(ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃...(ט) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזֻז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃
(5) You shall love your God יהוה with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day...(9) inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
- What does it mean to love G-d with all your heart, soul, and might?
- Why write the words on your gates in addition to the doorposts of your house?
Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: Anyone who has phylacteries on his head, phylacteries on his arm, ritual fringes on his garment, and a mezuza on his doorway is strengthened from all sides so that he will not sin.
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Why might the commandment of the mezuzah be grouped together with those of wrapping tefillin and wearing tzitzit?
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Why are those that take part in these observances assumed to not sin?
(ט) בֵּית הַכִּסֵּא וּבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ וּבֵית הַטְּבִילָה וּבֵית הַבֻּרְסְקִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם פְּטוּרִין מִן הַמְּזוּזָה לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן עֲשׂוּיִין לְדִירַת כָּבוֹד. סֻכַּת חַג בֶּחָג וּבַיִת שֶׁבַּסְּפִינָה פְּטוּרִין מִן הַמְּזוּזָה לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן עֲשׂוּיִין לְדִירַת קֶבַע. שְׁתֵּי סֻכּוֹת שֶׁל יוֹצְרִים זוֹ לְפָנִים מִזּוֹ הַחִיצוֹנָה פְּטוּרָה מִן הַמְּזוּזָה לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָהּ קְבוּעָה. הַחֲנֻיּוֹת שֶׁבַּשְּׁוָקִים פְּטוּרִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָן קְבוּעִים לְדִירָה:
(9) A toilet, a bathhouse, a mikveh, a tannery, and the like, do not require a mezuzah, since they do not constitute a dignified dwelling.
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What makes a dwelling dignified?
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How might affixing a mezuzah to a dwelling make it more dignified?
(23) For יהוה, when going through to smite the Egyptians, will see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, and יהוה will pass over the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home.
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What is G-d commanding the Israelites to do to their houses?
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How can a mezuzah act in a similar manner to the blood?
Reflection Questions
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How can you make the mezuzah meaningful to you?
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What else can you do to make your new living space feel like home?