Mezuzot- a significant holy parchment of the Jewish people

What is Mezuzot?

Mezuzot, the plural form of mezuzah, is a piece of the parchment scroll put into decorative cases. The Mezuzot scrolls or the parchment scrolls are generally inscribed with some particular Hebrew verses from the Torah. The popular Jewish prayer ‘Shema Yisrael’ is included in these famous Hebrew verses.

The usefulness of Mezuzot

• For fulfilling the mitzvah, Mezuzot, are being affixed at the doorframe of each and very Jewish houses.

• This is done so that the words from the Shema can be inscribed at the doorposts of every Jewish household.

• It is according to the Jewish laws that each and every family is required to put up Mezuzot on every doorway of each individual rooms of the house excepting the bathrooms and closets.

• This is because of the fact that the spaces of bathrooms and closets are very small to be called them as rooms.

The making of Mezuzot

It is interesting to know that the Mezuzot parchments are being prepared by some qualified scribes, who is also known as ‘Sofer Stam’ in Israel. These scribes are only qualified to prepare the parchments if he undergoes meticulous training for a number of years. The parchment of mezuzah is written in black ink that is indelible in nature, with a special type of pen known as quill pen. Thereafter the parchment is being rolled up and put into the case for longer use.

The tradition of fixing Mezuzot in Jewish houses

Just before the fixing up of the mezuzah to the doorpost of a Jewish household certain blessings are to be recited by the person who is fixing it up. For each and every Mezuzot that is fixed throughout the house, the blessing is being recited only once. After the recitation of the blessing before fixing the Mezuzot, the person cannot speak a word anymore until and unless all Mezuzot are hung throughout the house.

Certain beliefs regarding Mezuzot

It is believed and also said by the Talmund that keeping Mezuzot scrolls which are commandments of Mezuzah would bring in long term of life and even offers protection to the family members of each Jewish household. In addition to this it is even believed that each and every Mezuzah that is being fixed in the house only adds up to the divine protection of the people living everywhere in the house.

The Mezuzot scrolls are believed to have such strong protective powers since the name of God or the letters of Shin-Daled-Yud are written at the back side of the Mezuzot. The letters written in these Mezuzot scrolls are said to be representative of Shomer Daltot Yisrael, which stands for the Guardian of the Doors of Israel.

Mezuzot cases

The significant part of the Mezuzot is the ‘Klaff’ or the parchment and not the case of it. The designing of cases of Mezuzot from different kind of materials like silver and precious stones, wood, stone, ceramics and pewter has promoted it to an art form for over the ages now. Among them the silver Mezuzot is a very good option for gifting someone during any kind of Jewish ceremony.