Strange question about Mezuzot

[Flopsy Rabbit]

We have a double french doors in the back and the door that is the one we always open to go in and out of is on the right as you face it from inside, or on the left as you face it from outside. Right now the way the deck is does not permit easy access to the Mezuzah putting it on the Right side of the door. and the doors are metal so cant put it on the second door so that it would be accessable. What are the guidelines in this kind of situation. We are planning on fixing the deck in the future so that it would be accessable on the right as one was coming up to the door but right now it is not. Also I think most often people only put a Mezuzah on the outside doors, but I am not sure what the command means, are we to put them by all the doors inside the house too, or only outside doors?

[Wags]

The command is to wirte them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates. Some interpret that to mean on the outside door posts only and some put them on all of the door posts inside too - except the bathroom.

We have them on the exterior only at this time, and we haven't fenced the property yet so no exterior gates, but when we finally do we will have a mezuzah on the gates outside as well. Although we might just actually write the scripture on the post.

Some friends of ours have the scripture litterally written (wood burning tool was used) around the door frame on their front door. Before they did that they had an open faced mezuzah.

[Elisheva413]

We have one glass mezuzah, and that one was chosen to honor Yah in the profession He gave my husband, he is a glazier. And then we have one that is open face and it has both tanach and apostolic scriptures on it, it is really beautiful. I have also known people who just typed up the words in hebrew fonts and taped the papers up around the door jams creating the Hebrew letter chet. I have always thought that was beautiful too. And then my son created his own out of construction paper and taped it to his door.

[Sephania]

Flopsy, it needs to be accessable to you going in and out. If you have a problem with a nailed kind, you can always attach it with the foam double stick tape.

The most important though is that the L-RD said to write these on YOUR doorposts, and to me that means, not of my physical constructed abode, but rather, the entrance to my personal beit ( house) that is my heart.

In Revelation we see Yeshua, and he says:

BEHOLD! I stand at the door and knock ( he isn't knocking on your houses front door, but the door to your being, and that is your heart) If any man ( or woman) hear my voice ( see he isn't using his hands to knock) , and open the door, I will come in and commune with him.

This is where we should be placing the words of Torah, at the entrance to our being, to guard us in all ways and to light the path when we venture out in the world.

[stone]

good topic.

I'm currently in the process of contructing a fence around where i live to keep the varmints out, as my grandmother would say. I put in some wooden post for my gate. I'm planning to paint the post soon and am thinking that it would be nice, and now i just kinda want to do it, and that is paint the writeing onto the post for my gate.

My question is, what exactly should i print and does it have to be printed in Hebrew or can it be in English?

[Sephania]

The Scriptures are found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21.

It is traditional to do them in the language they were given in, but if you want them in English I don't see any taboo against it in the Bible.

As these are for you to remember if you want it as a witness, may I reccomend the words of Yehoshua? You could paint these on your gates, or doorposts:

As for me and my house, we will serve the L-RD! ( Joshua 24:15)

[Flopsy Rabbit]

My options to make the Mezuzah accessable are put it on the metal second door of the french doors, or put it on the left side of the door that we open to go in, what should I do, otherwise if it is on the right side it has to be next to the door we do not go in or out of and it is not at all easily accessable. What should I do.

good points Zayit "This is where we should be placing the words of Torah, at the entrance to our being, to guard us in all ways and to light the path when we venture out in the world."

I think this is why we are commanded to also do this in a physical form, so that we can remember all the time, every day, otherwise we would not remember, at least we would not remember enough. I like how G-d has given us the Mitzvot, because He knows how our minds and hearts work.

[stone]

The Scriptures are found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21.

It is traditional to do them in the language they were given in, but if you want them in English I don't see any taboo against it in the Bible.

As these are for you to remember if you want it as a witness, may I reccomend the words of Yehoshua? You could paint these on your gates, or doorposts:

As for me and my house, we will serve the L-RD! ( Joshua 24:15)

I'm not sure i'm following you as the words of yehoshua?

but umm... thank you.

and i figure it should be in English so that i'm not the only person that will be able to read it. Maybe i'll paint it in spanish too!

[stone]

My options to make the Mezuzah accessable are put it on the metal second door of the french doors, or put it on the left side of the door that we open to go in, what should I do, otherwise if it is on the right side it has to be next to the door we do not go in or out of and it is not at all easily accessable. What should I do.

good points Zayit "This is where we should be placing the words of Torah, at the entrance to our being, to guard us in all ways and to light the path when we venture out in the world."

