezuzah to be checked, I ask myself, once it comes back, do I need to make a blessing when I affix it to the doorway again? We’re talking about affixing it to the same doorway, without switching doorways. So can I make a blessing? Do I need to, or don’t I? This question already appears in the halachic authorities. Pischei Teshuvah cites this uncertainty in the name of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, who tries to compare it to the law of a tallis that a person takes off intending to put it back on. We know there’s a certain period of time during which he doesn’t have to make another blessing, provided his mind hasn’t turned away from it. So it would seem that we might say the same about a mezuzah: if I take

10:31 Speaker 2 the mezuzah down to check it, my mind hasn’t turned away from it, so it would seem I shouldn’t need to make another blessing. But in practice, the conclusion is that it’s not like a tallis. With a tallis, it’s up to me when I put it on; I can put it back on whenever I want. But when I take a mezuzah down to be checked, I don’t know whether I’ll actually put that mezuzah back on the doorway. It might be found invalid during the inspection. So the very possibility that it could be found invalid is itself a turning away of the mind. That’s why the halachic authorities write that one should make a blessing even if one puts it back immediately—even if I took down the mezuzah and checked it myself for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. I need to make a blessing when I put it back. That’s what several authorities write. On the other hand, other authorities do require some time to pass. Chovas Hadar, for example, says several hours: if you take it down to be checked and several hours pass, you make a blessing when you put it back. The Chofetz Chaim also takes that position. Some say to make a blessing only after a night has passed. But in practice, one should make a blessing. It is considered a turning away of the mind, and the prevailing view is to make a blessing immediately. If you want to be certain according to all opinions, though, there is a way to do that. Actually, there are two ways. One is simply not to return one of the mezuzahs to the same doorway. Again, don’t move it to a doorway with a lesser level of obligation, but put it on a different doorway from the one you took it from. That provides further grounds, according to that opinion,

12:29 Speaker 2 for making a blessing over affixing the mezuzah anew, so to speak. Another suggestion is brought in Agur Be’ohalecha, and it’s something a person can already do now, when we’re checking the mezuzahs. He says that when I affix a mezuzah, I should have in mind that the blessing I make applies only to this affixing, not to any later affixings. From the outset, I intend my blessing to apply only to this specific act. That also means that later, if I remove the mezuzah—even without checking it—and then affix it again, I need to make a blessing. So for anyone who can do this, it’s preferable, and then we avoid uncertainty about the blessing. Another point about checking: strictly speaking, since these mezuzahs, as we said earlier, were already proofread when I bought them, I’m not required to take them to a proofreader when I have them checked now. Strictly speaking, I’m not concerned that some letters weren’t written properly, or that letters are touching, or things like that. The reason for checking a mezuzah is the concern that moisture, dirt, certain liquids, or dryness may have caused the letters to crumble or stick together, and so on. So I can look at the mezuzah myself and see that everything is all right—that no letters are touching and none have been erased. Strictly speaking, anyone can check a mezuzah themselves, paying attention to these things and making sure everything is all right. But in practice,

14:32 Speaker 2 we do send the mezuzah to a proofreader. We still want an additional proofreading; it can’t hurt, even though it’s already been proofread once. Often, when it’s taken for another proofreading, things are discovered. So ideally, it’s certainly advisable to take it to a proofreader again, have it checked properly, and then affix it to the doorway. What about someone who discovers that their mezuzah is invalid? Is there a way to make amends? There is. The Rebbe gives a way to make amends for someone whose mezuzah was found to be invalid. I’ll read the Rebbe’s words: “As a way to make amends, he should memorize several chapters of Mishnah and at least one chapter of Tanya, and review them while walking on the road and the like, either aloud or at least in thought.” So there is a way to make amends if one’s mezuzah was found to be invalid. I was thinking that this is quite understandable. After all, the purpose of a mezuzah is for a person to remember the oneness of Hashem. As the Rambam says, when a person goes out and comes in, he looks at the mezuzah and remembers that Hakadosh Boruch Hu is the One Who governs the world, that He is One and everything comes from Him, and so on. So making amends for an invalid mezuzah means remembering words of Torah. Whether it’s Tanya or Mishnayos, having them in our minds and carrying them with us as we walk down the street is truly a fitting way to make amends for an invalid mezuzah. It’s very important that there be mezuzahs on the rooms of our homes. As we said, although in the past there was a certain practice of putting a mezuzah only at the entrance to the house, the Taz immediately rejects it. In his words, anyone whose heart has been touched by fear of Hashem, who wants to dwell securely and not worry about evil spirits, should put a mezuzah on every doorway in the house. So when we put mezuzahs on every doorway of

16:37 Speaker 2 the house. So sometimes a situation comes up—and this is a question people ask a lot—where the mezuzos are not all written in the same script. There are various styles of script besides the Alter Rebbe’s script: the Arizal’s script, Sephardic script, Hungarian script, Ashkenazic script. So the question is whether you can put mezuzos written in different scripts on different doorways. Some wanted to say that it isn’t good; some wanted to say that it makes them invalid. I think some even tried to attribute that view to the Rebbe. But the Rebbe addressed this and, first of all, made it clear that he was not pleased with people repeating things in his name. The Rebbe’s published view is that there is no concern here. Of course, ideally we prefer the mezuzos on all the doorways to be written in the same script. But if the situation is that you don’t have other mezuzos and you put up mezuzos written in different scripts, you should know that it does not invalidate them. It’s fine; it’s possible. After the fact, they are valid as well. Since we’re talking about mezuzah scripts, it’s very important, ideally, to find mezuzos that follow the Alter Rebbe’s ruling. I’m not talking about the Alter Rebbe’s script—that’s a separate matter. I’m talking about the Alter Rebbe’s ruling regarding open and closed sections, because there are several opinions about them. We have the section of Shema and the section of Vehayah Im Shamoa, which are meant to be open and closed sections, one open and one closed. We should try to get mezuzos whose open and closed sections follow the Alter Rebbe’s ruling. In general, the section of Shema ends with a blank space the width of three yuds, and the section of Vehayah Im Shamoa also begins after a blank space the width of three yuds. This is the Taz’s approach.

