מזוזה MEZUZAH

The Mezuzah is placed on the right side of the doorway as you enter, at the lower part of the upper third of the doorpost.

• It is affixed at an angle, with the top pointing inward toward the home.

• The following blessing (bracha) is recited when putting it up:
  בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְו‍ֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לִקְבּוֹעַ מְזוּזָה
  Transliteration: Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu likboa mezuzah.
  "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah."

This bracha is said before physically attaching the mezuzah to the doorpost. Once the blessing is completed, the mezuzah is affixed in its proper place.

What does it signify?

• Placing a Mezuzah on the doorpost symbolizes that G-d is present in the home and in every room. Every time a person passes through the door, they are reminded of this divine presence and are encouraged to live in a way that reflects holiness and ethical behavior.

• The Mezuzah serves as a spiritual protection over the home. Having a kosher Mezuzah on you doors invites divine protection from evil forces, demons and spirits.

Every doorway

A Mezuzah is not fixed just on the entrance to the homes but also on the doorways to most rooms within the home, excluding bathrooms and small closets.

The special Qualities and Benefits of the Mezuzah 

It is recounted in the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah, 35) about King Artaban, who sent Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi a gift—a precious pearl of immense value—and requested of him: “Send me back a gift that is equal in value to this gift I have sent you.” Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi sent him in return a Mezuzah. When King Artaban saw the Mezuzah that Rabbi Yehuda had sent him, he dispatched a message: “I sent you a gift that is beyond monetary valuation, and you send me a gift that can be purchased for a few coins?” Rabbi Yehuda responded: “Compared to the Torah and its commandments, my possessions and yours are not comparable to it. You sent me a gift that I need to guard, whereas I sent you a gift that allows you to sleep peacefully—and it will guard you.”

In the book She’iltot by Rav Achai Gaon, a continuation of this story is cited: A demon entered the house of King Artaban and took residence in the body of his only daughter. The king summoned the best physicians, but they could not help her. “As soon as Artaban took the Mezuzah and placed it on the doorway, the demon fled immediately.”

Moreover, anyone who is meticulous in observing this commandment will have their days and the days of their children prolonged, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 11:21): “So that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied on the land.” And from the positive implication, you can infer the negative: if one is not careful with it, their days may be shortened, God forbid.

Being diligent with this commandment also merits a beautiful home and protection for oneself and one’s household from all harm. This is why the name “Shaddai” is written on the outside of the Mezuzah , as it stands for Shomer Daltot Yisrael (Guardian of the Doors of Israel).

In Tractate Avodah Zarah (11a), it is said: “A human king sits inside the palace, and his servants guard him from the outside, whereas with the Holy One, Blessed be He, His servants are inside, and a person sleeps in their bed inside, while the Holy One, Blessed be He, guards them from the outside.” As it is written: “The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever” (Psalms 121:8).

Nevertheless, a person’s intention in affixing a Mezuzah should not be for the sake of protection or to receive reward in the World to Come, but rather their entire intention should be to fulfill the commandment of the Creator, Blessed be He (Sefer Yalkut Yosef, Chuppah v’Kiddushin, p. 525).

The reason the name “Shaddai” is written on the Mezuzah is because it is an acronym for Shomer Daltot Yisrael (Guardian of the Doors of Israel). It is also stated in the Zohar (Zohar Chadash, Ruth, Part 2, 25b) that a doorway with a Mezuzah is impervious to harm, Satan, or any great calamity, because the Holy One, Blessed be He, guards the entrance—even when permission is granted to the Angel of Destruction to cause harm, it raises its eyes and sees the name “Shaddai” on the Mezuzah standing at the doorway. Additionally, the Zohar (Parshat Va’etchanan, Part 3, 266a) explains that the name “Shaddai” on the mezuzah is effective only when the two aforementioned passages of the Mezuzah are written according to Halacha.

Rabbeinu Bachya (on Parshat Va’etchanan) explains that, according to the simple meaning, the reason “Shaddai” is written on the Mezuzah is because the nations of the world believe that the success of homes depends on the constellations of the stars. Since the name “Shaddai” overcomes and triumphs over the constellations, it is written on the Mezuzah to hint that abundance and goodness come from Him into homes, not from the system of the stars.

In the writings of the Ari z”l (Sha’ar HaHakdamot, end of the long discourse on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, p. 43), it is written that the secret of the verse “And Shaddai will be in your distress” (Job 22:25) means that the name “Shaddai,” written on the back of the Mezuzah , stands there to protect against the “adversaries” and enemies, which are the forces of impurity that seek to draw sustenance.

The Mezuzah must be affixed in such a way that the name “Shaddai” faces outward, meaning that “Shaddai” should be visible when the Mezuzah is in place. However, this applies only if the location is clean. If there is a concern that something impure or inappropriate might be opposite the Mezuzah , it should be covered. Some do not practice leaving the name “Shaddai” exposed on the outside, and they suffice with the letter shin appearing on the exterior of the Mezuzah , which likely serves as a reminder of this (see Sha’arei HaMezuzah, Chapter 15, note 19).