The Jewish homes are identified with a door symbol at the doorposts. Some may take this Jewish door ornament as a symbol of good luck charm, courage or merely a piece of decoration!
However, what is Mezuzah really?
One school of thought perceives Mezuzah as a daily reminder of being courageous in difficult times, as God stands by you. This is taken as a public declaration of Jewish faith in their lives.
Identity that comes along with this Jewish door symbol
Mezuzah signifies presence of God through scroll of parchment at the "doorpost," of one’s house. It contains biblical verses, and is protected within a stone case, that is hung placed at the doorpost. The inscriptions are verses that recall the Exodus from Egypt. This reminds us of the time when the doorpost was smeared with lamb's blood and it was taken as a sign that the house belongs to Jewish family. While travelling, one can often identify Jews by mere look at the mezuzah doorpost.
Importance of having Mezuzah hung outside each room of the house
Having Mezuzah at outside of each room is taken as a symbol that when we move from one sphere to another, we can gain consciousness of our relationship with the God. There are many ways to reflect ones’ relationship with God and having Mezuzah at room doorpost is one way to do it.
Mezuzah- One’s Guardian angel
The reverse side of the parchment scroll contains the name- “Shaddai”. This Hebrew God’s name is in reality an acronym which expands as- "Guardian of the Doors."
This comes from a long back dated story which goes as- There was a time, when a Persian King – “Arteban” used to take huge pride in his wealth. On one fine day, he sent a pearl as a gesture for Rabbi Yehudah. In return, he received a mezuzah as a gift with a written note: "Your gift must be guarded from thieves, but my gift is more valuable as it guards us from all harms!"
This Jewish door symbol comes with the power to protect at all times, even when we are actively engaged in chores or sleep.
Time for another true story to amaze you-
Once, my friend’s grandmother felt extreme numbness in her fingers. After getting advises from doctors and specialists, she went to a Rabbi for advice. He added "Check your mezuzah once"
While she was left with no other choice, she removed the holy mezuzah and checked it. She found out that the scroll was perfect, with just one word missing- “Yud”. This Hebrew word is used for “hand”. She got the mezuzah replaced, and took it as a sign for much needed introspection. To her surprise, her hand returned to normal within days.
Courage to become leaders of house and protect family
Courage is one of the significant traits among Jewish families. While, it takes courage to adopt new accustomed practices, move from one culture to another, and to transform ourselves as per our religion. Having courage is rare these days, but this is the time to show it and gain admiration.
One cannot be afraid, while he sticks with the customs and not go against fundamental Judaism principles. From the dare to put lamb’s blood at the doorpost to bravely walking into the Sea, the Jews have embedded courage to their very cores. Now is the time to empower our future Jews generation and help them fulfill their missions with grace of God upon them.
Mezuzah- foundation of Judaism
Having this Jewish door ornament is a sign that the Almighty cares about your family. He is there to bless us with protection and long life. Now is the time to commit loyalty towards him by protecting his ideals and that includes- “holy mezuzah”.