18:39 Speaker 2 He holds that the spaces can be combined, and that is how the Alter Rebbe rules in section 32, so we need to pay attention to it. You can actually look and see it with your own eyes. It’s something visible to the eye. So it’s very important to make sure the mezuzos are in the Alter Rebbe’s script and that all the mezuzos are in the same script. When we talk about checking a mezuzah, we need to consider not only the mezuzah itself but also the mezuzah case and its wrapping. When we replace a mezuzah case, in many situations the old case requires genizah. It is considered an accessory of a sacred object and requires genizah. Now, the plastic wrapping around the mezuzah is there solely to protect it, not to honor or beautify it. So the wrapping has no sanctity and can be thrown away normally. But the mezuzah case is also made to honor the mezuzah, to beautify it and show it respect, so in most cases it has sanctity. In fact, some maintain—I think this is said in the name of Rabbi Elyashiv—that all mezuzah cases nowadays are made for decoration. I think perhaps that doesn’t apply to the simple plastic cases, but any case that is somewhat dignified—even if it doesn’t touch the mezuzah—well, if the mezuzah touches the case, the case is considered an accessory of a sacred object even if it wasn’t really made to honor it. But a mezuzah case that is clearly made to be decorative and dignified has the status of an accessory of a sacred object even if it doesn’t touch the mezuzah, and it needs to be put in genizah. Let’s talk a little about

20:42 Speaker 2 actually affixing it to the doorway. When we affix a mezuzah to a doorway, there are those who hold—I think it’s the rabbi from Brisk—that the mezuzah has to touch it. When we say “mezuzah,” we mean both the parchment and the doorpost. The mezuzah needs to be affixed to the doorpost. Now, some hold that the mezuzah must be right up against the doorpost, with nothing separating it from the doorpost. According to this view, the mezuzah parchment must actually touch the doorpost. So if we have a mezuzah case made of two parts, with a back strip behind the case, and I put the mezuzah inside it, what touches the doorpost is the strip of the case rather than the mezuzah itself. Some say that isn’t good and that the mezuzah must be placed directly against the doorpost. In truth, that isn’t our practice, and we aren’t particular about it. Anyone who wants to be particular about it is welcome to, but it isn’t our practice. What can be a problem, though, is a mezuzah case made of a glass tube, a kind of glass tube attached to two round pieces at the top and bottom. With this case, there is a gap between the tube and the back of the case. That can be problematic. So it is preferable either to fill the space between the glass and the back of the case with something, some glue or the like, or simply not to use that kind of mezuzah case. On the other hand, someone

22:51 Speaker 2 who does want to take this stringency into account would do best to affix the strip—the back part of the mezuzah case—to the doorpost first. Glue it on first. Since I’ve glued it on, it essentially becomes part of the doorpost. Then, when I place the mezuzah parchment against it, it is as though I’ve placed it directly against the doorpost, with nothing separating them and no problem. So that’s another solution. Now, as for the mezuzah case itself, you can use any kind of case. As we said, we saw that it’s preferable not to use the one made of a glass tube, but other kinds of mezuzah cases are fine. Still, there is one material we prefer not to use: metal, an iron or metal mezuzah case. First of all, there is a tradition in the name of the Baal Shem Tov not to use one. The reasoning is fairly clear: the mezuzah is meant to lengthen a person’s life, while metal was created to shorten a person’s life. They don’t go together. Beyond that, the Rebbe also explains something new to us about the mezuzah’s protective power. Really, there are two aspects to the mezuzah: there is the mitzvah of placing it on the doorway, the mitzvah of mezuzah, and there is the protective power associated with it. As the Rebbe explains in the sichos, the protection a mezuzah provides is part of the mitzvah. It isn’t merely an added benefit; it is actually part of the mitzvah of mezuzah. The Rebbe therefore says that this protective power does not pass through iron. Iron forms a barrier; it blocks it, and the protective power does not pass through it. So a person who puts up an iron mezuzah case has fulfilled the mitzvah, but

24:53 Speaker 2 He missed out on the special protective power of the mezuzah. So we should try not to use an iron mezuzah case. On the other hand, what is preferable? What kind of mezuzah case should we use? The Chabad custom, which is also based on Kabbalah, is to use a transparent case. There is significance to having the mezuzah parchment visible through the case. That is the practice in 770 and in Chabad: to use a transparent mezuzah case, a transparent holder, and that fulfills this in the best way. But we need to be careful: when I use a transparent case, since the name Shaddai is a holy name, I must make sure it is not in a place where there is exposed nakedness. Even if that happens only sometimes, it is a problem. So, of course, in a husband and wife’s bedroom, where there are also intimate activities, we must first make sure the mezuzah case is opaque and fully enclosed. The same applies to other rooms where we know people sometimes undress and there is sometimes exposed nakedness: the case must be opaque, not transparent. In a home with children, it is true that, ideally, one should also take a young child’s nakedness into account regarding blessings, words of Torah, and so on. But ultimately, the commonly accepted halachah is that a boy’s nakedness until age nine is not considered exposed nakedness, and a girl’s until age three is not considered exposed nakedness. So if children of those ages sometimes walk around the house naked, one can manage with that; the mezuzah does not have to be covered opaquely. Beyond those ages, though, or if this happens regularly, it is more problematic, and the case must be opaque. But if we are talking about a place where there is excrement, a place of filth, then even a—