I think this is why we are commanded to also do this in a physical form, so that we can remember all the time, every day, otherwise we would not remember, at least we would not remember enough. I like how G-d has given us the Mitzvot, because He knows how our minds and hearts work.

Does the commandment specify between left and right?

[Sephania]

My options to make the Mezuzah accessable are put it on the metal second door of the french doors, or put it on the left side of the door that we open to go in, what should I do, otherwise if it is on the right side it has to be next to the door we do not go in or out of and it is not at all easily accessable. What should I do. I would say which ever place would make it easiest to see and touch both coming and going. You have to deside that. :) I am not sure which of these doors you speak of that is the one that is outside. The mezzuah should be placed on the molding or trim around the outside door, not the door itself. :)

[Sephania]

Yehoshua = Joshua :)

Does the commandment specify between left and right? No, it only says on your doorposts and gates, not which side. :When it became necessary for the mezzuzah box to be made because of frequently being 'asked to leave' a city or country, then Rabbinic laws were established about how where, when, how big, which side , etc.

But the L-RD just says, write them on your doorposts and gates. The only requirement I should think would be they should be somewhere easily seen and large enough to read.

:)

[stone]

Yehoshua = Joshua :)


:)

ahh, i get it. :thumbsup:

[Flopsy Rabbit]

that is my problem, this is a double doors, and the one that is accessable and where the wood, moulding is would mean I have to put the Mezuzah on the left side and it is supposed to go on the right side, if I put it on the right side I have to put it next to the other of the double doors and then it is not accessable. I am not doing a very good job of describing the situation I know.

[Sephania]

It is not a problem to put it on the left side if that is the side you will see it and be able to touch it.

The Right side is just a Rabbinic law, not biblical. And the right side is from one way only, determined from how you enter a home, not exit. Does that help?

[Sephania]

Flopsy, from your questions, I surmiss you are not Jewish, you may want to read this before proceeding.


9. Question: Rabbi Yaniger,

I am not Jewish, I am Catholic. I have been reading about the Mazuzah and the meaning of placing a Mazuzah at one's doorway. Would it be inappropriate or even sacrilegious for a Catholic to place a Mazuzah on his doorway?

Thank you for your time.

Manuel
Pueblo, Colorado

Answer: Dear Manuel,

Thank you for your question. Your faith has much in common with the Jewish values that the mezuzah expresses – the need to bring G-d's presence into the home, the confidence in His protection. The mezuzah, while expressing these values, has also taken on a new dimension over the generations. It has become a particularly Jewish symbol.

A Jewish family sees putting a mezuzah on the door as an expression of their Jewish identity. In Israel, where I live, mezuzas are found on just about every Jewish home, regardless of whether the family observes the Torah's commandments to the fullest, or only nominally. I would think that if you put a mezuzah on your door, it would express not only faith in G-d, which you have, but also Jewish identity, which as a Catholic you do not have.

Since you find the message of the mezuzah meaningful, and you deserve much admiration for that, I would suggest doing the following: write the text of the mezuzah in English on a beautiful piece of paper or parchment, frame it, and keep it near your door. You will be able to strengthen your faith in G-d in way which authentically expresses your religious identity.

Eliyahu

This comes from a site , Ask the Sofer (http://www.mezuzah.net/sofer.html#q9)( the one who writes the scrolls) He also has advise on where to hang it in different situations. This is not a Messianic site though.

[Flopsy Rabbit]

I am Jewish and I do wish to express Jewish identity. I am not Catholic. I dont know why asking questions and not knowing everything makes one not Jewish. Does asking questions and not knowing everything make one not Christian, American... I do not have the opportunity to live in a Jewish commutity or even go to Synagogue, I am not able to leave my house. I hope for one day that change, but for now as I have been doing the best I can in the situation.

[BarbB]

I'm glad you asked these questions, Flopsy - I've enjoyed reading the answers. And Zayit - thanks for the response from the Rabbi!

[Sephania]

My bad then Flopsy, I just gathered that from your variety of posts, perhaps I should have said you weren't raised Jewish? sorry.

I hope the Ask the Sofer page helped, I just didnt' want you to go all out and then see that.

I was only trying to be helpful, sorry your feelings were hurt, not my intention. :(

Zayit

[Flopsy Rabbit]

Its alright Zayit, :) I sure do appreciate all your links, I have them saved so I can go back to them. I have so much to learn! :confused: