Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people install alarm systems in their\nhomes to provide a sense of security. These systems, which may be wireless or\nhard-wired, are dependent on a number of factors to operate properly: all contacts\nneed to be intact and connected to one another; all batteries in wireless\nsystems must be fully charged; the codes need to be properly set; and the entire\nunit must be in good working order. All it takes is one faulty connection to\nnegate the whole system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While installing man-made security systems on\nour property is a reasonable act of hishtadlus<\/em>, our true feeling of\nsecurity comes from the recognition that we have a Protector in heaven. The\nTorah provides us with a spiritual security system: the\nmezuzah attached to our doorpost. The Ribono\nShel Olam watches over our homes if we do His will, and our mezuzah is a direct\nlink to the ultimate \u2018Central Station.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our\nhomes are protected, however, only if the mezuzah \u2018system\u2019 is sound \u2013 that is, it\nwas prepared (and installed) following the exact specifications set by the\nManufacturer. A slight crack in even a single letter may invalidate the entire protection\nsystem, in which case one has not fulfilled the mitzvah. A bracha<\/em> recited\nwhen affixing such a mezuzah is recited in vain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kosher\nMezuzah Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nare many requirements for a kosher mezuzah. If any of these are not properly\nfulfilled, the mezuzah is invalid. Here is a brief summary of mezuzah\nrequirements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If\nthere is a deviation from the above specifications, the mezuzah may not be kosher.\nIt may be repairable depending upon the nature of the problem, but if it is not\nrepaired it will not fulfill its role as a mezuzah. It would be just like any\nother piece of paper on which words of the Torah were written. Mezuzah\nPlacement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Guidelines\nfor properly affixing the mezuzah to a doorpost are listed below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proper\nChecking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A\nkosher mezuzah, written in accordance with all the pertinent laws, is the first\nstep to ensuring a valid mezuzah. However, even if it was initially kosher, a\nmezuzah may become non-kosher over time. Some reasons for this include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For\nthis reason, mezuzah scrolls must be halachically checked every three or four\nyears (twice in seven years) to make sure they are still kosher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Non-Kosher\nMezuzos<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Non-kosher\nmezuzos<\/em> are prevalent due to general unfamiliarity with some of the\nbasic halachos<\/em> surrounding this great mitzvah. It is impossible to sell\na new car that is missing a wheel because everyone knows that a car cannot run\nwithout wheels. But it is rather easy to sell a non-kosher mezuzah with\ndeformed letters because most people have no idea how the letters should be\nformed and will never find out if the mezuzah \u2018works\u2019 or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even\nthough mezuzos<\/em> are made primarily to serve the needs of those who desire\nto fulfill the mitzvah, the truth is that many mezuzos<\/em> are not and never\nwere kosher. Printed mezuzos<\/em> are intrinsically unkosher but fairly\nubiquitous. Other defects include parchment without properly engraved lines, mezuzos<\/em>\nmissing letters and words, cleverly printed mezuzos<\/em> that look\nhand-written, and mezuzos<\/em> with incomplete and deformed letters. Small mezuzos<\/em>\n(i.e., approximately three inches or less) are rarely kosher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ironically,\nsome mezuzos<\/em> are invalidated by their kosher certification. It is common\nto find scrolls with the word checked<\/em> (nivdak<\/em>? in Hebrew) stamped\nin ink or embossed onto the mezuzah. This action actually invalidates the mezuzah\nby adding more than the prescribed amount of letters. The mezuzah might actually\nhave been kosher without the kosher stamp. If the extra letters are removed, the\nproblem would be resolved, but how does an unsuspecting buyer know that these\nletters must be erased? Similar problems occur with tefillin. Educating\nthe Public<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What\ncan be done to rectify the situation? Over the years, organizations such as Vaad\nMishmeres Stam and certain local communal organizations have been vigilant in\ntheir attempts to educate the public about the need to purchase kosher mezuzos<\/em>\nand to discontinue the sale of the small posul<\/em> mezuzos. One should\npurchase mezuzos<\/em> directly from a reliable yorei shomayim sofer<\/em> who\nhas carefully checked and endorsed the mezuzos<\/em> as kosher. Since even an\nexperienced sofer<\/em> takes a few hours to write a mezuzah, one should not\nbe surprised by the cost for such skilled labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By obtaining\nour mezuzos<\/em> from a reliable source, affixing them according to Halacha,\nand checking them periodically as required, we can rest assured that we have fulfilled\nthe will of our heavenly Protector and that we have acquired the best possible security\nsystem to ensure the welfare of our family and home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For\nMore Information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Comprehensive\ninformation and educational videos about this important mitzvah are available\nat mezuzahmaven.org. All halachic questions submitted to that site are answered\nby Rabbi Mordechai Frankel, Director of STAR-K\u2019s Institute of Halacha.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2022<\/p>\n Many people install alarm systems in their While installing man-made security systems on Our
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nhomes to provide a sense of security. These systems, which may be wireless or
\nhard-wired, are dependent on a number of factors to operate properly: all contacts
\nneed to be intact and connected to one another; all batteries in wireless
\nsystems must be fully charged; the codes need to be properly set; and the entire
\nunit must be in good working order. All it takes is one faulty connection to
\nnegate the whole system. <\/p>\n
\nour property is a reasonable act of hishtadlus, our true feeling of
\nsecurity comes from the recognition that we have a Protector in heaven. The
\nTorah provides us with a spiritual security system: the
\nmezuzah attached to our doorpost. The Ribono
\nShel Olam watches over our homes if we do His will, and our mezuzah is a direct
\nlink to the ultimate \u2018Central Station.\u2019 <\/p>\n
\nhomes are protected, however, only if the mezuzah […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[224,27,226],"tags":[238,239],"class_list":["post-9254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kashrus-kurrents-2022","category-kashrus-kurrents","category-spring-kashrus-kurrents-2022","tag-mezuzah","tag-mezuzos"],"yoast_head":"\n