26:58 Speaker 2 transparent covering is sufficient. For excrement, a covering, even a transparent one, is enough if its presence is not a regular occurrence. So if diapers are changed near the mezuzah but not on a regular basis, there is no problem with the mezuzah being visible, provided it has a transparent covering. But if there is a place where I regularly set up the baby’s changing table and change diapers, then the mezuzah really must be completely covered. That is what the Taz writes. Another important point about a mezuzah case: our custom is to have the letter shin written on it. If the entire name Shaddai is written on it, even if, as is usually the case, the letters shin, daled, and yud appear one below the other, then we must also make sure, as we said earlier, that there is no exposed nakedness, no excrement, and the like there. We need to pay attention to that. So it is really preferable to use cases that have only the letter shin written on them and nothing more. Regarding attaching the mezuzah, we must make sure it is firmly affixed, because the blessing we say is “to affix a mezuzah.” By the way, we say this wording of the blessing in every case, even when affixing mezuzahs for others. Although the Rambam holds that one should say “concerning the affixing of a mezuzah,” in practice, even when affixing a mezuzah for someone else, we say “to affix a mezuzah.” So if it is to be affixed, it must be firmly affixed, and we must make sure the mezuzah is not loose. When attaching it with nails, strictly speaking, even one nail is enough. If I put in one nail and manage to make the mezuzah stable and secure, so that it does not swing freely, that is fine too. But usually that does not work. So we use two nails, one at the top and one at the bottom,

28:52 Speaker 2 making sure the mezuzah is firmly affixed. That is another problem with that glass tube. Even if we have somehow dealt with the risk of damage, often the tube can be removed easily. You put it in, turn the ring that holds it a little, and it comes out quite easily. That is a problem. If it only rotates on its own axis, that is fine. But if the rings at the top and bottom move and the tube can be removed easily, that is a problem, even though it will not fall out on its own. We are not saying it has to be in a state where the mezuzah might fall out by itself. But if it can be easily removed from where it is affixed, that is not considered firmly affixed. So we must make sure it is stable and secure. Similarly, some mezuzah cases have an opening at the bottom, with a kind of screw there to keep the mezuzah from falling out. Often the screw is missing, and when you insert the mezuzah, it fits tightly and does not fall. But without the closure at the bottom, the mezuzah can still come out easily. Even if it will not fall out by itself, that is a problem. The bottom opening must be closed so that the mezuzah is properly affixed. Another point: glue is also fine, if it is a strong, good-quality glue that will not dry out in the sun and so on. Tape is more problematic and should be used only when necessary. Only when there is no other option—when I cannot find nails or glue and all I have is Scotch tape—may I use tape temporarily. It would seem that one may also say the blessing when affixing a mezuzah this way, but afterward, as soon as I have

30:44 Speaker 2 an opportunity to secure it more reliably, I must do so. Regarding a woman affixing a mezuzah, there are differing opinions. Some maintain that a woman should not affix a mezuzah, because someone who is not eligible to write one is also not eligible to affix one. A woman is not qualified to write a mezuzah, so, according to this view, she cannot affix one either. But in practice, the majority, the prevailing view, is that a woman may affix a mezuzah. The halachic authorities only ask that she not do so in the presence of men. So if men are nearby, she should give a man the honor of affixing the mezuzah instead. There is also room to say that, ideally, a woman should let a man affix it even otherwise, to accommodate the opinions that women cannot affix a mezuzah. So it is indeed preferable that she let a man do it, but if no man is available, she may affix it herself. The position of the mezuzah: this is something we need to pay attention to. There is a well-known dispute between Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam about how the mezuzah should be positioned. Rashi holds that it must stand upright, and if it is laid horizontally, it is invalid. In the language of the Gemara, that is called “making it like a bolt.” That is Rashi’s view. According to Rabbeinu Tam, it is the opposite: it should lie horizontally, like a Sefer Torah lying down when a person reads from it. In practice, this is something of a difference between Sephardim and Ashkenazim. The Shulchan Aruch rules like Rashi, that the mezuzah must be upright, and that is how Sephardim place their mezuzahs. The Rema cites the Ashkenazi custom of tilting the mezuzah slightly and placing it diagonally, and that is what we do as well. The point

