A Mezuzah is a tiny scroll of parchment containing verses from Deuteronomy which are handwritten by a qualified scribe or sofer. There are many laws which govern this important mitzvah (commandment) such as what kind of writing is kosher and what materials to use. A Mezuzah is placed on every door in the home, with the exception of the bathroom, on the upper portion of the doorpost, on the right side and at a slant. The original meaning of the word “mezuzah” is not a description of the tiny scroll itself, but is the Hebrew word for “doorpost” which where it is placed. This mitzvah and that of tzitzit (the four cornered garment with fringes) are mentioned in Shema, one of the most important prayers.
The month of Elul is a traditional time to check mezuzahs, which need to be inspected by a scribe to make sure that the letters have not become effaced. Many rabbis suggest that mezuzahs should be checked every few years, but others have all of the mezuzahs in their home checked every Elul before Rosh Hashana. Elul, in any case, is a month we repair what is fixed in our souls as well as our homes, and is an opportune time to check our mezuzahs to prepare for the new year.
How important is it to have a mezuzah in every doorpost? First of all, it is one of the most important commandments and it is known to provide protection to a home. Whenever any accident befalls someone in a house Gd forbid, a person should get the mezuzahs fixed to ensure that the home and the people living there will be protected. Moreover, mezuzahs protect people even when they are not in the home. There are many stories about miracles that occurred after people found a flaw in their mezuzahs and had the problem fixed.
One such story involved a girl who had joined a dangerous cult. The rabbi suggested that the father check the mezuzahs in the home. He did, and there was no change; the girl was committed to her cult. The rabbi asked him if he had a shed. When he replied “yes” he realized that he had forgotten to check the mezuzah there. As soon as the scribe opened the scroll he saw an error in the very first line. Instead of “Shema Israel, Hashem elokeinu Hashem Echad” or “Hear Israel Hashem your G-d, Hashem is one.” The Daled at the end of the last word was weatherbeaten and looked like a Reish, so it read “Hashem is Other,” standing for, Gd forbid, the other gods the girl was worshipping. As soon as the mezuzah was fixed, the girl left the cult, even though no one had told her what had happened.