What is a mezuzah?
A mezuzah is a small parchment scroll, the klaf, with two passages of the Torah handwritten on it: the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–9) and Deuteronomy 11:13–21. Both passages ask that these words be written “upon the doorposts of thy house, and upon thy gates”. The scroll is rolled, placed in a case and fixed to the doorframe. The case is the part you see; the scroll is the mitzvah.
“And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:9
Where does it go?
- The right doorpost as you walk in. For a room, think of the direction you enter it from the hallway.
- The top third of the doorpost, at its lower edge: on a standard door, roughly shoulder height.
- On the outer edge of the doorpost, within about 3 inches (a handbreadth) of the opening.
Straight or tilted?
Ashkenazi custom tilts the mezuzah, top toward the inside of the room. Sephardi custom hangs it straight up and down. Both are correct; follow your family's custom.
How to hang a mezuzah, step by step
- Roll the scroll. Roll the klaf from its end toward its beginning, so the first word, Shema, faces outward when you unroll it. Wrap it in a little plastic to keep out moisture.
- Place it in the case so the word Shaddai, written on the back of the scroll, faces the front of the case.
- Hold it in place on the doorpost.
- Say the blessing (below), then fix the case right away with screws, nails or strong double-sided tape.
- Do the other doors. One blessing covers every mezuzah you put up at the same time, as long as you do not interrupt with unrelated talk.
The blessing
Hebrew: ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לקבוע מזוזה
Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu likbo'a mezuzah.
English: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah.
Which doors need one?
The front door and every doorway of a room people live in: bedrooms, the kitchen, the living room, a home office. Bathrooms and small storage closets do not get one. A doorway with no door still counts if it has two doorposts and a lintel.
Looking after the scroll
Tradition asks that a mezuzah be checked by a scribe twice every seven years, because ink cracks and moisture can damage the letters. Outdoor cases should sit on a covered doorframe, out of standing water.
Choosing a mezuzah case
Match the case to the scroll: common scrolls are 10, 12 or 15 cm, about 4 to 6 inches, and our product pages list the scroll size each case holds. A full-size case suits the front door, a small 10 cm case suits a bedroom, a child's room or an office. Olive wood and resin are best on a sheltered, covered doorframe. Our cases are sold empty, as cases.
Customs differ between communities. If you have a question about your own doors, ask your rabbi.