32:46 Speaker 2 This idea of placing it diagonally is not some compromise halfway between the two positions, neither here nor there. On the contrary, it’s an attempt to position the mezuzah in a way that satisfies all the opinions. According to Rashi, a mezuzah lying flat is invalid, but if it’s angled like this, it’s fine. The same goes for Rabbeinu Tam: according to his opinion, an upright mezuzah is invalid, but if it’s angled, it’s fine. So this way, we fulfill the obligation according to all the opinions, and that’s why we put the mezuzah at an angle. But it doesn’t need to be a steep angle. A slight angle is enough; there’s no need to go overboard. And of course, it should lean toward the house. That may seem obvious, but I’ve seen places where it isn’t done that way. Some people angle it the opposite way, toward the outside. The mezuzah should lean toward the house: the top of the mezuzah toward the house and the bottom toward the outside. If it was put up the other way, leaning outward, that doesn’t invalidate it. After the fact, it’s fine; it’s kosher. But one should make sure to correct it by changing its position, its angle. Very often, there are doorways where there isn’t enough room to put the mezuzah at an angle because the doorpost itself is narrow. In those places, I can only put it up straight, or I can put it behind the door. We’ll discuss later what “behind the door” means: putting it on the side of the doorframe, not on the doorpost itself,

34:49 Speaker 2 but on the side of its frame toward the back. In that case, it’s better to put the mezuzah up straight than to put it diagonally behind the door. Put it on the doorpost itself, even if it has to be straight; after the fact, that’s also fine. But if I put the mezuzah neither upright nor at an angle, but lying flat, or if I put it upside down—that’s something to pay close attention to. Very often, the mezuzah ends up upside down. And it’s not just the mezuzah case: sometimes the mezuzah parchment itself is inserted into the case upside down, with the name Sha-dai at the bottom. In that situation, the Alter Rebbe writes that the mezuzah is invalid, completely invalid. It must be affixed again, with a blessing and everything. So make sure the mezuzah isn’t upside down. As we said, the mezuzah’s place in the doorway is on the doorpost. If this is the doorway, we need to put the mezuzah parchment on the doorpost. And on the post itself, halachah asks us to put it within the outermost tefach, as close as possible to someone coming from outside. There are two reasons for this. First, someone coming from outside will encounter the mezuzah first, so we put it as close as possible to the outermost tefach of the entrance’s doorpost. Second, we want the mezuzah’s protection to cover the entire house. If I put it farther in, the section before it is, so to speak, outside that protection. We want as much of the house as possible to be included in its protection, so we put it as close to the outside as possible. That’s the outer tefach. But there’s something very important to watch out for.

36:58 Speaker 2 Sometimes we have a doorway with a post here and a post there, and within the opening between those posts in the wall are the door tracks. They protrude from the wall’s doorposts; they form a kind of U-shaped projection on both sides, and the door is mounted in them. In that situation, I have to make sure that the mezuzah—I can’t now put it within the tefach nearest the outside, because the doorpost here isn’t the post formed by the wall. In a case like this, the protruding track is the doorpost. Whether it’s a track or anything else that protrudes from the wall’s doorpost, that protrusion is the doorpost—especially if the door is mounted there. So in that situation, I don’t put the mezuzah in the outer tefach. I need to put it on that track, on the protruding doorpost. That’s where the mezuzah goes; ideally, that’s how it should be. If there’s no room to put it there, then I’ll put it on the wall’s doorpost, before the door’s post. I can put it on the wall’s doorpost, but here we need to be aware of a problem that can arise. I may speak about it more later. There’s a halachic issue called “recessing it a tefach.” In other words, when I put up a mezuzah, I can also set it into the wall’s doorpost. If you walk around Jerusalem in older areas, you can see mezuzahs set into the wall. That’s also a way to put up a mezuzah: carve a recess in the wall and put the mezuzah inside it. When you do that

39:09 Speaker 2 you just need to make sure that a little of the mezuzah remains visible, so we know there’s a mezuzah there. But in that situation, halachah says that if I carve out a recess and put it inside the wall, I need to make sure the recess is no more than a tefach deep. Once I put it more than a tefach deep into the wall’s doorpost, it’s no longer considered “on the doorposts of your house and your gates.” The verse says “on the doorposts of your house and your gates,” not “inside the doorposts of your house and your gates.” Once it’s more than a tefach deep, it’s as though it’s inside the doorpost, so the recess needs to be less than a tefach deep. Now, although we may not encounter that problem in its usual, literal form, we can encounter it in many other variations. For example, as we were just discussing: here I have a doorway formed by the wall of the house, and here I have additional projecting posts where the door is mounted. We said that the mezuzah needs to go on the projection. That’s the actual doorpost, and the mezuzah needs to go on it. If there’s no room on the projection—often there’s what’s called a flush door that completely covers the entire frame, both the posts and the lintel, leaving me no room to put the mezuzah there—then I’ll put it on the wall’s doorpost. But that’s only if those posts don’t project a tefach. If they project a tefach from the wall, the halachic authorities, including Shevet Halevi, write that by putting the mezuzah on the wall, I’ve effectively recessed it a tefach. Once again I run into the problem of recessing it a tefach, and it may be invalid. So in that situation I won’t put it

41:03 Speaker 2 on the wall. I’ll find another way. If possible, I’ll put it beyond the projection. Say the track takes up part of the doorway opening, but there’s also some space beyond it; I can put the mezuzah there. In principle, a mezuzah placed beyond the door is also kosher. It isn’t ideal, but it is kosher. So if there’s a piece of wall beyond that projecting post and it isn’t recessed by a tefach, I’ll put it there. If not, I’ll put it on the tracks of that projecting post, on the side of those tracks toward the back. So let’s talk a little about this situation of a mezuzah behind the door. It’s very common, and questions about it come up often, so it’s worth knowing what to do. We’re talking about very narrow doorposts, where it isn’t possible to put the mezuzah parchment on the doorpost because the door closes over all the available space on the post. In that situation, the best option is to put it on the frame. In other words, suppose we have a doorpost, and the outer face of its frame is the doorpost. The post has depth: its outer face is the doorpost, the upright part of the frame. Behind that upright—or rather, along its side—the frame continues. The frame is rectangular in shape, and it also has that side face as part of the same doorframe. Usually it’s made of aluminum or wood, and it continues along this side.

