The Movement for Reform Judaism

Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain, Chairman of the Assembly of Rabbis and Rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue is a respected writer and broadcaster, frequently asked to comment on news issues on radio and television. In this fortnightly feature he addresses your concerns, giving responses to modern issues and queries.

This week's question: I have been told that when things go wrong, and they certainly have done in my family at the moment, I should check my mezuzah.

This is a common view in some Jewish circles, although it is not something I would endorse. The mezuzah is a command that arises directly from the statement in the Bible that "you shall write them (the words of God) upon the door-post of your house" (Deuteronomy 6. 9) and which then entered the liturgy, when that whole paragraph became part of the evening and morning service (known as 'the Shema' from its opening word). Later rabbinic law determined that a mezuzah was an outer case with a scroll inside on which was written three sections of the Bible. Jewish law also laid down that it was not enough just to put up the mezuzah, it had to be checked every seven years to ensure that none of the writing had faded or been affected by the elements, in which case it was invalid and the scroll had to be replaced.

The purpose of the mezuzah is primarily a statement of identity - both for yourself and for anyone who enters your home - that you are Jewish and adhere to Jewish values and the Jewish way of life. The point of being placed on your own personal front door is that it acts as a regular reminder - saying that Judaism is not somewhere else (e.g. the synagogue) and not for special occasions (e.g. the Pesach plate) but should permeate your everyday life constantly.

However, in times that were prone to superstition, the mezuzah also came to be seen as having protective powers. Some Jews saw it as a good luck charm, rather like having a horseshoe outside your house. Indeed, we know that in the Middle Ages its reputation for such powers was such that some non-Jews asked their Jewish neighbours for a mezuzah because they heard it would guard their home from disease or fire.

Rabbis such as Moses Maimonides - who combined deep faith with a rational approach to life -strongly condemned such an interpretation, but the protective power of the mezuzah was a very strong myth and has survived until our time too. The side effect of this is that if you fail to check your mezuzah regularly and it has defects in it, then its protective powers disappear and harm may befall you. No doubt some rabbis allowed this myth to continue as a way of encouraging people to check their mezuzah, but it is a very warped mind that would suggest that any untoward event - loss of job, onset of cancer, car accident - happened because a few Hebrew letters were missing or that God was punishing you for having an incorrect mezuzah. I certainly think it is a good idea to have a mezuzah, and to check it every seven years, but because it is a potent Jewish symbol, not because you want to avoid setting off a terrible sequence of cause and effect.

Finally, if things are going wrong for you, then rather than check your mezuzah, I would seek help - both professional advice in whatever area is the problem, and also the help that being part of a community can provide, such as personal support and sense of camaraderie, so that you do not face your troubles alone but with others alongside you.

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not just superstition
written by a guest , December 06, 2007

I think there's more than superstition here. Checking one's mezuzah seems like a metaphor for checking how well one is following Judaic teachings. Checking one's moral compass seems like a good place start investigations although of course personal responsability does not necessarily cause misfortune.

Different perspective.
written by a guest , February 17, 2008

You can see a different perspective on this at http://mezuzahstore.com/blog/

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written by HaggaiSA , February 19, 2008

I feel that there is a big difference between relegating a Mezuzah to a “fetish” that supposedly has inherent magical powers, as opposed to using it as a tangible focus for personal spiritual protection. A Mezuzah clearly has mundane as well as metaphysical properties both of which can be utilised for self improvement. Focusing your thoughts on a physical object is not idolatry, as you are not worshiping it, but rather utilising it as a means to an end. Clearly the condition of the text contained inside is irrelevant when compared to the intent of the user. As they say -Many a good tune is played on an old fiddle.