What does the symbol on a mezuzah mean?

That is the reason for the mezuzah, the item affixed – at an angle – to the doorpost of a Jewish home. The Hebrew word mezuzah actually means doorpost, but over time it has evolved to mean the doorpost and what is affixed to it. Very little about this important object has been left to chance – including how it is hung.

What do Jews do when they pass 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.

What prayer is in a mezuzah?

Shema prayer
The mezuzah opens up and inside is the Shema prayer, written on a small piece of parchment. The Shema is the most important prayer in Judaism because it reminds Jewish people that there is only one God. Rabbi Ron Berry reads the prayer to check each word was readable and then, he explains what they mean.

Who can hang a mezuzah?

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His mitzvot, and commanded us to affix a mezuzah. Any Jew can recite the blessing, provided they are old enough to understand the significance of the mitzvah. After the blessing, the mezuzah is attached.

Can you put up a mezuzah at night?

Mezuzah is also one of the only mitzvos that can be observed constantly, even while sleeping. Others disagree with the notion that a mezuzah cannot be affixed with protection as the motivation since this is not the actual reward for fulfilling the mitzvah but a side (and natural) benefit.

Can you hang a mezuzah at night?

Why do Jews wear black?

Though a symbol of strict adherence to Jewish law, the wearing of a black hat is custom and not law. In the United States, it was almost exclusively the domain of rabbis and yeshiva students until about 40 years ago. And it is no small statement of fashion, even among a people taught to value modesty and humility.