43:09 Speaker 2 It has an extension, and when I have no room to put the mezuzah here, I put it here. In halachic terms, this is called placing a mezuzah behind the door. The problem is that the poskim have a serious disagreement about whether a mezuzah affixed this way is valid. The Shulchan Aruch rules that it is invalid; the Rema leans more toward permitting it, and there are the Rambam, the Rosh, and so on. So it is better not to end up in that situation. What do we do, then, when there is no room to put the mezuzah on the doorpost because it is narrow, as we said, and the door closes over the entire space? Here is the solution: simply carve a recess into the doorpost and put the mezuzah inside it. Even though nothing is visible when the door is closed, that is fine; you place it in the recess. And as we mentioned, do not carve deeper than a tefach. I can carve up to a tefach, which is eight centimeters. Since we are talking about measurements for a mezuzah, I would suggest using the stricter measurement. The measurements we use are those of Rabbi Chaim Naeh, and some have found, for various reasons, that his measurement was not precise and that the measure is actually a little smaller. So when we say a tefach is eight centimeters, to be stringent we will use 7.6 centimeters. In any case, we carve a recess and put the mezuzah inside. If that is also impossible, a second option is simply to add to those doorposts—to add another doorway frame. A doorway frame is essentially two posts with a lintel above them, shaped like the Hebrew letter ches. So I can build something like that. It does not have to be wide; it can be made in whatever way works. I can build

45:02 Speaker 2 a wooden frame like that, shaped like a ches, attach it to the existing doorpost, and then put the mezuzah on the doorway frame I built. That can also be fine. But not the way some people do it: they attach a little strip, a small protruding piece of wood, and put the mezuzah on that. That is worth nothing; it does not help at all. When even that is impossible, then, as we said, I put it behind the door. But since placing it behind the door is subject to a disagreement among the poskim, as we mentioned, we do not say a bracha when affixing a mezuzah that way. I did see that one of the Chabad rabbis wanted to say that one may say a bracha, but it is difficult to agree with that. It is still a serious disagreement among the poskim. So when I have no choice but to affix a mezuzah behind the door—in our case, that means not within the space where the door closes, but on the side of the doorway frame—I affix it without a bracha. Here too, I angle it toward the house: the top of the mezuzah slants toward the house, and the bottom toward the outside. That is one possibility. There are situations where even that is not possible, and I have to affix it to the inner frame, beyond the door. That is literally behind the door: I go in, open the door, and only beyond the door do I affix the mezuzah to the inner frame. That is also possible. Again, it is a bedi’eved solution. We do not say a bracha over it, but it is possible. And when I affix it in that situation, I give it the opposite slant. In other words, the bottom of the mezuzah faces the doorway and its top faces the house.

47:10 Speaker 2 So those are the situations in which we affix a mezuzah in an unusual way. Greetings to all our dear viewers. We are discussing the laws of mezuzah. Today we will talk a little about what is called a doorway frame. We know that the obligation to affix a mezuzah depends on there being a doorway frame. What is that? Very simple. It is shaped like the Hebrew letter ches: a post on the right, a post on the left, and a lintel above them. That is a doorway frame. Usually, that is what we encounter when entering buildings and homes: a frame shaped like a ches against which the door closes. There is another point concerning the problem of a recess a tefach deep, which we discussed. There are very common situations with two doors. For example, there is one lightweight aluminum screen door to keep flies out, and then another door behind it. Or there may be just a screen door, and there is not much room to affix the mezuzah to its doorway frame because the aluminum frame is very narrow. We discussed how, in such a situation, I affix it to the wall behind it or the wall in front of it. The doorway frame itself may actually be wider: besides the aluminum frame to which the door is attached, the wall itself forms a further part of the doorway frame. In such cases, it can be affixed to the wall itself. But it is very important to note that if the frame to which the door is attached protrudes a tefach beyond the walls, beyond the doorway frame formed by the wall, then we again have the problem of a recess a tefach deep. We will have to affix this mezuzah to the aluminum frame—not within the doorway opening,

49:32 Speaker 2 but on its side, in what we called the position behind the door. As we mentioned, that placement is disputed, and we affix it without a bracha. Another clear and important point is that we are supposed to affix the mezuzah beneath the lintel. There are various kinds of doorway frames where the lintel does not extend over the whole width of the doorposts. I have one doorpost here and another here, but the lintel extends only between them. So I need to make sure that the mezuzah is beneath the lintel. Although, as we said, the mezuzah should be within the outer tefach of the doorway, there is no lintel above that part, so I will affix the mezuzah beneath the lintel. That is what should be done ideally. If I did not affix it beneath the lintel and placed it farther away, as long as it is within a tefach of the lintel, it is still acceptable bedi’eved. But if I placed it more than a tefach away from the lintel, most opinions consider it invalid. So I will simply remove it and affix it again beneath the lintel, without a bracha. Since some opinions do consider the original placement valid, I will reaffix it beneath the lintel without a bracha. In general, there is another very important principle worth knowing. When we speak about bedi’eved in various situations involving the placement of a mezuzah—I did not affix it within the outer tefach, I did not affix it beneath the lintel, and so on—the Ben Ish Chai addresses this and makes a very important point. He says: What does bedi’eved mean? If you have no way to affix it differently, then it is bedi’eved, so leave it as it is. But what does bedi’eved mean if you can take the mezuzah, move it, and put it in the correct place,

51:32 Speaker 2 So there’s no question of relying on a bedieved ruling here. You need to take the mezuzah down and put it up properly, not rely on a bedieved ruling. If you can correct it, it isn’t a bedieved situation. That’s what the Ben Ish Chai says, and it’s very important to keep this rule in mind. Another point: there are doorways with a wide lintel and a narrower lintel beneath it. The wide lintel spans the full width of the doorposts, but the narrow one covers only part of their width. Here, too, the mezuzah should be affixed beneath the narrow lintel. That is the actual lintel, not the wide one. If you affixed it beneath the wide lintel, it’s kosher bedieved, but as we said, it’s better to take it down and affix it properly. There are also doorways that aren’t open across their full width. This can happen quite often, usually in offices and the like: there’s a doorway, but something within it blocks part of the opening. It might be a door, an intercom stand, a counter—something blocking part of the doorway. So the question is: I have the doorpost and the full opening up to this point, but something here blocks it. Where do I affix the mezuzah? Do I affix it on, on, on

53:36 Speaker 2 the wider part, or on the thing blocking the doorway? It depends. The object could even be a cabinet. Let’s take a tall cabinet that stands there and blocks part of the doorway. Do I affix the mezuzah to the cabinet, or to the doorway’s actual doorpost—the wall or frame of the house? In this situation, it depends on the object’s purpose. If it is meant to block off and permanently reduce the opening, then it does create a partition. So I affix the mezuzah to the part blocking the doorway, because the usable opening begins only beyond it. That applies to a tall cabinet, an intercom stand, or even a door. Let’s take a more common example: a doorway with two doors. One door opens regularly, while the other stays closed. Here, too, we follow the same principle. If that door stays closed permanently and people don’t enter through it—even though it’s opened occasionally to bring in large items, not to let people through; say I need to bring in a large piano—then it is considered to block part of the doorway. I can’t affix the mezuzah to the regular doorpost in the wall. That door itself serves as the doorpost. It’s considered like a wall, as though I had built a wall there. So I affix the mezuzah to

55:44 Speaker 2 the door itself, without a bracha. Chovas Hadar writes that if the door is actually fastened to the wall with screws and so on, and I have to remove the screws to open it, then it is truly considered a wall. The mezuzah may even be affixed to it with a bracha. But if the door isn’t fastened to the walls or ceiling, and is simply opened occasionally to bring in large items, I affix the mezuzah to the door, not to the doorpost in the wall. Another point: if that door does open, even rarely, to let people in—for example, at conferences or other events when many people come—then it isn’t considered a blockage. I affix the mezuzah not to the door, but to the doorpost of the wider opening beyond it. On the other hand, if the things I place in the doorway aren’t intended to block it—their purpose isn’t to reduce the opening permanently, but to decorate it, to make it look nice—for example, if I put potted plants in the doorway, then of course they don’t reduce the opening. I affix the mezuzah to the doorpost of the wider opening, and that’s fine. Another point to keep in mind—I don’t know how often this happens, but there can be a sliding door that closes. Now, pay attention: sliding doors generally don’t close all the way. Sometimes they do,

57:45 Speaker 2 but some sliding doors don’t. I close the door, and it stops here. It doesn’t reach all the way to the wall, to the part of the wall that forms the doorpost. When closed, it still protrudes a little from the wall. Here, too, if the door is positioned here and protrudes a tefach from the wall, I run into a question about where to put the mezuzah. If I put it here, the door is, in a sense, reducing the opening by a tefach. Since it always closes only as far as this point, it seems to block part of the doorway, so the opening begins at the door. Apparently, then, I should put the mezuzah on it. But that isn’t the case. Since the door is, after all, movable, I put the mezuzah in its usual place. Still, if possible, the best thing is to ask the builder, or whoever is building the apartment, to have this door close toward the left. There is another very common situation concerning the shape of a doorway. Sometimes it’s built like this: a section of wall rises from the floor, then the wall steps inward and continues upward. The doorway widens higher up. It starts here, rises, then steps inward and continues. I’ve often seen people put the mezuzah on the wider section without even thinking about it. But that isn’t correct. If the

59:49 Speaker 2 narrow, lower section of wall is ten tefachim high, I need to put the mezuzah on that lower section. Since it’s low, I’ll make sure the mezuzah is placed as high as possible, though at least a tefach below the top of that lower section. So it need not be right at the beginning of the upper third, but it must not be within a tefach of the top of that section of wall. That’s what needs to be done. Once that section is ten tefachim high, I put the mezuzah on it. People often don’t think of this, but that’s where it belongs. If the lower section is less than ten tefachim high, I put the mezuzah on the wider section. But then the question is: where is the upper third of that section? From where do I start measuring it? There’s room for doubt. One could say that because the lower section is less than ten tefachim high, it’s considered like the floor or ground. If so, I start measuring from its top: I divide the height above it into three and put the mezuzah in the upper third. But if I treat the lower section as a doorpost that changes direction, I need to measure the upper third from the floor. That creates a difficulty. In practice, what we do is affix it in the upper third of the widened section. In other words, I affix it in the upper third of the entire widened section, and then, since the lower section is less than ten tefachim, the fact is that the upper third,

1:01:50 Speaker 2 No matter how I measure it, when I measure the upper third of the widening section, it will also fall within the upper third of the full measurement from the floor to the top. So I don’t take into account that lower section, which is less than ten tefachim high. I measure the upper third from above that section, and place the mezuzah there. Here, I’ll make sure to put it at the beginning of that upper third, so that it also works according to the second measurement, which runs from the floor to the top of the wide section. That gives me an upper third that works with both ways of measuring, and that’s what should be done. Now we’ll discuss a very common type of doorway: an arched doorway. An arched doorway. There are differing views about an arched doorway as well. The issue itself appears in the Gemara in Yoma. The Gemara says: “An arch—Rabbi Meir requires a mezuzah, and the Sages exempt it; but they agree that if its vertical sides are ten tefachim high, it requires a mezuzah.” As is well known, the halachah follows the Sages. Let’s first take the simpler case of an arched doorway. If the doorway initially has straight doorposts and only then begins to curve—say, the doorposts are straight up to here, and only afterward does the arch begin—then we say this: If the straight doorposts reach a height of ten tefachim, the doorway requires a mezuzah, and I need to put one on it. It qualifies as a doorway; it has doorposts, and everything is in order. According to all opinions, I need to put a mezuzah on it. We’ll discuss afterward where I put the mezuzah on this doorway.

1:03:53 Speaker 2 But according to all opinions, this doorway requires a mezuzah because it has straight doorposts ten tefachim high. If the entire doorway is arched, that’s where a dispute comes in. But even with a doorway that is arched throughout—let’s take such a doorway as an example—the question is what happens above the arch. If the arch reaches all the way to the ceiling, it would seem that such a doorway is exempt from a mezuzah. Again, if the doorway starts curving from the floor and the arch ends right at the ceiling, it should be exempt from a mezuzah, both according to Rashi and according to the Rambam, as we’ll see shortly. But if the arch ends at some point and there is a section of wall above it—a piece that is essentially a continuation of the wall up to where the wall ends, as is usually the case—then there is a dispute between the Rambam and Rashi. It’s worth understanding the basis of that dispute. According to the Rambam, curved doorposts do not count as doorposts at all. Therefore, if they begin curving from the floor, the doorway is exempt according to the Rambam. It makes no difference what kind of arch it is, what comes after it, or what is above it. Curved doorposts do not count as doorposts according to the Rambam, so he exempts the doorway. In his view, the obligation begins only when there are ten tefachim of straight doorposts. If it’s arched from the very bottom, it is exempt. According to Rashi, curved doorposts do count as doorposts. So even if they begin curving right from the floor, that is fine; in his view, the doorway requires a mezuzah. But there’s another question: Besides doorposts, we also need a lintel.

1:06:03 Speaker 2 So where is the lintel of an arched doorway? There’s no straight lintel resting on the two doorposts. Where, then, is the lintel? That, too, is part of the dispute between Rashi and the Rambam. Rashi holds that the lintel is actually... The entire opening here, including the arch, is made up of doorposts. The lintel is what lies above the arch. As we said, when the wall continues above the arch up to the ceiling, we can picture an opening carved into that wall, leaving a straight piece above the arch. That straight piece above the arch is the lintel according to Rashi. The Rambam does not agree. In his view, there is no lintel there. Rather—sorry—in his view, the lintel is within the arch itself. As we said, according to the Rambam, I need straight doorposts ten tefachim high, and after that the doorway begins to curve. The Rambam says that the curved section, from the point where it begins to curve, is the lintel. Now, within the arch itself, the lintel extends up to the point where the opening narrows to less than four tefachim from one side to the other. At that point it is no longer considered an opening at all; it is considered closed off, so to speak. Therefore, according to the Rambam, the entire arch, up to where the gap becomes less than four tefachim, is considered the lintel. Let’s see what follows from this. If there are straight doorposts ten tefachim high, the doorway requires a mezuzah according to all opinions—both the Rambam and Rashi. According to Rashi, the lintel is what lies above the arch, while according to the Rambam, the lintel is the arch itself.

1:08:13 Speaker 2 But if we’re talking about a doorway that begins to curve right from the bottom, then according to Rashi the curved sides count as doorposts, and what lies above the arch counts as the lintel. So according to Rashi, it requires a mezuzah, while according to the Rambam, it is exempt. But if the doorway curves and the arch ends right at the ceiling, with no row of stones above it, such a doorway is exempt according to both Rashi and the Rambam. According to Rashi, there is no lintel; according to the Rambam, there are no doorposts. So such a doorway should be exempt according to all opinions. But in the two previous cases we discussed, there is an obligation. Because the Rambam and Rashi disagree about what counts as the doorposts and what counts as the lintel, the practical difference is where the upper third begins: From where do I measure the upper third in such a doorway? According to Rashi, I measure from the bottom all the way to the top. That means the upper third, in his view, will be in the arch, in the section that begins to curve. According to the Rambam, the doorposts are only the lower, straight sections of ten tefachim, so the upper third remains within those sections. That leaves us with a problem: Where do we establish the upper third? In practice, the conclusion I’ve seen is this: If there is an area that falls within the upper third by either measurement—say, the straight doorposts are a bit taller and the arch isn’t so high—then I’ll put the mezuzah there, to satisfy both opinions. If not, the practical ruling is to measure from the floor. I measure the

1:10:18 Speaker 2 The upper third measured from the floor. Wherever I reach the upper third—and here it is worth making sure it is at the beginning of the upper third—that is where I put the mezuzah, even though it ends up on the curved part. That is the more accepted opinion, following Rashi’s approach. So with this kind of doorway, I measure up from the floor until I reach the upper third, and that is where I put the mezuzah. If we sum all this up, it comes out like this: For a doorway that is entirely curved, beginning to curve right from the floor, I measure the upper third from the floor, of course, and put the mezuzah there. In this case, the mezuzah is required only according to Rashi’s approach, so I put it up without a blessing. When the sides of the doorway are straight for a height of ten tefachim, everyone agrees that a mezuzah is required, so I put one up with a blessing. And as we said, I measure from the floor. If I cannot find a place in the upper third that satisfies both opinions, I measure from the floor and put the mezuzah in the upper third, and I can do so with a blessing. All of this concerns a doorway that curves but has a continuation above the curve up to the ceiling. If the curve goes all the way to the ceiling, that doorway is exempt from a mezuzah. I want to mention another very important general rule about the laws of mezuzah. We are discussing doorways that are exempt and doorways that require a mezuzah, and we will go on to discuss various other cases. In practice, since we are chassidim and the holiness of the mezuzah and its protection are very important to us—

1:12:22 Speaker 2 A mezuzah also has, as we said, a protective effect, and that is a very significant aspect of it. There were even certain situations in which the Rebbe advised people to take a mezuzah in their hand and carry it with them—simply wrap it and carry it—whether for someone who was ill, for shalom bayis, and so on. So we make a point of putting a mezuzah on anything that looks like a doorway, even if it is not fully obligated by law. Wherever there is something that has the appearance of a doorway, we put up a mezuzah, of course without a blessing. It does not have to be an especially beautiful mezuzah, but it is important to put up a simple kosher one for its protection. Now, where does the halachic requirement to put the mezuzah in the upper third come from? It says, “Upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates,” and similarly, regarding tefillin, it says, “And they shall be a sign upon your hand.” The Gemara learns: Just as tefillin are placed high on the arm, so too the mezuzah is placed high on the doorway. But tefillin are not placed at the very highest point of the arm; they are placed high on the arm, but not at its highest point. Likewise, the mezuzah must be placed high on the doorway, but not at its very highest point. That gives us the measurement of the upper third. It counts as high on the doorway, but not within the very top tefach. I put the mezuzah in the upper third, but not within the tefach next to the lintel, because that is the very highest point. We do not need the highest point; we need it high on the doorway, but not at the very top. What counts as the very top? When the mezuzah is within the tefach next to the lintel. According to some opinions, a mezuzah placed there is invalid. So if you see that someone has put

1:14:25 Speaker 2 the mezuzah at the very top, you need to lower it a little. You should take that mezuzah and put it in its proper place without a blessing, since there are opinions that consider its original placement valid. But the situation does need to be corrected. That is why it belongs in the upper third. In practice, the Rambam also writes that one should take care to place it at the beginning of the upper third, and some people are particular about that. But from the Rebbe’s wording in the English Kitzur Shulchan Aruch he wrote for young people, it appears that we are not particular about placing it at the beginning of the upper third. We do not insist on that, perhaps for a reason connected with Kabbalah. There was also an incident involving a sofer who looked at the mezuzahs both in the Rebbe’s home and in 770, and saw that they were not positioned at the beginning of the upper third. He asked the Rebbe for permission to correct them. The Rebbe told him, “Do not touch the mezuzahs in my home. Do not touch them there. Where they are is where they need to be. As for the mezuzahs in 770, ask the gabbaim whether they agree.” In any case, we understand from this that it is not something we insist on: we do not specifically place them at the beginning of the upper third. But as we said, in certain situations we discussed earlier—where the doorposts are low or the doorway is curved—it can sometimes be important to place the mezuzah at the beginning of the upper third, or as high as possible, as we discussed. Another very common question concerns a tall doorway. Doorways and gates at the entrances to various buildings, or in old buildings and the like, are often very tall. Someone might even have a gate at home with a very, very tall opening. But first, what is the definition of a tall doorway? It is one where, when I reach up, I cannot reach the mezuzah.

1:16:26 Speaker 2 If I reach up and cannot reach the mezuzah, that is called a tall doorway. The question then is: Where is the upper third in such a case? Where do I affix the mezuzah, and what do I consider the upper third? If I put it in the upper third, it will be so high that it is impossible to reach. So, here is the answer. It appears from the Rebbe’s words, and it also appears in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, that in such a case the mezuzah is affixed at shoulder height. The source for this is actually the Yerushalmi. I think it is learned from the verse, “And between his shoulders He dwells”—the Shechinah rests between the shoulders. That is why the mezuzah is affixed at shoulder height. For an average person, that is roughly 1.45 meters, something like that. So on a tall doorway, we affix the mezuzah at shoulder height. Now, in the Rebbe Rashab’s house in Rostov, there were also very, very tall doorways, and the mezuzahs there were actually in the upper third. They were not at shoulder height; they were right in the upper third. Some Chabad rabbanim therefore want to say that it should indeed be placed in the upper third. But presumably the Rebbe was aware of this and nevertheless wrote that it should be placed at shoulder height. So it is preferable to place it at shoulder height from the outset.